Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington

What Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington does

The Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington is a registered Canadian charity (registration #140543430RR0001) headquartered in Guelph, Ontario, that operates a portfolio of four interconnected programs serving school-age children and youth from low-income households in Guelph, Wellington County, and Dufferin County. Its core programs are Adopt-A-Family (holiday gifts and grocery support), Keep Kids Fed at School (Food & Friends school nutrition program), Keep Kids Fed at Home (weekend and holiday food bag delivery), and Free to Grow (funding for recreational activities, life-skill development, and mental health support). The Foundation merged with Food4Kids Guelph effective July 1, 2024, consolidating weekend and holiday gap-food programming under one organization to address rising childhood food insecurity.

The Foundation operates a community-led, event-driven go-to-market model. Revenue is generated through individual donations (one-time, monthly Bright Future Friends, tribute gifts, securities, planned legacy), corporate sponsorships and employee matching (RBC Foundation, Desjardins Insurance, Cargill, Fusion Homes, Linamar, Hammond Power Solutions, Canadian Tire Jumpstart, Tim Hortons), annual fundraising events (Once Upon a Time Gala, Fore Our Kids Golf Tournament, Trees for Tots, Shine Bright, Live Free, Smile Cookie, Kids to Camp), and government/funder grants (Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Breakfast Club of Canada, Breakfast for Learning, Musagetes Fund). The technology stack is a standard nonprofit administrative platform with donor management and program tracking; no proprietary technology or AI capabilities are disclosed.

Programs are distributed at no cost to families via school-based delivery (Food & Friends through Upper Grand District School Board and Wellington Catholic District School Board), social agency referrals (Adopt-A-Family, Free to Grow), direct home delivery (Keep Kids Fed at Home weekend food bags), and activity-funding disbursements to recreational providers (Free to Grow). Cumulative reported impact includes 3,650 children reached through Adopt-A-Family, 2.6M+ healthy meals, 17,000+ weekend food bags, 1,912 activities funded, and 1,649 families supported during the 2023 holiday season (a 5% year-over-year and 15% two-year increase). The Foundation is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors led by Chair Suzanne Bone and operates with 17 staff under Executive Director Karyn Kirkwood, who was appointed in October 2023.

Name

Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington

Legal name

Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington

Website

https://childrensfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington is a registered Canadian charity operating four programs — Adopt-A-Family, Keep Kids Fed (school and home), and Free to Grow — to address food insecurity, holiday needs, and recreational access for low-income children and youth in Guelph, Wellington County, and Dufferin County.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Charity and Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK)

Keywords

• Child welfare programs
• Student nutrition services
• Youth support services
• Holiday gift assistance
• Community fundraising campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

Guelph

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through one-time donations, monthly giving programs (Bright Future Friends), tribute gifts, gift of securities, and planned legacy gifts. The Adopt-A-Family program connects donors directly with families.
2. Corporate Sponsorships & Partnerships: Corporate partners sponsor events, contribute to programs like Free to Grow, and provide employee matching programs. Major corporate partners include RBC, Desjardins Insurance, Cargill, and local businesses.
3. Annual Events & Campaigns: Annual fundraising events include Once Upon a Time Gala, Fore Our Kids Golf Tournament, Trees for Tots, Shine Bright Campaign, Live Free Campaign, Smile Cookie Campaign, and Kids to Camp Campaign. These events generate significant revenue for programming.
4. Government & Foundation Grants: Funding from government programs including Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services, Ontario Trillium Foundation, and various community foundations. Also receives support from national organizations like Breakfast for Learning and Breakfast Club of Canada.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington delivers free charitable programs supporting children and youth from low-income families in Guelph, Wellington County, and Dufferin County. Core offerings include Adopt-A-Family (holiday gifts and grocery support), Keep Kids Fed at School and at Home (school and weekend nutrition programs), Free to Grow (funding for recreation, camps, life-skills, tutoring, and mental health), Food & Friends (in-school breakfast, lunch, and snack programs), and the Future Fund Scholarship.

Product overview

The Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington is a charitable organization offering a portfolio of four interconnected core programs designed to support children and youth from low-income families. The programs include Adopt-A-Family (holiday gift program), Keep Kids Fed at School/Food & Friends (school nutrition programs), Keep Kids Fed at Home (weekend food bags), and Free to Grow (recreational activities, life skills, and mental health support). Together, these programs address food security, educational support, recreational access, and mental health needs, working collaboratively to provide comprehensive support for vulnerable children and youth in Guelph, Wellington County, and Dufferin County.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Adopt-A-Family: Holiday gift program matching donors with families in need
• Keep Kids Fed
• Free to Grow
• Food & Friends
• Future Fund Scholarship

Products and services

• Adopt-A-Family Holiday gift and support program that matches donors with families in need, providing holiday gifts, grocery gift cards, and essential items to children and youth in Guelph and Wellington County.
• Keep Kids Fed at School (Food & Friends) Student nutrition program providing healthy meals including breakfast, lunch, and snacks at schools across Guelph, Wellington, and Dufferin County to ensure children have adequate nutrition for learning.
• Keep Kids Fed at Home Weekend and holiday food gap program delivering food bags to children and families to address food insecurity during times when school nutrition programs are unavailable.
• Free to Grow Program funding recreational activities (sports, camps, arts), life-skill development (babysitting, driver training, tutoring), and mental health counselling for children and youth from low-income households.
• Future Fund Scholarship Scholarship program for graduating students (formerly Tait Scholarship and Promoli Scholarship) supporting post-secondary education for children and youth served by the Foundation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,650 children & youth felt the joy of holidays through Adopt-A-Family
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Food4Kids Guelph (merged into CFGW July 2024)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood4Kids Guelph merged operations with Children's Foundation on July 1, 2024, to better address the growing community food insecurity crisis. The merger created a more coordinated approach to weekend and holiday gap food programs. Previously a joint project of the four Rotary Clubs of Guelph.
• Tim Hortons (Guelph & Wellington locations)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerTim Hortons restaurant owners in Guelph and Wellington donate 100% of proceeds from Smile Cookie sales to the Children's Foundation's Food & Friends Program. Campaign raised over $157,000.
• Elinesky Schuett Private Wealth of RBC Dominion SecuritiesmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for the Once Upon a Time Gala and previously the Around the World Gala for multiple years. Long-term partnership supporting major fundraising events.
• Rotary Club of Guelph WellingtonmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual Duck Race fundraiser benefiting Children's Foundation. 38th Annual Duck Race in 2025 was most successful ever with 9,000 ducks and combined impact of $100,000. Original founders of Food4Kids program.
• Compass Community ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Compass Community Services supports mental health programs for LGBTQ+ youth. Helps bridge the financial gap to ensure all children, youth, and families have access to intersectional mental health services.
• Sylvan Learning of GuelphmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Sylvan Learning of Guelph and Guelph Giving Pledge to provide no-cost tutoring initiative for children and youth. Objective is to provide in-depth educational support beyond what Free to Grow program typically funds.
• Upper Grand District School BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood & Friends program follows the catchment area of the Upper Grand District School Board and includes Dufferin County. Partnership with schools for student nutrition programs.
• Wellington Catholic District School BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerValued partner for many years. Staff connects students to Adopt-A-Family, Free to Grow and Scholarships Programs through referrals based on daily observation of student struggles.
• City of GuelphmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommitted to providing affordable recreation through FAIR (Fee Assistance In Recreation) program. In 2008, worked with community organizations on joint vision for fair, equitable and centralized funding process.
• Guelph Minor Hockey AssociationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRecreational partner to Free to Grow Program. Since 2010, has waived portion of registration fees for children and youth eligible for Free to Grow Program, making hockey more accessible.
• Guelph Saultos GymnasticsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDonation of waived fees for Free to Grow program helps stretch dollars further, allowing more kids to experience gymnastics and improve social skills.
• Iona Sky (EDI Consultant)majorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEDI consultant engaged during strategic planning process to lay groundwork for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion strategies. Commitment to ongoing EDI work remains at core of organizational values.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Food Banks Canada: National food distribution nonprofit addressing hunger, including child-focused weekend and school programs. Overlaps with CFGW's Keep Kids Fed At Home and At School programs on mission and beneficiary population.
• YMCA of Three Rivers (Guelph): Regional YMCA serving Guelph-Wellington with childcare, recreation, and youth programs. Competes for the same activity-funding partnerships (e.g., swim, sports programs) that CFGW's Free to Grow subsidizes for low-income families.
• Breakfast Club of Canada: National nonprofit dedicated to child nutrition programs in schools. Directly comparable as it provides funding, food, and equipment to student nutrition programs — the same activity CFGW's Food & Friends program delivers locally, and CFGW's data explicitly lists them as a core financial partner.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada: National youth development nonprofit offering after-school programs, recreation, and life-skills for vulnerable children. Closely comparable to CFGW's Free to Grow program targeting activity and life-skill access for low-income youth.
• United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin: Local community impact nonprofit serving the same geographic area (Guelph, Wellington, Dufferin). Competes for the same corporate giving pool and donor base, and funds overlapping social-service programs.
• Compass Community Services: Local Guelph-based social services organization focused on counselling and mental health programs, including LGBTQ+ youth. Direct partner of CFGW on mental health referrals and explicitly named as a partner; serves overlapping beneficiary base in same geography.

Broad incumbents

• Children's Aid Foundation of Canada: National charity supporting youth in and from care, including scholarships and mental health services. Comparable in supporting vulnerable children/youth with scholarships (Future Fund Scholarship) and mental health resources (via Compass partnership).
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada: Established national youth mentoring nonprofit with broad programming for at-risk children and youth. Comparable in mission scope (child and youth wellbeing) though focused on mentoring rather than the food/activity funding mix CFGW delivers.
• Salvation Army Canada: Large national charitable organization providing social services including family support, holiday assistance, and food programs. Overlaps with Adopt-A-Family and broader family support services CFGW provides locally.

Regional players

• Make-A-Wish Canada: National children's charity focused on granting wishes to children with critical illnesses. Comparable as a high-visibility children's charity competing for corporate donations and individual givers across Canada, though different core mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/childrensfdngw

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington