La Maison Kangourou

What La Maison Kangourou does

La Maison Kangourou is a registered Canadian charity (CRA number 849434907RR0001) and Quebec non-profit (OBNL) founded in July 2011 by Josée Fortin. It operates as the first emergency and first-line centre of its kind in Quebec and Canada, providing 24/7/365 support to families with children aged 0–12 who are experiencing temporary crises such as parental hospitalization, mental-health episodes, domestic violence, bereavement, burnout, job loss, or medical travel. Services are delivered free of charge and operationalized through five branded emergency funds — Fonds Skippy (emergency housing via a hotel network), Fonds Joey (childcare during parental emergencies), Fonds maman Boomer et papa Flyer (food, clothing, diapers, formula), Fonds Wallaby (one-time exceptional hardship assistance), and Fonds Wallaroo (family recreation and wellness). Access is driven by a community-led, referral-based go-to-market motion routed through Quebec healthcare institutions (CISSS, CIUSSS, CHU Sainte-Justine), schools, social workers, partner NGOs, and a 24/7 crisis line, supplemented by earned media coverage across TVA, Global News, 98.5, Rythme 105.7, La Presse, and Journal Metro.

Underlying technology is minimal and conventional: a WordPress-based public website (lamaisonkangourou.org), a Facebook page used as a top-of-funnel awareness channel, a monthly email newsletter, and CanadaHelps as the donation processing layer for Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, and Interac transactions. The organization does not run a proprietary technology platform or mobile application; service delivery is human-led and location-anchored in Montreal. A multidisciplinary team of approximately 25 employees plus volunteers and pro-bono professional advisors (legal, HR, accounting, IT, communications, graphic design) executes programs.

The business model is entirely donation-funded with no government funding and no service fees. Revenue is generated through individual donations, corporate sponsorships tiered from $1,000 to $500,000+, foundation grants, and proceeds from recurring fundraising events (e.g., the Soirée-bénéfice, the Grand Bazar Kangourou, draw-based campaigns, and partner-driven entertainment events with Cirque du Soleil, La Ronde, Disney on Ice, and others). Long-term plans include a mobile-service pivot during 2025/2026 and ultimately opening a house in each of Quebec's 17 administrative regions.

Name

La Maison Kangourou

Legal name

La Maison Kangourou

Website

https://lamaisonkangourou.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Maison Kangourou is a Quebec-registered charity operating the first 24/7 emergency and first-line family support centre in Canada. It delivers free crisis services — emergency housing, childcare, food, materials, and recreation — to families with children aged 0–12.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Emergency Family & Social Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAEAC

Family & Parenting Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Social Services & Community Support (Food, Housing, Family)

SECONDARYBPAGACAD

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Health & Medical Nonprofits

Keywords

• Emergency family services
• Childcare support
• Crisis intervention
• Charitable social services
• Family emergency assistance

Headquarters

HQ city

Montréal

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: Receives donations from individuals, corporations, and charitable foundations. Accepts donations via check (phone 514-524-4141) or online through CanadaHelps platform with PayPal, Visa, Mastercard, or Interac options.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

La Maison Kangourou is a non-profit charitable organization that delivers 24/7 emergency and frontline support services to families with children aged 0–12 experiencing temporary crises (divorce, illness, burnout, domestic violence, job loss, bereavement). It operates five emergency funds—Skippy (emergency housing), Joey (childcare during hospitalization), Boomer/Flyer (food, clothing, and essential supplies), Wallaby (exceptional hardship wishes), and Wallaroo (family recreation)—provided free of charge to eligible families.

Product overview

La Maison Kangourou is a non-profit social services organization offering emergency and first-line support services to families and children in Quebec. The organization operates five distinct emergency funds: Fonds Skippy (emergency accommodation and mental health support), Fonds Joey (childcare during medical emergencies), Fonds maman Boomer et papa Flyer (emergency materials and food aid), Fonds Wallaby (one-time exceptional hardship assistance), and Fonds Wallaroo (family recreation and well-being activities). Services are available 24/7 to families with children aged 0-12 facing temporary crises such as divorce, illness, job loss, or exhaustion. The organization is planning to become mobile in 2025/2026 to expand services across Quebec's 17 administrative regions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Fonds Skippy: Emergency housing fund for families facing mental health issues, domestic violence, burnout, and distress through hotel network partnerships.
• Fonds Joey
• Fonds Boomer et Flyer
• Fonds Wallaby
• Fonds Wallaroo

Products and services

• Fonds Skippy

Quantifiable outcome

• First emergency center for families in Quebec and Canada

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Fondation Immobilière de Montréal pour les Jeunes (FIMJ)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured partner providing support for youth housing and family support services.
• AquazillaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWater park partner providing free/reduced admissions for Kangourou families.
• iSaute TrampolineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrampoline park providing activities for supported families.
• La RondeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAmusement park providing tickets for family activities.
• Cirque du SoleilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEntertainment partner providing show tickets for families.
• Disney on IceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner with TELUS providing Ice show tickets.
• Complexe AtlantideminorGTM or Marketing PartnerWater park partner providing activities for families.
• Voiles en VoilesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOutdoor activity partner providing family excursions.
• Hôpitaux Shriners pour enfantsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner for children's medical support services.
• SOS Violence ConjugaleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization for domestic violence support referrals.
• Hôtel St-Sulpice MontrealminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHotel partner for emergency accommodation services.
• Fly4FreedomminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent partner distributing toys and clothing for Christmas.
• Le Tricheur (TV Show)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerTV game show partnership featuring Édith Cochrane supporting Kangourou families.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• La Maison Bleue: Montreal-based nonprofit providing perinatal and early-childhood support to vulnerable families; directly comparable to La Maison Kangourou's family-crisis support mandate for children 0–12, and already listed as a referral partner.
• Parents-Anonymes du Québec: Quebec peer-support and helpline organization for parents in distress; comparable in providing crisis-line and family support services aligned with La Maison Kangourou's parental-burnout use case.
• Fondation du Dr Julien: Quebec nonprofit running social pediatric community centers for vulnerable children and families; directly comparable mission in serving at-risk families with children and complementary to La Maison Kangourou's service model.
• Mission Old Brewery: Montreal emergency shelter and housing services for people in crisis; comparable in providing 24/7 frontline family crisis support and listed by La Maison Kangourou as a referral partner for newly arrived families.
• SOS Violence Conjugale: Quebec-wide helpline and referral service for domestic violence; directly overlaps La Maison Kangourou's domestic-violence use case within its Fonds Skippy and is a named partner.

Broad incumbents

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada: National nonprofit providing mentorship and support to at-risk children and youth; comparable in serving vulnerable children and families through a referral-driven nonprofit model.
• YMCA du Québec: Quebec-wide community-services nonprofit offering childcare, family programs, and crisis support; comparable as a multi-program family-services organization and a named referral partner.
• Opération Enfant Soleil: Large provincial charity raising funds for sick children across Quebec; comparable as a Quebec family/children's fundraising organization and a named major donor to La Maison Kangourou.
• Centraide du Grand Montréal: Regional United Way affiliate funding a network of social-service nonprofits in Greater Montreal; broadly comparable as a fundraising-and-allocation vehicle for family-support services.

Regional players

• Regroupement des maisons pour femmes victimes de violence conjugale: Quebec coalition of shelters for women and children fleeing domestic violence; comparable in providing emergency shelter and family support in Quebec, with overlap on La Maison Kangourou's domestic-violence and emergency-housing use cases.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/maisonkangourou
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/la-maison-kangourou

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 La Maison Kangourou