Radiance Family Society

What Radiance Family Society does

Radiance Family Society is a Calgary, Alberta-based registered Canadian charity (Charitable registration #119156412 RR0001) founded in 1978 as Sonshine Community Services and rebranded to its current name around 2023. The organization provides second-stage shelter housing for up to 12 months for women and children fleeing domestic violence, operating the Radiance Centre, the Radiance Children's Centre (the first licensed full-time therapeutic childcare facility in Canada for children ages 19 months to 6 years exposed to domestic violence), and Radiance Day Homes (a provincially accredited family day home program). The Children's Centre serves approximately 40 children annually using trauma-informed modalities including ATTACH™, Theraplay®, and play therapy.

The service portfolio also includes individual and family counseling, parenting and attachment education, a financial literacy program delivered in partnership with First Calgary Financial, cultural liaison support, safe-exit planning, court support, and prevention training workshops for workplaces and community groups. Radiance participates in the Alberta Council of Women's Shelters' Food for Thought Campaign alongside Discovery House and the Brenda Strafford Centre, and engages in Indigenous reconciliation work with Elder Cheryle Chagnon-Greyeyes. In 2014 the organization reported revenue of $1.7M CAD against $1.5M in expenses and hosted 289 volunteers contributing over 3,750 hours; it currently holds ~35% of Calgary's residential capacity for long-term domestic violence refuge.

Radiance has no technology product platform and no pricing model; all client services are delivered free of charge. Revenue is generated entirely through philanthropic channels — individual donations processed via DonorPerfect, recurring gifts, corporate sponsorships (ConocoPhillips, Cenovus, MEG Energy, Crescent Point, Nexen, Investors Group, Shaw Charity Classic / Birdies for Kids), community foundation grants (Calgary Foundation's Catherine Butler and Trilogy Funds, Harry & Martha Cohen Foundation), service-club contributions (Canadian Progress Club, Rotary Club), and signature fundraising events (annual Hope Gala, Calgary Marathon Charity Challenge). The 11–50 employee organization is led by Executive Director Susan Herman, who succeeded founding Executive Director Joy Johnson-Green, PhD in January 2022.

Name

Radiance Family Society

Legal name

Radiance Family Society

Website

https://radiancesociety.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Radiance Family Society is a Calgary-based nonprofit (founded 1978) operating a second-stage shelter, Canada's first licensed full-time therapeutic childcare center for children traumatized by domestic violence, and accredited family day homes, serving women and children fleeing domestic violence free of charge through donations, grants, and fundraising events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Domestic Violence Shelter and Social Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child Care Services (6244)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Family Coaching, Parent-Mediated & Home Visiting EI Services (EDACAFAJ)

Keywords

• Domestic violence shelter
• Second-stage housing
• Therapeutic childcare
• Trauma-informed care
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary, Alberta

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Radiance operates as a registered Canadian charity (Charitable registration # 119156412 RR0001) and relies primarily on donations from individuals, corporations, and charitable foundations. Revenue comes from one-time and recurring donations, major gifts, and general philanthropic support.
2. Fundraising Events: The organization hosts annual fundraising events including the Hope Gala (raising over $90,000 in 2015, $73,000 in 2009), Calgary Marathon participation, Birdies for Kids matching program, and other community fundraising activities.
3. Grant Funding: Radiance receives grant funding from government sources and private foundations including Calgary Foundation (Catherine Butler Fund, Trilogy Fund), Harry & Martha Cohen Foundation, and corporate giving programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Radiance Family Society is a nonprofit charitable organization that provides second-stage supported housing for women and children fleeing domestic violence, alongside licensed full-time therapeutic childcare for children ages 19 months to 6 years. The organization delivers trauma-informed counseling, parenting support, life-skills training, and community prevention education at no cost to clients, funded through charitable donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants.

Product overview

Radiance Family Society is a non-profit social services organization offering a comprehensive suite of programs for individuals and families impacted by domestic violence. The organization operates Radiance Centre, a second-stage shelter providing up to 12 months of supported housing, alongside the Radiance Children's Centre offering licensed therapeutic childcare for children ages 19 months to 6 years. Additional services include Radiance Day Homes, community outreach programs, and specialized therapeutic offerings such as ATTACH™ (parental education), Theraplay®, and play therapy for child trauma recovery. The organization also provides financial literacy workshops and prevention training workshops for community education. Together, these services form a trauma-informed ecosystem supporting safe housing, healing, and family stabilization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Radiance Children's Centre: A therapeutic childcare centre providing daily, full-time care for children ages 19 months to 6 years who have experienced trauma from domestic violence.
• Radiance Day Homes
• Radiance Centre

Products and services

• Radiance Centre (Second-Stage Shelter) Second-stage shelter providing supported housing for women and children fleeing domestic violence, offering residential stays of up to 12 months with counseling, life-skills training, safe exit planning, and family support services. Clients are referred primarily from emergency shelters and social service agencies.
• Radiance Children's Centre Licensed full-time therapeutic childcare centre serving approximately 40 children ages 19 months to 6 years annually who have experienced or witnessed domestic violence. Provides trauma-informed care, play therapy, Theraplay, sensory room, and attachment-based programming for shelter residents and community referrals.
• Radiance Day Homes Accredited family day home program providing family-based childcare for families supported by the organization, with over a decade of provincial government accreditation.
• Community Outreach and Prevention Training Community-based prevention training workshops and webinars for workplaces, faith communities, and community groups. Topics include recognizing signs of abuse, responding with empathy, and connecting people with appropriate support. Includes the Thrive project for faith communities.
• ATTACH™ Parental Education Program Research-backed parental education program aimed at strengthening parent-child attachment and improving child mental health through reflective functioning education, delivered to families in Radiance's programs.
• Theraplay® and Play Therapy Therapeutic approach for children healing from trauma involving structured play sessions guided by a child therapist, combined with play therapy to strengthen parent-child bonds and emotional regulation. Provided by trained professionals including an experienced child therapist with over a decade of tenure.
• Financial Literacy Program Workshops teaching handling money, credit, banking, and financial independence skills to help survivors of domestic violence gain economic stability. Supported through a partnership with First Calgary Financial.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 90% of clients received support for stable housing after reintegrating into the community
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• OnSite I.T.coreGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal technology company that provides and cooks pancake breakfasts annually for Radiance's Calgary Stampede celebration event. Has become an annual tradition where the team helps create a warm, welcoming atmosphere for families at the shelter.
• Righteous GelatominorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal gelato company that donates Sorbetto Bars for Radiance's Stampede celebration events. Their contribution adds moments of joy for families at summer celebrations.
• Elder Cheryle Chagnon-GreyeyescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous Elder who provides live music and cultural support at Radiance events, contributing to the organization's land acknowledgment and reconciliation efforts.
• Investors GroupcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLead sponsor of the Hope Gala annual fundraising dinner and auction, supporting the organization's work helping women and children transform their lives.
• First Calgary FinancialcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial institution that supports the Financial Literacy program at Radiance, enabling clients to learn handling money, credit, banking, and financial independence skills.
• Alberta Council of Women's ShelterscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial coordinating body for women's shelters. Radiance refers clients to ACWS resources and participates in joint initiatives including the Food for Thought Campaign with Discovery House and Brenda Stafford Centre.
• Discovery HousecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Food For Thought Campaign along with The Brenda Strafford Centre, a joint fundraising initiative supporting domestic violence services.
• The Brenda Strafford CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Food For Thought Campaign along with Discovery House, a joint fundraising initiative supporting domestic violence services.
• Patisserie Du SoleilminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPresenting sponsor for the Sweet Hope dessert-theatre fundraising event, providing exquisite plated desserts for guests.
• Dreams Take Flight CalgaryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization that provides all-expense-paid trips to Disneyland for children at the shelter. Five children participated in the Dreams Take Flight trip along with 133 other children.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Awo Taan Native Women's Shelter Society: Calgary-based Indigenous women's shelter serving women and children fleeing family violence. Direct peer with overlapping mission and client population, differentiated by an explicit Indigenous cultural model that complements Radiance's cultural-liaison work.
• Discovery House: Calgary-based second-stage shelter for women and children leaving domestic violence. Direct operational peer and confirmed campaign partner (Food for Thought Campaign) alongside Radiance, serving overlapping clients with similar housing-plus-support programming.
• Calgary Women's Emergency Shelter Association: First-stage DV shelter in Calgary serving women and children fleeing domestic violence. Most directly comparable to Radiance's second-stage shelter model, sharing the same geographic market, funder base, and client population, but operating at the emergency-stage of the shelter continuum.
• Brenda Strafford Centre: Calgary-region second-stage shelter and family support services. Direct operational peer and joint Food for Thought Campaign partner with Radiance, providing highly comparable housing, counseling, and family-stabilization programs.
• Between Friends: Calgary-based organization focused on ending domestic and sexual violence through prevention programming, counseling, and public education. Directly comparable as a DV-services peer with overlapping prevention-training workshops and Calgary-area community reach.

Broad incumbents

• YW Calgary (YWCA Calgary): Calgary affiliate of YWCA offering housing, DV services, childcare and family support. Comparable to Radiance on the family-services and DV continuum but operates as a much larger, broader portfolio incumbent covering a wider set of women's and family programs.
• Salvation Army Calgary (Agape Hospice and Family Services): National faith-based social-services operator with Calgary shelter and family services presence. Broad incumbent in the shelter and family-support space serving similar at-risk populations with overlapping funding sources.

Others

• Alberta Council of Women's Shelters: Provincial umbrella body coordinating member shelters across Alberta (including Radiance). Not a competitor; a sector coordinator and policy advocate that channels training, referrals, and joint initiatives such as the Food for Thought Campaign to member shelters.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/radiancesociety
• Facebookfacebook.com/radiancefamilysociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/radiancefamilysociety
• Instagraminstagram.com/radiancesociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

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 Radiance Family Society