Watari Counselling & Support Services

What Watari Counselling & Support Services does

Watari Counselling & Support Services is a registered Canadian non-profit charitable organization founded in 1986 and headquartered in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES). It operates as a wraparound community social-services provider, delivering four core program areas: Community Programs (substance-use counselling, outreach, Migrant 2 Migrant, Downtown Community Courts), the DTES Regional Community Food Hub (Community Kitchen, Indigenous Elders Grocery, Access Without Fear Grocery), Youth Programs (YEAH and YEAH Parenting housing subsidies, STAR drug-awareness curriculum, ICOP, Passages, Eastside Integrated Youth Outreach), and the Watari Wellness Centre at 320 Alexander Street, opened in 2023 as a multi-purpose hub offering showers, laundry, meals, and cultural programming. Operationally, Watari provides approximately 1,900 hot meals weekly to SRO tenants, serves 45 Indigenous Elders and 110 households (350 people) with weekly groceries, delivers 137 STAR presentations annually, and employs 50+ peers. Services are provided free of charge to clients.

The organization's business model is grant- and donation-funded rather than revenue-generating. Funding sources include four core institutional partners — United Way, City of Vancouver, BC Housing, and Vancouver Coastal Health — plus the Government of Canada and a broader base of foundations (Vancouver Foundation, Law Foundation of BC, Canadian Women's Foundation, Aqueduct Foundation, Embers, WES, CAI) and settlement-agency partners (DIVERSEcity, MOSAIC, VACFSS). It operates with 11 employees and a Board of Directors chaired by Melissa Desousa, with Senior Director Kevin Crofton (13 years tenure) leading youth programming and Kristin Kozuback managing the Wellness Centre. There is no proprietary technology platform; delivery relies on physical sites, mobile outreach, and standard digital channels for donor and community engagement.

Name

Watari Counselling & Support Services

Legal name

Watari Counselling & Support Services

Website

https://watari.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Watari Counselling & Support Services is a Vancouver-based non-profit founded in 1986 delivering wraparound social services — counselling, food security, youth housing, and wellness programming — to vulnerable residents of the Downtown Eastside and Metro Vancouver.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Social Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD), Mental Health Counseling & Psychotherapy Services (EDALAFAB), Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

Keywords

• Community social services
• Youth housing support
• Food security programs
• Substance use counselling
• Community wellness programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Watari Counselling & Support Services is a non-profit charitable organization that provides community-based social services across Vancouver's Downtown Eastside and Greater Vancouver area. The organization delivers four core service areas: Community Programs (counselling, outreach, and advocacy for vulnerable populations), the DTES Regional Community Food Hub (hot meals and culturally appropriate grocery delivery), Youth Programs (housing subsidies, outreach, and life-skills support for at-risk youth aged 12-24), and the Watari Wellness Centre (showers, laundry, meals, and cultural programming at a multi-purpose hub). All services are provided free of cost to clients and funded through government grants, foundations, and donations.

Product overview

Watari Counselling & Support Services is a non-profit community organization founded in 1986, offering a portfolio of social service programs rather than a technology product. The organization operates four main service areas: Community Programs (counselling, outreach, and advocacy), the DTES Regional Community Food Hub (food security with kitchen and grocery programs), Youth Programs (housing subsidies, outreach, and education), and the Watari Wellness Centre (basic needs and support services). The YEAH and YEAH Parenting programs provide 18-month housing subsidies for at-risk youth, while the Food Hub includes the Community Kitchen, Elders Grocery, and Access Without Fear programs. The Wellness Centre at 320 Alexander Street serves as a multi-purpose hub for homeless residents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Community Programs Comprehensive community support services including counselling, outreach, and advocacy for underserved populations across Vancouver. Includes Community Counselling, Migrant 2 Migrant, and Downtown Community Courts partnership programs.
• DTES Regional Community Food Hub Food security initiative providing hot meals and culturally appropriate groceries to vulnerable Downtown Eastside residents, including the Watari Community Kitchen, Indigenous Elders Grocery Program, and Access Without Fear Grocery Program.
• Youth Programs Comprehensive services for vulnerable youth aged 12-24 including housing support, outreach, counselling, and educational programs (S.T.A.R., ICOP, Eastside Integrated Youth Outreach, Passages) across Greater Vancouver.
• YEAH Program (Youth Excelling and Attaining Housing) 18-month housing subsidy program supporting homeless or at-risk youth aged 16-24 with case management and life skills development.
• YEAH Parenting Program Housing support and rental subsidies for homeless pregnant or parenting youth aged 16-24 with substance use and mental health challenges (formerly known as TTIPII).
• Watari Wellness Centre Multi-purpose community hub at 320 Alexander Street offering showers, laundry, hot meals, counselling, and cultural programming to homeless and at-risk residents of the Downtown Eastside.
• Watari Community Kitchen Provides approximately 1,900 hot meals weekly to isolated SRO tenants in the DTES through community kitchen collaboration with community partners.
• Indigenous Elders Grocery Program Weekly grocery delivery program serving 45 Indigenous Elders in the DTES with culturally appropriate food packages.
• Access Without Fear Grocery Program Barrier-free food access program serving 110 households weekly with culturally appropriate foods for people with precarious immigration status.
• Migrant 2 Migrant Support services for under-resourced migrant workers including agricultural workers, providing information, clothing, food, and rights advocacy.
• Community Counselling Mental health and substance use support and guidance for individuals in the DTES addressing emotional and social challenges.
• Downtown Community Courts Program Partnership with Vancouver Intensive Supervision Unit supporting individuals to become more stable and connected with community resources.
• S.T.A.R. Program (Stop, Think, Assess, & Respond) Educational program for grades 4-7 teaching drug awareness, safety, and community resiliency through interactive activities, with 137 presentations delivered annually.
• ICOP Program Intensive one-on-one support for Aboriginal youth including outreach, counselling, and life skills within trusting relationships.
• Eastside Integrated Youth Outreach Youth outreach service providing counselling referrals, one-to-one support, and food pantry access for vulnerable youth ages 12-24, funded by Vancouver Coastal Health.
• Passages Program Workshops and events for self-identified urban Indigenous girls aged 12-16 in the foster care system.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18-month housing subsidy program supporting youth aged 16-24
• +4 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealth authority partner funding the Eastside Integrated Youth Outreach program and providing referral pathways
• DIVERSEcityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSettlement organization partner for immigrant and refugee services
• MOSAICminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSettlement agency partner supporting migrant and immigrant communities
• VACFSSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAboriginal child and family services partner

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Vancouver Native Health Society: Non-profit delivering culturally appropriate health and social services to Indigenous communities in Vancouver's DTES. Comparable in Indigenous-focused programming, cultural competency, and partnership model with Vancouver Coastal Health.
• Atira Women's Resource Society: Vancouver non-profit providing housing and support services for women and children impacted by violence. Comparable as a DTES-rooted wraparound service provider with similar funder base and program structure.
• MOSAIC: Vancouver-based non-profit serving immigrants and refugees with settlement, employment, and language services. Comparable as a Watari partner serving migrant communities with overlapping program areas.
• Lookout Housing and Health Society: Non-profit providing housing, health, and social services across Greater Vancouver including the DTES. Directly comparable as a multi-program community services organization serving overlapping vulnerable populations with similar funding models.
• PHS Community Services Society: Long-standing Vancouver non-profit operating housing, health, and harm reduction services in the DTES. Comparable in service breadth, target population, and reliance on government and health authority funding.
• Carnegie Community Centre: Vancouver municipal community centre serving as a hub for DTES residents, offering programs, meals, and outreach. Comparable as a multi-purpose community hub providing wraparound services to overlapping populations.
• DIVERSEcity: BC non-profit providing settlement, refugee, and community services for newcomers. Comparable as a Watari partner with similar immigrant and refugee service focus and Greater Vancouver geographic footprint.
• Downtown Eastside Women's Centre: DTES-based non-profit providing drop-in services, meals, and support for women and gender-diverse people. Comparable as a community hub serving overlapping vulnerable populations with similar service delivery model.

Others

• United Way British Columbia: Major Watari funder and sector coordinator for social services across BC. Relevant as a funding ecosystem participant and convener of nonprofit social service organizations in the region.

Broad incumbents

• First Nations Health Authority: Provincial health authority serving Indigenous communities across BC. Comparable as a funder and partner in Indigenous health and social services, though operating at much larger scale and broader geographic scope.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@wataricounsellingsupport
• Facebookfacebook.com/WatariCounsellingandSupportServices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/watari-counselling-support-services
• Instagraminstagram.com/wataricounselling

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Watari Counselling & Support Services