Bissell Centre

What Bissell Centre does

Bissell Centre is a registered Canadian charity (Reg. No. 118810829RR0001) founded in 1910 and headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, on Treaty 6 territory. The organization provides no-cost social services to individuals and families experiencing poverty, with a portfolio of programs organized into three categories: Individual programs (Service Hub, Housing Loss Prevention, Housing Services, Financial Empowerment, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum of Services, and Supportive Housing for Adults with FASD), Family programs (Early Childhood Development/Childcare and Family Support Services), and Community programs (Indigenous Cultural Supports, Free Tax Filing, Bissell Thrift Shop, Moonlight Bay Centre, and Bissell Harvest Catering). Client-facing services are delivered free of charge through a walk-in Service Hub at 10527 96 St. NW Edmonton, with after-hours routing via the 211 referral line.

The business model is that of a donor-funded nonprofit: no fees are charged to clients, and operating revenue is generated through donations, grants, charitable giving, and earned income from three social enterprises (Bissell Thrift Shop, Bissell Harvest Catering, and Moonlight Bay Centre). The catering operation also serves as a job-training and employment pathway. Bissell Centre holds Imagine Canada Standards Program Accreditation and is affiliated with The United Church of Canada, while its childcare programs are accredited by the Alberta Association for the Accreditation of Early Learning and Care Services. The organization is governed by a board of directors and operates with 251–500 employees, serving the Alberta region.

There is no disclosed technology product or software platform; the digital footprint is a WordPress-based website (bissellcentre.org) with Facebook and Instagram channels, used for awareness, donor engagement, and program communication. The organization discloses no app, no AI/ML capabilities, and no commercial SaaS offering, positioning it as a service-delivery nonprofit rather than a technology company.

Name

Bissell Centre

Legal name

Bissell Centre

Website

https://bissellcentre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1910

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Bissell Centre is an Edmonton-based registered Canadian charity founded in 1910 that provides free, wraparound social services — including housing, financial empowerment, childcare, FASD support, and Indigenous cultural programming — to individuals and families experiencing poverty in Alberta.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Social Services and Charitable Support

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Community Housing Services (62422), Social Assistance (624)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC), Financial Assistance & Benefits Navigation Services (BPAGAEAK)

Keywords

• Social services
• Poverty alleviation
• Housing support
• Community charity
• Childcare services

Headquarters

HQ city

Edmonton

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

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Bissell Centre is a registered Canadian charity that delivers wraparound social services to individuals and families experiencing poverty in Edmonton. Its offerings span individual supports (housing loss prevention, housing services, financial empowerment, FASD programs), family programs (early childhood development/childcare, family support), and community programs (Indigenous cultural supports, free tax filing, a thrift shop, a community centre, and a catering social enterprise).

Product overview

Bissell Centre offers a portfolio of social service programs organized into three main categories: Individual programs (Service Hub, Housing Loss Prevention, Housing Services, Financial Empowerment, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum of Services, and Supportive Housing for Adults with FASD), Family programs (Early Childhood Development/Childcare and Family Support Services), and Community programs (Indigenous Cultural Supports, Free Tax Filing, Bissell Thrift Shop, Moonlight Bay Centre, and Bissell Harvest Catering). The organization functions as a nonprofit social services provider rather than a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bissell Thrift Shop: Thrift shop offering affordable goods and supporting the organization's mission
• Bissell Harvest Catering
• Moonlight Bay Centre

Products and services

• Service Hub
• Housing Loss Prevention
• Housing Services
• Financial Empowerment Services
• Fetal Alcohol Spectrum of Services
• Supportive Housing for Adults with FASD
• Early Childhood Development (Childcare)
• Family Support Services
• Indigenous Cultural Supports
• Free Tax Filing
• Bissell Thrift Shop
• Moonlight Bay Centre
• Bissell Harvest Catering

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

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Alberta Association for the Accreditation of Early Learning and Care ServicesminorOthersAccreditation body for early learning and childcare services, providing quality assurance for Bissell's early childhood development programs.
• The United Church of CanadaminorOthersAffiliated religious organization; Bissell Centre originated from and maintains connection to The United Church of Canada.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Boyle Street Community Services: Edmonton-based nonprofit providing wraparound poverty alleviation, housing, and community support services. Directly comparable given shared geography, similar wraparound service model, and overlapping client population of individuals experiencing poverty and homelessness.
• Inn from the Cold: Calgary-based charity providing emergency shelter, housing, and family support services. Comparable given its focus on family homelessness prevention, housing services, and wraparound support models paralleling Bissell's programs.
• The Mustard Seed: Calgary and Edmonton-based charitable organization delivering housing, food, and poverty alleviation services. Comparable in mission, service breadth, and Albertan operational footprint focused on vulnerable populations.
• Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Centre Society: Major Alberta social services nonprofit offering shelter, housing, and wraparound supports. Comparable as a regional counterpart providing similar anti-poverty and homelessness programs to a comparable client base.

Regional players

• Habitat for Humanity Edmonton: Edmonton-based nonprofit focused on affordable housing and homeownership pathways for low-income families. Comparable as a regional housing-services peer addressing housing instability for vulnerable populations in the same geography.

Broad incumbents

• Goodwill Industries of Alberta: Alberta-wide nonprofit operating thrift stores and employment programs for people facing barriers. Comparable social enterprise model (thrift retail + vocational training) and shared focus on poverty alleviation and workforce reintegration.
• Salvation Army Edmonton: Large established charitable organization with Edmonton operations offering shelter, food, and family services. Comparable as a multi-service charity with broader national footprint but overlapping social services programs in the same geography.

Others

• United Way Alberta Capital Region: Regional funder and convener supporting nonprofit social services in the Edmonton area. Comparable as a sector partner and potential funding channel for Bissell's programs, though not a direct service competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BissellCentre
• Facebookfacebook.com/bissellcentre
• Instagraminstagram.com/bissellcentre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bissell-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Bissell Centre