Support and Hope for Individuals and Families Today

What Support and Hope for Individuals and Families Today does

S.H.I.F.T. (Support and Hope for Individuals and Families Today) is a registered Canadian charity founded in 2017 and headquartered in Alliston, Ontario, that delivers emergency shelter, food security, and harm reduction services to individuals and families experiencing or at-risk of homelessness in the South Simcoe region. The organization operates three core programs — a Mobile Street & Community Outreach program serving scheduled stops across South Simcoe, a Daytime Drop-In Center (daily 10AM-6PM, accommodating up to 12 participants) offering meals, showers, hygiene supplies, and housing-related supports, and an Emergency Overnight Shelter (daily 7PM-9AM) operating under harm-reduction principles for adults and youth aged 16+. A Community Dinner Program supplements these with free lunch and dinner served daily, and the organization reports 900+ individuals served in housing-focused programs, 10,000+ meals served, and 5,000+ harm reduction interactions annually.

The revenue model is donation-driven and event-led, with 46% of funding coming from donations and fundraising events and no fees charged to service recipients. The largest fundraising engine is the Coldest Night of the Year walk, which has cumulatively raised over $650,000 since 2020 (including $102,000+ at the 2025 event). S.H.I.F.T. supplements this with a diversified event portfolio — Raising Hope Gala, SHIFTmas Holiday Bingo, Christmas in July, Potato Festival Dunk Tank, Name a Plow Virtual Auction, and Giving Tuesday — plus a recurring "Make it Monthly" donation program processed through CanadaHelps. Operations are predominantly volunteer-powered, with 1-10 paid staff supplemented by 250+ volunteers annually serving in roles such as Meal Makers, Sandwich Makers, and event coordination.

S.H.I.F.T. functions as a coordinating node within the South Simcoe homelessness services ecosystem, maintaining referral partnerships with CONTACT Community Services, Youth Haven, Krasman Centre, My Sister's Place, The Gilbert Centre, and 211 Central East Ontario. Distribution is multi-channel: physical shelter and drop-in at 123 Victoria St. W., Alliston; a mobile outreach van; an online donation portal; and a multi-platform social media presence (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn). The organization holds CRA charitable registration (No. 78448 3737 RR0001) and operates an Advisory Committee and Fundraising Committee alongside its Board of Directors.

Name

Support and Hope for Individuals and Families Today

Legal name

Support and Hope for Individuals and Families Today

Website

https://shiftforgood.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

S.H.I.F.T. (Support and Hope for Individuals and Families Today) is a registered Canadian charity founded in 2017 that provides emergency overnight shelter, daytime drop-in services, community meals, and mobile street outreach to individuals and families experiencing homelessness and food insecurity in South Simcoe, Ontario.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless and Social Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422), Temporary Shelters (624221)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIANAC

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Housing, Urban Planning & Community Development

SECONDARYBPAGAEAB

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services

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

Keywords

• Emergency shelter services
• Homelessness outreach
• Food security programs
• Harm reduction services
• Community meal programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Alliston

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising Events: S.H.I.F.T. operates primarily on community donations and fundraising events, with 46% of funding coming from donations and events. The organization hosts multiple annual fundraising events including Coldest Night of the Year, Gala, Holiday Bingo, and community fundraisers. Monthly giving program allows donors to set up recurring donations.
2. Volunteer-Supported Services: The organization operates predominantly on volunteer manpower, reducing operational costs. Over 250 volunteers serve annually in various roles including meal preparation, program support, and event coordination.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

S.H.I.F.T. (Support and Hope for Individuals and Families Today) is a registered Canadian charity that provides emergency overnight shelter, daytime drop-in services, community meals, mobile street outreach, harm reduction supplies, and housing-focused case management to individuals and families experiencing or at-risk of homelessness and food insecurity in South Simcoe, Ontario. All programs are delivered free of charge to participants under harm reduction principles.

Product overview

S.H.I.F.T. (Support and Hope for Individuals and Families Today) is a charitable non-profit organization serving South Simcoe since 2017. The organization operates three core social service programs: the Mobile Street & Community Outreach Program (prevention-focused support for those at-risk of homelessness), the Daytime Drop-In Program (safe daytime space with meals and resources), and the Emergency Overnight Shelter (short-term housing-focused shelter). Supporting these programs is a Community Dinner Program providing free meals, plus various fundraising events including Coldest Night of the Year, Raising Hope Gala, SHIFTmas Holiday Bingo, and the Make it Monthly recurring donation program. The organization also offers volunteer opportunities through programs like Kits For A Cause for corporate groups.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mobile Street & Community Outreach Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 900+ individuals served in housing focused programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 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 minor and core.

• Barrie District Association of Realtors (BDAR)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023BDAR selected S.H.I.F.T. as one of three nonprofits for their annual Night of Shelter campaign, raising $3,870 in 2023 to support vital programs and services.
• 211 Central East OntariocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner211 is a free, confidential, 24/7 community resource helpline that connects individuals with programs and services. S.H.I.F.T. references 211 as a key community resource for participants needing additional services.
• CONTACT Community ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCONTACT Community Services offers employment services, housing services, community programs including New Horizons and Needle Exchange, volunteer services, and The Clothesline thrift store. Located in Alliston and Bradford with offices serving South Simcoe residents.
• The Krasman CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDrop-In Centre in Alliston offering peer support-based programs, physical hubs, and resources for people with lived experience of substance use and housing challenges, including family and friends. Provides access to basic necessities, food, clothing, and outdoor survival items.
• Bradford Out of the Cold Café and Warming Centre (WOW Living)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocated at 31 Frederick St., Bradford, provides warm meals, internet access, computers, and serves as a warming centre during extreme cold alerts. Open Nov 1 - Apr 30 daily 10AM-2PM, May-Oct Mon/Wed/Fri 10AM-2PM.
• The Gilbert CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity-based not-for-profit providing programs and services throughout Simcoe County for people living with HIV/AIDS, and LGBTQ+ individuals. Committed to inclusivity and meaningful engagement of diverse populations.
• Youth HavencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides outreach counselling and support services to youth ages 16-24 and their families throughout Simcoe County. Services include 1:1 counselling, anger management, self-esteem support, healthy relationships, substance use support, housing support, advocacy, and court support. Offices in Barrie, Orillia, South Simcoe, and Midland.
• My Sister's Place (Alliston)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEmergency shelter for women and children in Alliston. Crisis Hotline: 705-435-3835 or 1-800-461-5419. Listed as alternative shelter provider for women and children in South Simcoe.
• Toonies for TecumsethminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity initiative started by Eva Bradley and Chrystal Robertson that raised $2,000 for S.H.I.F.T. in 2024 as one of two selected charities.
• CanadaHelpscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline donation platform enabling tax-deductible donations to S.H.I.F.T. CanadaHelps provides automatic tax receipts, monthly giving functionality, and program-specific donation designation. Donations processed at canadahelps.org/en/dn/59146
• Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerNational winter fundraising walk event that S.H.I.F.T. has participated in since 2020. CNOY is organized nationally and raises funds for local charities serving homelessness, hunger, and hurt. Since 2020, South Simcoe community has helped raise over $650,000 for S.H.I.F.T. through CNOY.
• Kits For A CauseminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCorporate and group volunteering program that enables organizations to assemble 'care kits' for individuals in need. S.H.I.F.T. partners with Kits For A Cause to facilitate group volunteering from 5 to 5,000 participants.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Youth Haven: Simcoe County youth outreach and housing support provider serving ages 16-24 with counselling and shelter services — directly comparable in target population (youth at-risk of homelessness) and South Simcoe geographic footprint.
• Bradford Out of the Cold Café and Warming Centre (WOW Living): Warming centre and meal program in Bradford (within South Simcoe) offering similar cold-weather shelter and community meal services to vulnerable populations in the same service region.
• My Sister's Place (Alliston): Emergency shelter for women and children located in Alliston — the same town as S.H.I.F.T. — providing an immediately adjacent shelter service for a different demographic in the same South Simcoe catchment.
• CONTACT Community Services: Alliston and Bradford-based social services organization providing employment, housing, and community programs — a complementary peer operating the same South Simcoe geography with overlapping client populations.
• The Krasman Centre: Drop-in centre in Alliston offering peer support for people with lived experience of substance use and housing challenges — directly overlapping S.H.I.F.T.'s harm reduction and drop-in programming in the same town.
• The Gilbert Centre: Simcoe County community-based nonprofit providing services for people living with HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ+ individuals — comparable in operating geography (Simcoe County), community-based nonprofit model, and harm reduction orientation.

Regional players

• Blue Door Shelters: Emergency housing and shelter provider in York Region (adjacent to Simcoe County) — comparable shelter and housing-focused service model in a nearby but distinct Ontario geography.

Others

• 211 Central East Ontario: Free 24/7 community resource helpline that S.H.I.F.T. references as a referral partner — adjacent ecosystem player enabling client navigation rather than direct service delivery.

Broad incumbents

• Salvation Army Ontario: National faith-based nonprofit operating emergency shelters, meal programs, and harm reduction services across Ontario — broadly comparable operating model but at vastly larger scale and geographic reach.
• Raising the Roof: National Canadian charity focused on homelessness prevention and housing — comparable mission but operating as a national funder/convener rather than a direct service provider in a specific region.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/SHIFTforgood1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shiftforgood
• Instagraminstagram.com/shift.for.good
• TikToktiktok.com/@s.h.i.f.t.for.good

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 Support and Hope for Individuals and Families Today