Itinérance Zéro

What Itinérance Zéro does

Itinérance Zéro is a nonprofit charitable organization headquartered at 230 boul. Saint-René Est in Gatineau, Quebec, founded in 2013 by Benoit Leblanc to serve people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity in the Outaouais region. Its core service is the preparation and mobile distribution of hot meals and basic necessities (food, personal care products, clothing) along with active listening and referrals to existing community and public health services. Operations are run by a board of directors (François Frédéric as President, Francine Leblanc as VP, Marie-Claude Rioux as Secretary, Lucie Lacasse as Treasurer) and a network of approximately 50 active volunteers, with no paid technology platform and only a basic Wix-based website as its digital footprint.

Distribution is anchored by a specially equipped mobile minibus nicknamed 'Claire' that patrols disadvantaged neighborhoods, supplemented by fixed neighborhood stops (Parc Gilbert-Garneau for Vieux-Gatineau/Pointe-Gatineau; Labrosse/Notre-Dame for Notre-Dame) and a Robert-Guertin parking lot stop. Activity metrics reported by the organization include 4,000+ hot meals served per month, 460+ unique users assisted per month, and 5 distribution events per week, operating 7 days a week including holidays with evening and cold-weather night patrols. The technology stack is intentionally minimal: no mobile app, no API, no AI/ML components, and a single Wix website serving as the donation and volunteer-recruitment channel.

The business model is donation-funded rather than revenue-generating. Monetary inflows come from individual cash donations (Interac e-Transfer, PayPal, checks; tax receipts issued for gifts of $20 or more), in-kind donations (non-perishable food, hygiene items, clothing, garden surplus), and corporate or organizational event sponsorships, supplemented by government grants including Canada-Quebec homelessness funding. Supply is reinforced through core partnerships with Moisson Outaouais (food bank), Escouade Anti-Gaspillage Outaouais (surplus food), CIUSSS de l'Outaouais (healthcare/social service referrals), CIPTO and BRAS (volunteer training), and several local restaurateurs. Geographic scope is intentionally limited to the Gatineau/Outaouais area.

Name

Itinérance Zéro

Legal name

Itinérance Zéro Gatineau

Website

https://itinerancezero.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Itinérance Zéro is a Gatineau-based nonprofit founded in 2013 that distributes hot meals and basic necessities to people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity in Outaouais neighborhoods, using a mobile minibus and ~50 volunteers across 5 weekly distributions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homeless Outreach Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (624210), Community Food Services (62421), Mobile Food Services (722330)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAAAC

Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI)

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Humanitarian Aid & Disaster Relief

SECONDARYHSACAGAB

Drop-Off Catering & Boxed Meals

Home & Personal Services/Event & Personal Concierge Services/Catering Coordination & Food Service (Non-restaurant)

Keywords

• Mobile meal distribution
• Homeless outreach services
• Food insecurity relief
• Community charity services
• Essential items provision

Headquarters

HQ city

Gatineau

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Monetary Donations: Accepts cash donations made to volunteers during distributions, checks, Interac e-transfers to [email protected], and PayPal donations through their fundraising page
2. In-Kind Donations: Accepts food donations (non-perishable items), personal care products, clothing, and surplus from gardens or festive events
3. Event Sponsorships: Corporate and organizational partnerships for sponsoring events, providing direct financial support for initiatives

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Itinérance Zéro is a non-profit charitable organization that prepares and distributes hot meals and basic necessities (clothing, personal care items) to people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity in the Gatineau region of Quebec. It operates a mobile distribution program through a specially equipped minibus nicknamed "Claire" along with fixed neighborhood distribution points, and provides active listening and referrals to existing community and public health services.

Product overview

Itinérance Zéro is a charitable nonprofit organization (OPS - Organisme à but non lucratif) based in Gatineau, Quebec, founded in 2013 by Benoit Leblanc (also known as Ben). It does not offer a software product or technology platform. Its services are entirely offline, humanitarian in nature, focused on distributing hot meals and essential goods to people experiencing homelessness or food insecurity in the Gatineau region. The organization operates a specially equipped minibus affectionately named "Claire" that patrols underserved neighborhoods, a network of approximately 50 active volunteers, and partnerships with local restaurateurs, Moisson Outaouais, Escouade Anti-Gaspillage Outaouais, CIPTO, and BRAS. Core service activities include: meal preparation and distribution (over 4,000 meals served per month across 5 weekly distributions in Vieux-Hull, Notre-Dame, and Pointe-Gatineau), clothing sorting, active listening and referrals to existing social and health services, special events, and fundraising campaigns. The organization's digital presence (website, Facebook community of 10,000+ members) serves solely as a communication and donation collection channel, not as a product offering.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mobile Meal Distribution (Minibus Claire)

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,000+ hot meals served monthly
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CIUSSS de l'OutaouaiscoreOthers · 14 July 2019Regional health and social services integrated university centre that the organization works with to refer individuals to appropriate healthcare and social services.
• Moisson OutaouaiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFood bank partnership that strengthens the organization's capacity to fight hunger by providing food supplies for distribution to those in need.
• Escouade Anti-Gaspillage OutaouaiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to combat food waste, supporting the organization's mission by providing surplus food that would otherwise be discarded.
• CIPTOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides training for volunteers, enhancing the organization's capacity to deliver services effectively and safely.
• BRASminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides preventive measure kits and training to volunteers, supporting health and safety during volunteer activities.
• Local RestaurateurscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with several local restaurants to supplement hot meal preparation and distribution.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Regional players

• Maison du Père: Established Montreal nonprofit serving homeless and vulnerable men through meals, accommodation, and social reintegration services. Comparable in mission and service mix to Itinérance Zéro, but operates in a larger urban market with a stable/shelter-anchored model.
• Old Brewery Mission: Montreal-based charitable organization providing meals, shelter, and reintegration services to people experiencing homelessness. Comparable operating model (meal distribution, outreach, referrals) but anchors on a fixed shelter facility rather than mobile distribution, in a different but nearby Quebec market.
• Accueil Bonneau: Montreal-based nonprofit providing food, shelter, and support services to people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. Compares on service mix (meal distribution, active listening, referrals) but operates in a different Quebec urban market with a shelter-based rather than mobile delivery model.

Direct peers

• Ottawa Mission: Charitable organization in nearby Ottawa providing meals, shelter, and outreach services to people experiencing homelessness. Closely comparable in service mix (meal distribution, basic necessities, referrals) and operational scale, separated primarily by the Ontario/Quebec border and language of service.
• Moisson Outaouais: Regional food bank serving the same Outaouais/Gatineau territory as Itinérance Zéro. Source supplies Itinérance Zéro with food inputs and both serve food-insecure populations through distribution networks, with Moisson operating fixed distribution and Itinérance Zéro operating mobile/community routes.

Broad incumbents

• Armée du Salut (Salvation Army Canada): National charitable organization providing meals, shelter, and rehabilitation services to homeless and vulnerable populations across Canada, including Quebec. Significantly larger footprint and broader service line (shelter, addiction, employment) but overlap is strongest on meal distribution and front-line outreach.
• Centraide Outaouais: United Way affiliate serving the Outaouais region, acting as a fundraising umbrella that redistributes to member agencies. Operates in the same geography and serves overlapping populations but functions as a grant-maker and donor intermediary rather than a direct service provider.
• Société Saint-Vincent-de-Paul: Long-established Canadian/Quebec Catholic charitable network providing food assistance and material aid to people in need across many regions. Broader scope and longer history than Itinérance Zéro, with overlapping food distribution and poverty-relief mandates but operated through parish-based volunteer chapters rather than mobile units.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ItineranceZero

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 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 Itinérance Zéro