Kelownas Gospel Mission

What Kelownas Gospel Mission does

Kelowna's Gospel Mission (KGM) is a registered Christ-centered charitable nonprofit founded in 1978 and headquartered at 251 Leon Avenue, Kelowna, British Columbia. It operates a continuum-of-care model anchored on Safety, Belonging, and Hope, delivering emergency shelter, transitional and supportive housing, meals, community outreach, and dental care to people experiencing homelessness in the Central Okanagan. Service assets include the Leon Shelter (60 beds for men), Bay Ave Community Shelter (co-ed), four women's housing facilities (Harmony House, Shiloh, Selah 1 & 2), Momentum Community men's transitional housing, the KGM Community Dental clinic, and the KGM Community Thrift store. Operational throughput is material — 205,860 meals served, 59,459 outreach connections, and 2,635 dental patients assisted in 2024-2025.

The organization is funded through four primary streams: individual donations (one-time and recurring monthly tiers at $5, $20, $35, $70, $180), legacy/planned gifts, corporate sponsorships from 50+ regional businesses, and thrift store revenue. Distribution is entirely direct, via physical facilities and a mobile outreach team, with services provided free of charge to clients. Programs are supported by an active volunteer base (130+ volunteers celebrated, 45 weekly at the thrift store), educational partnerships (Okanagan College culinary students), and food-service partners (Gordon Food Service, Sysco).

Go-to-market is community-led rather than transactional: KGM engages donors and volunteers through its website, the "Connections" newsletter, Facebook and Instagram, earned regional media coverage, and recurring events such as the Charity Golf Classic and Strides Kelowna walk. KGM is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors chaired by Wendy Thiessen and currently led by Interim Executive Director Levi Simpson following Carmen Rempel's 2025 departure. No technology platform or AI capability is associated with service delivery; the operating model is relationship- and facility-intensive.

Name

Kelownas Gospel Mission

Legal name

Kelowna's Gospel Mission

Website

https://www.kelownagospelmission.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Kelowna's Gospel Mission is a Christ-centered Canadian nonprofit founded in 1978 that delivers emergency shelter, transitional housing, meals, outreach, and dental care to people experiencing homelessness in Kelowna and the Central Okanagan, funded by donations, thrift store revenue, and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Homelessness and Social Services

NAICS

Temporary Shelters (624221), Community Housing Services (62422), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Community Centers & Neighborhood Support Services (BPAGAEAL), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

Keywords

• Emergency shelter services
• Homelessness outreach programs
• Transitional housing support
• Community dental clinic
• Thrift store fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Kelowna

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donations: Individual donors provide one-time and recurring (monthly) donations to support programs. Donation tiers suggested at $5, $20, $35, $70, and $180. Covers credit card processing fees option available.
2. Thrift Store Revenue: KGM Community Thrift store at 125 Roxby Road sells quality furniture, clothing, bedding, linens, kitchen items, toys, books, games, and footwear. Revenue directly funds service programs.
3. Legacy Giving: Planned gifts and bequests that provide long-term financial support while offering tax benefits to donors.
4. Corporate Sponsorships: Business sponsors support life-saving programs including Harmony Ministries and Outreach program. Over 50 corporate sponsors listed including automotive, construction, legal, financial, food/beverage, and retail businesses.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kelowna's Gospel Mission provides free emergency shelter (Leon Shelter and Bay Ave Community Shelter), transitional and affordable housing (Women's Community with Harmony House, Shiloh, Selah 1 & 2; Momentum Community for men), community outreach, and a dental clinic to individuals and families experiencing homelessness or low income in the Central Okanagan. The organization also runs KGM Community Thrift, a retail thrift store whose proceeds fund its service programs, and offers community coaching workshops for local businesses.

Product overview

Kelowna's Gospel Mission operates as a single unified charitable organization offering an integrated continuum of care for individuals experiencing homelessness. The organization provides emergency shelter services (Leon Shelter and Bay Ave Community Shelter), transitional and long-term housing programs (Women's Community and Momentum Community), a dental clinic (KGM Community Dental), and runs a thrift store (KGM Community Thrift) as a social enterprise to fund programs. Additional services include community outreach, case management, and educational workshops. The portfolio functions as a coordinated ecosystem where shelter residents can access dental care, thrift store proceeds fund service programs, and outreach connects individuals to the full range of housing and support services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Leon Shelter Emergency shelter facility at 251 Leon Avenue, Kelowna, offering 60 beds for men aged 19 and up with access to showers, laundry, hygiene supplies, and three hot meals daily. Operates as a sobriety-focused shelter as part of the mission's continuum of care for those experiencing homelessness.
• Bay Ave Community Shelter Co-ed shelter facility at 858 Ellis Street, Kelowna, providing space for meals, washrooms, and case management services for people experiencing homelessness.
• Women's Community (Harmony House, Shiloh, Selah 1 & 2) Housing program for women in crisis offering temporary transitional housing at Harmony House and Shiloh, plus long-term affordable independent community living at Selah 1 & 2 within a sober, supportive environment.
• Momentum Community Transitional housing program for men 19 years and older who show the desire and ability to achieve independent living after experiencing homelessness, providing life-saving training through case workers and community partners.
• KGM Community Dental Dental clinic offering cleanings, check-ups, X-rays, extractions, and fillings to individuals and families on low-income budgets or income assistance. Accepts government ministry dental coverage, healthy kids, persons with disability plans, and First Nations health authority. Served 2,635 patients in 2024–2025.
• KGM Community Thrift Retail thrift store at 125 Roxby Road, Kelowna, open Monday–Saturday 9:30 am–4:00 pm, selling furniture, clothing, bedding, linens, kitchen items, children's toys, books, games, and footwear. Revenue funds service programs and engages an average of 45 volunteers each week.
• Community Outreach Program Mobile community outreach team meeting unsheltered individuals to offer food, clothing, hygiene items, basic health support, and compassionate care, and connecting them to shelter, housing pathways, healthcare, identification support, and mental health and substance use services. The team has logged 59,459+ outreach connections.
• Community Coaching Workshops Training workshops delivered to local businesses covering how to safely interact with people experiencing homelessness, including debunking myths, emergency contacts, needle disposal, approaching individuals, positive engagements, overdose identification, and naloxone administration. Over 20 workshops engaged 174 participants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 999 unhoused individuals in Central Okanagan served through various programs
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Union Gospel Mission (Vancouver): Faith-based nonprofit in Metro Vancouver providing emergency shelter, meals, housing, and addiction recovery programs for people experiencing homelessness and poverty. Directly comparable in mission, faith-centered operating model, and continuum-of-care service design.
• Mustard Seed (Calgary): Christian nonprofit operating emergency shelters, transitional housing, a thrift store social enterprise, and meal programs across Alberta. Closely parallels KGM's Christ-centered model, shelter-plus-thrift funding mix, and multi-service operating approach.
• Our Place Society (Victoria): Greater Victoria nonprofit delivering shelter, meals, housing, and community services to people experiencing homelessness, poverty, and addiction. Comparable regional-scale shelter-plus-housing operator serving a similar B.C. coastal community context.
• Lookout Housing and Health Society: B.C.-based nonprofit providing emergency shelter, transitional housing, and health services across Metro Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. Comparable in operating shelters, supportive housing, and outreach for people experiencing homelessness in British Columbia.
• Vancouver Native Housing Society: B.C.-based nonprofit providing transitional and affordable housing along with support services to Indigenous and non-Indigenous people experiencing homelessness. Directly comparable in operating housing programs and wraparound supports in a B.C. urban context.
• Sources Community Resources Society (B.C.): B.C. social services nonprofit offering housing, shelter, outreach, and community programs across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Comparable in offering an integrated continuum of housing-and-supports services in a similar B.C. regional context.

Broad incumbents

• The Salvation Army (B.C. / Canada): National and global faith-based social services organization operating emergency shelters, transitional housing, addiction recovery, and meal programs across Canada. Provides overlapping capabilities but at much greater scale and geographic breadth than KGM.

Regional players

• Inn from the Cold (Calgary): Calgary-based emergency shelter and family housing nonprofit. Comparable operating model focused on shelter and housing for vulnerable populations, though operating in a different city without direct service-area overlap with Kelowna.
• Calgary Drop-In Centre: Large emergency shelter, housing, and outreach provider in Calgary. Comparable scale and service mix to KGM (shelter, transitional housing, meals, outreach) but operating in a different Alberta market without overlapping geography.

Emerging players

• Covenant House Vancouver: B.C. provider of shelter, housing, and wraparound supports primarily for youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. Comparable in B.C. geography and shelter-plus-housing model, but with a more narrowly defined youth-focused clientele.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kelownasgospelmissionthrift
• Instagraminstagram.com/kgm_thrift

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries8 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 Kelownas Gospel Mission