360Kids Support Services

360°kids is a 5-star charity. It is financially transparent and has an above-average results reporting grade and overhead costs within Ci’s reasonable range. 360°kids was founded in 1987 as two separate organizations: Markham Neighbourhood Support Centre and Youth Housing Markham. After the two entities merged in 1998, the charity was renamed 360°kids Support Services. 360°kids provides a wide range of services in York, ON that combat youth homelessness and help homeless youth rebuild their lives. A Charity Intelligence 2023 Top 100 Rated Charity 360°kids assists youth facing housing instability through four main programs: Housing, Education, Employment, and Health & Well-Being. In F2022, 360°kids served 1,476 youth. The charity does not provide a spending breakdown by its programs. Housing: This program offers youth a variety of services that address their housing needs. 360°kids provides emergency, transitional, and longer-term housing, as well as specific housing for survivors of human trafficking. One of its services, Nightstop, connects young people with volunteers who have a spare bedroom for short-term stays. The HOPE program houses and supports females aged 16-26 who are survivors of human trafficking. Among its housing programs, 360°kids provided youth with 17,585 bed nights off the streets. In F2022, this program helped a total of 141 youths. Education: This service helps homeless youth return to school through the iGrad program. In partnership with the York Region District School Board, students work towards earning a high school diploma by completing online courses. Although the courses are online, participants can access computers and support from a teacher during school hours. In F2022, 43 youths enrolled in the iGrad program. 360°kids also provided $26,900 in scholarships to youth. Employment: As 75% of homeless youth in Ontario are unemployed, this program supports adolescents in securing work. 360°kids provides pre-employment training on budgeting, stress management, communication, and conflict resolution. Training may also include employment certification courses: Smart Serve, WHMIS, food handling, and first aid/CPR. Participants are then matched with employers and continue to receive support while working. In F2022, the charity provided 604 employment workshops and served 431 youths. Health and Well-Being: Additional wellness and support services provide participants with access to recreational opportunities, counseling, and healthy meals. In F2022, the charity provided 571 formal counseling sessions and 1,371 life skills workshops to 1,476 youths.

In F2022, 12 youths reunited with their families through the support of 360°kids team. The charity also reported that there was an 8.3% increase in the number of youth leaving its housing programs and moving on to independent housing. For the Health and Well-Being program, 88% of youth surveyed indicated improvement in their overall well-being after joining 360°kids. For Employment, 88% of youth were employed or returned to school after the program. Charity Intelligence highlights these key results. They may not be a complete representation of 360°kids' results. Charity Intelligence has not assessed impact on 360°kids. This shows as n/r, meaning not rated.  

In F2022, 360°kids received donations of $4.3m. The charity also received $8.0m in government funding, representing 64% of revenues. Administrative costs are 5% of revenues, and fundraising costs are 6% of donations. This results in overhead spending of 11%. For every dollar donated, 89 cents go to the cause, which is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending. 360°kids has $4.3m in reserve funds, once the $20k mortgage is accounted for. The charity could cover 47% or nearly six months of its annual program costs with its reserves. This charity profile is an update that has been sent to 360°kids for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming. Updated on July 17, 2023 by Krystie Nguyen.

Updated on October 20, 2023: Young people deserve excellent and diverse services and supports. Donors deserve to have transparency and to know of the impact of their giving. At 360kids, we’re committed to these goals and are grateful for the many partnerships that allow us to address our community’s needs. This is from a previous profile: For more than 30 years, 360°kids has been making a difference in the lives of young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. We believe that they all deserve a safe place to call home and provide a range of supports and services aimed at achieving this vision. We are proud of the evaluation by Charity Intelligence as an organization that delivers impact for our donors as well as for the young people we serve. - Clovis Grant, CEO 360°kids