Community Care is a 3-star, financially transparent charity with an average B results reporting grade. It has $3.4m of reserve funds that can cover just over eight months of its annual program spending. Its 4% overhead means that for every dollar donated, 96 cents are available to go to the cause. Its reported overhead is understated due to the charity not reporting any fundraising expenses on neither its T3010 filings with the CRA or audited financial statements.

Founded in 1919, Community Care of St. Catharines and Thorold (Community Care) distributes food, clothing, hygiene products, and baby products to those in need across the city of St. Catharines, Ontario. The charity’s rapid rehousing team also provides housing referrals, financial support, and system navigation services to those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. According to the charity, food insecurity continues to rise within the city due to a lack of affordable housing, rising utility costs, and grocery inflation.

Community Care runs two programs: food & clothing distribution and other food subprograms. The charity spent $4.8m cash on its programs and distributed $4.5m worth of food and other basic needs during the December 2023 fiscal year.

Food & clothing distribution was the majority of Community Care’s program spending and includes operations at its two food distribution centres in St. Catharines and Thorold. Clients who visit these centres receive meal kits, hygiene products, diapers, and food hampers. In 2023, Community Care distributed basic needs to 6,655 households and 13,639 unique individuals. The charity did not report the pounds of food and other basic needs distributed at the time of this profile update. This is unusual for a food bank.

Other food subprograms include emergency medical care offered at Community Care’s food distribution centres, as well as its shelter outreach efforts by its rapid rehousing teams. In 2023, the charity visited 11 shelters and successfully moved 25 clients from the shelters to permanent housing. Community Care also paid rent on behalf of 230 clients each month during 2023.

Community Care’s audited financial statements follow line-item costing as its financials do not clearly separate expenses into program, administrative, and fundraising activities. Its financials do not report government funding received. This is not a best practice.

Community Care did not report any fundraising expenses on either its 2023 audited statements nor its T3010 filings with the CRA, despite it reporting fundraising expenses and activities in its 2023 annual report. This is highly unusual and not a best practice.

In 2023, Community Care received $3.1m of cash donations (32% of total revenue) and $1.6m of government funding (17% of revenue). It also received $4.5m worth of donated goods in 2023 (46% of revenue).

Administrative costs are 4% of revenue and fundraising costs are not reported. Its 4% overhead means that for every dollar donated, 96 cents are available to go to the cause. 

Community Care spent $4.8m cash on its program operations in 2023 – a 3% increase from $4.6m spent in 2022. It also distributed $4.5m worth of food and other basic needs which is a 28% increase from $3.5m distributed in 2022.

At the end of 2023, Community Care had $3.4m of reserve funds (cash and investments). Its reserves can cover 71% or just over eight months of its annual program spending.

Profile updated by Julian Dranitsaris on July 22, 2025. Comments and corrections may be forthcoming.

Questions? Contact jdranitsaris@charityintelligence.ca