Good Shepherd Ministries is a 3-star charity. It is financially transparent and has a Fair impact rating. While it has a reasonable amount of overhead spending and a reasonably sized reserve fund, its C+ results reporting score is below average. For every dollar donated, 67 cents are available to go to the cause.

Founded in 1963, Good Shepherd Ministries (GSM) offers comprehensive services to Toronto’s homeless population with the aim of ending chronic homelessness in the city. The charity provides short-term shelter, transitional housing, and a wide range of community services, like warm meals, clothing, and primary healthcare to those in need.

The charity runs three programs: emergency housing, community support, and long-term housing services. It spent $6.8m on these programs in the fiscal year ending in March 2024 (F2024). Ci calculated total program spending using its F2024 audited statements but the charity's program results and spending breakdown is based on its F2023 annual report - the latest available information. Ci will update this profile when the charity's F2024 annual report is published.

Emergency housing was 41% of this charity’s program spending. The charity’s 107-bed emergency shelter – the Good Shepherd Centre – housed an average of 104 people each night (97% occupancy rate), meaning the charity provided around 37,883 nights of shelter during F2023.

Community support was 30% of this charity’s program spending. During F2023, GSM served 330,020 meals and its clinic administered 360 vaccinations for hepatitis C and other diseases. The charity also distributed 36,500 toiletry and clothing items during F2023.

Long-term housing services was 29% of this charity’s program spending. In F2023, GSM helped worked on 143 individual cases in which the charity helped men transition into supportive housing. The charity also processed 132 referrals for those hoping to exit short-term shelters into sustainable long-term housing during F2023.

Good Shepherd Ministries has become fully financially transparent as of May 28, 2025. The charity has made both its F2024 and F2023 full audited financial statements publicly available on its website for donors. 

This charity’s audited financial statements follow line-item costing and it does not clearly separate costs into program, administrative, and fundraising activities. This does not align with financial reporting best practices.

During F2024, GSM received $2.9m worth of cash donations (35% of total revenue), $175k worth of donated goods (2% of total revenue), and $5.0m worth of government funding (60% of total revenue).

Administrative costs are 8% of total revenue less investment income and fundraising costs are 25% of donations. This means GSM’s total overhead spending is 33%. For every dollar donated, 67 cents are available to go to the cause.

In F2024, GSM spend $6.8m on its programs, a 26% increase from $5.4m spent during F2023. The charity reported an operating surplus of $81k, down from its $834k surplus reported in F2023.

At the end of F2024, GSM had $5.8m worth of net reserve funds (cash and investments) that can cover 84% or around 10 months of its annual program spending. The charity took out a $4.0m loan in F2022 to renovate a Toronto property located at 1731 Lawrence Avenue. It paid off the full amount of this loan in F2023. Ci backed out this loan amount from its F2022 gross reserve funds.

Profile updated by Julian Dranitsaris on April 28, 2025. Comments and corrections may be forthcoming.