Aunt Leah's is a top-rated 5-star charity with Good demonstrated impact. This charity has a high results reporting grade and low funding reserves, indicating a need for funding.

A Charity Intelligence 2023 Top 100 Rated Charity

Founded in 1988, Aunt Leah’s helps those previously in foster care live independently. It also helps women avoid losing custody of their children. The 2020 Vancouver Homeless Count Report indicates 32% of those surveyed were connected to foster care. In 2024, the age at which youth age out of care rose from 19 to 27 years of age. The charity states that while this increases support, it does not yet address the unique needs of youth. Aunt Leah’s runs four major programs: Housing, Employment, Education and Life Skills. Charity Intelligence calculates it spent $4.6m on its programs in F2023.

The Housing program received 67% of program spending. The charity runs five housing programs that provide housing to youth and families at risk. In F2023, Aunt Leah’s provided 170 individuals with stable housing. Included in that 170 were 14 young mothers and their 18 children. The charity reduces the number of children entering the foster care system by giving housing and guidance to young mothers. In F2023, it supported 11 foster youth who aged out of foster care in Lale House. Three of those young adults are now pursuing post-secondary education. Three more have moved to stable long-term housing.

The Employment program received 13% of program spending. Aunt Leah’s employment training program guides youth to define goals, improve skills and pursue their career paths. Employment workers help youth develop individualized employment plans. 66 people participated in the training program. Aunt Leah’s thrift offers work experiences to foster youth in its thrift donation center and store. In F2023 the charity began working with The Refill Shop. This gives youth experience working in the retail sector. 

The Education program received 11% of program spending. The charity states only 45% of youth in care graduated high school in 2020. This is much lower than the 84% graduation rates of those not in care. The Education program focuses on helping clients graduate High School. It also provides support for achieving other educational goals. In F2023, 175 youth participated in the program.

The Life Skills program received 9% of total program spending. The Life Skills program provides expert one-to-one coaching, and in-person workshops. It focuses on building the skills needed for foster youth to live independently. In F2023, Aunt Leah’s provided 1,233 counseling sessions. In F2023, the charity gave 1,516 bags of groceries and meals to 207 youth. Alongside building life skills, the charity connected 90 youth to basic government income support.

Charity Intelligence has consolidated Aunt Leah’s and Aunt Leah’s Properties (associated foundation) in the following financial analysis. 

In F2023 Aunt Leah’s received $3.8m in cash donations and special events fundraising. The charity received $2.4m in government funding, representing 37% of total revenues.

Administrative costs are 13% of revenues (excluding investment income). Fundraising costs are 13% of donations. This results in total overhead spending of 26%. For every dollar donated, 74 cents go to the cause. This falls within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

In F2023 Aunt Leah’s spent $4.6m on its programs, which is 72% of its revenue. In F2023 it had a surplus of $416k.

Aunt Leah’s has $2.1m in gross funding reserves and $912k in interest-bearing debt. This results in net funding reserves of $1.1m. Excluding $50k in donor-endowed funds, the net funding reserves can cover 24%, or three months of program costs. 

Aunt Leah’s materially restated its financial statements in 2023.

This charity report is an update that has been sent for review to Aunt Leah’s. Changes and edits may be forthcoming. 

Updated on May 31, 2024, by Grady Simpson.