Preventing Homelessness and Hunger in Ottawa

Our neighbours need help

Across Ottawa, more people than ever are facing homelessness and hunger:

A cafeteria scene with gloved hands serving meals. Plates contain mashed potatoes, green beans, sliced carrots, turkey, and stuffing. A blue tray is held below.

8,743

People living in shelters in Ottawa, according to the City’s 2025 shelter data
A Mission dorm room with two sets of bunk beds featuring green mattresses, a window with blue curtains, and neatly folded towels and pillows on each bed.

1,999

More people live in shelters than in 2014
A chef in a "Mobile Mission Meals" truck hands a food bag to a person outside.

26%

Of Ottawa households are food insecure, according to City’s latest count

As community need outstrips the support provided by governments, The Ottawa Mission has stepped in to help increasing numbers of vulnerable people.

Thanks to donor support, we offer programs that provide food, shelter, housing solutions, healthcare, job training, counselling, and more, all working towards ending homelessness and hunger in Ottawa.

How The Ottawa Mission Is Helping

An Ottawa Mission guests enjoys a meal with turkey, carrots, and green beans on a white plate in the dining room. Nearby are a dessert, bottle drink, and empty cups on a fall-themed tablecloth.

1,233,658

Meals served by The Ottawa Mission over the past year
A housing case worker is seated at an office, handing keys to an Ottawa Mission client.

224

People housed or diverted to safe accommodation over the past year
Group photo of Food Services Training Program (FSTP) in white uniforms and chef hats, surrounding a chef in a red jacket. They pose happily in front of a stained glass window in the Mission chapel.

99

Graduates from our Job Training Programs over the past year
“You didn’t just give me a place to stay, you saved my life and gave me the tools I needed to rebuild it.”
John, former Mission client
John sits in a black jacket and cap sitting on a black sofa, smiling and holding a black-and-white cat.

Ottawa Mission Programs and Services

Food Programs

Meals available to shelter clients and the wider community.

Chef in black uniform and cap smiles while holding green tongs, frying potatoes in a commercial kitchen.>

Emergency Shelter

179 emergency shelter beds for men, with access to showers and overnight storage.

Man mopping a clean, orderly room with bunk beds and green mattresses.>

Housing Services

Helping find safe and appropriate housing for vulnerable people.

Two men exchange a large white box outdoors near a parked car. The man on the right smiles warmly, creating a friendly and cooperative atmosphere.>

Client Services

Access to education, mental health supports, employment resources.

A man looking for help is sitting at the table with a staff member of The Ottawa Mission. She is writing on a sheet of paper and smiling at the man.>

Job Training

Job training programs offered at no cost to those in need.

A group of MSTP students graduate in The Mission dining room. Several people in the front row proudly display certificates, conveying a celebratory mood.>

Addiction and Trauma Services

Addiction and trauma support programs offering harm reduction and pathways to recovery.

A group of people sit in a circle in a room, receiving counselling, engaged in conversation.>

Health Services

Primary healthcare clinic, palliative care hospice, dental clinic, eye clinic, and more.

Dentists in masks and gloves attend to a patient reclining in a dental chair. The office is organized and equipped with dental tools.>

Chaplaincy Services

Spiritual care, chapel services, and program support.

A speaker stands at a podium labeled "Ottawa Mission" inside a room with a colorful stained-glass window. Seated audience members listen attentively.>

Help us advocate for the end of homelessness.

Everyone deserves a home and to not go hungry. We believe that by working together, we have the power to change the underlying systemic issues that contribute to homelessness, hunger, and housing insecurity in Ottawa. Together, we can make this Mission Possible.

Join us as an Ottawa Mission advocate to urge all levels of government to find solutions.

Become an advocate

Yellow background with the word "ADVOCACY" in bold black text. Above, green "Mission Possible" and blue "Ottawa Mission" logos overlap.