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Ottawa, ON – Today The Ottawa Mission celebrated the graduation of 25 students of its renowned Food Services Training Program (FSTP) trained at “Chef Ric’s”, the shelter’s social enterprise at 384 Rideau Street.

One of these students is FSTP valedictorian Amanda. “I found out about the FSTP while working through a local addiction treatment program. I’ve always had a passion for cooking and wanted to gain the culinary training I needed to start a new career and life.” Amanda has flourished in the program and now has two part-time jobs through The Ottawa Mission: a kitchen prep cook and Mission food truck assistant.

“This program is so supportive. The kitchen staff at The Ottawa Mission and Chef Ric’s are always available to answer any question you might have. I didn’t have much hope in my life before this program. I really love the program and the people here. I have met so many mentors and friends. When I first started, I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to do it. Now I have a lot of confidence in myself and my skills.”

The FSTP was created by Chef Ric Allen-Watson, The Mission’s Director of Food Services. Homeless at age 14, he knows the power of paying it forward. Ninety percent of FSTP graduates go on to careers in the food service industry. This success is one reason for the incredible popularity of the program, with 260 applications for this cohort.

“When I started at The Mission in 2002, I saw myself in the faces of the people I served food to. While it was satisfying, it wasn’t enough. That’s why I started the FSTP: to help vulnerable people more by supporting them to become independent. And that’s why I expanded the program this fall to accommodate even more people who need help,” Allen-Watson noted.

In attendance at the graduation ceremony were representatives from the RBC. RBC has provided generous ongoing support of the FSTP over many years, which has now surpassed $500,000. The Mission is extremely grateful for RBC’s continuing support over the years, including spearheading innovative programming like the FSTP mentorship program. Donations like this make programs like the FSTP possible.

“Our incredibly generous donors have changed so many lives in our community for the better by your continuing support for this program. On behalf of our students, thank you so much,” Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley concluded.

About The Ottawa Mission
Since 1906, The Ottawa Mission has been serving the homeless, the hungry and the lost by providing food, clothing, shelter and skills. In 2024-2025, The Ottawa Mission provided emergency shelter to an average of 187 men every night and served an average of 3,312 meals every day. The Ottawa Mission also provides to men and women health services, mental health and addiction treatment programs, hospice care, dental services, housing services, educational support, job training, spiritual care, and clothing to thousands in need in our community. In September 2020, The Ottawa Mission marked the one millionth hour that the shelter has been in existence since its founding in 1906. In 2019, The Mission became a housing-focused shelter reflective of its commitment to a home for everyone as a human right with the launch of a new housing department.

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
T 613.234.1144 x 305
C 613.712.3092
aleo@ottawamission.com

Ottawa, ON – During The Ottawa Mission’s special Easter meal service, which was held on April 5 for shelter and community members in our dining room, as well as the week prior through our Mobile Mission Meals food truck program, the shelter served 18,302 meals to those in need – a new record for an Easter meal. Several elected officials participated in serving this special meal today to shelter guests and community members.

Continuing food inflation, high rents and other factors have meant unprecedented increases in food insecurity in Ottawa, which has risen from one in seven to now more than one in four households in Ottawa according to Ottawa Public Health. To meet this deepening need, the Mission has expanded its food truck program to two trucks, 41 stops across Ottawa and serving over 11,500 meals a week. For the past three fiscal years, the shelter has served over one million meals to vulnerable community members across Ottawa through its shelter, community and food truck meals programs.

“This is a new record for our Easter meal and more than five times the number of meals we served for Easter 2019 before the pandemic. The astounding increase in hunger in our community is why we’ve expanded our food truck program so many times across our community,” noted Chef Ric Allen-Watson, Director of Food Services for the Mission.

“Our dedicated volunteers and exceptional kitchen staff worked hard to ensure that everyone had a delicious Easter meal. And a special thanks to our donors and supporters who have been profoundly generous in their continuing support of the Mission. A huge thank you to all,” Allen-Watson concluded.

About The Ottawa Mission
Since 1906, The Ottawa Mission has been serving the homeless, the hungry and the lost by providing food, clothing, shelter and skills. In 2024-2025, The Ottawa Mission provided emergency shelter to an average of 187 men every night and served an average of 3,312 meals every day.  The Ottawa Mission also provides to men and women health services, mental health and addiction treatment programs, hospice care, dental services, housing services, educational support, job training, spiritual care, and clothing to thousands in need in our community. In September 2020, The Ottawa Mission marked the one millionth hour that the shelter has been in existence since its founding in 1906. In 2019, the Mission became a housing-focused shelter reflective of its commitment to a home for everyone as a human right with the launch of a new housing department.

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
T 613.234.1144 x 305
C 613.712.3092
aleo@ottawamission.com

Ottawa, ON – On February 24, The Ottawa Mission partnered with Smart Youth Ottawa to host “Legacy in Motion”, an event to mark Black History Month at (BHM) the Montgomery Legion. While the shelter recognizes BHM each year in social media, it wanted to do something more meaningful this year and every year going forward in recognition of: 1) the disproportionate burden of homelessness and food insecurity among Ottawa’s African/Caribbean/Black communities; and 2) an increasing number of students in The Mission’s Food Services Training Program (FSTP) and Maintenance Services Training Program (MSTP) are from these communities.

The evening included a panel discussion with the following participants:

– Sandra Nwokolo, Assistant Manager, DYMON Health Clinic, Ottawa Mission
– Manny Sobral, Assistant Manager, Maintenance, Ottawa Mission
– Chef Ifè Olubode, owner, Afro Snack Bar
– Chef Lennox Antoine, owner, Island Flava

“I came to Canada from Angola in 2001 and believe in paying it forward to people who are coming to Canada now to make a new life for themselves,” noted Manuel Sobral, Assistant Manager of Construction and Maintenance at The Ottawa Mission. In addition to ensuring the upkeep of the shelter and of its satellite properties throughout the city, Sobral is also lead instructor for The Mission’s Maintenance Services Training Program, a no barrier program for people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to become building superintendents.

Chef Ify is an important partner and guest instructor of the Mission’s Food Services Training Program, which provides the skills, knowledge and confidence to work in a commercial kitchen. “My cooking is always exploring new skills, cultures, and flavour stories. My cooking is rooted in community, creativity, and unforgettable taste experiences, which I’m happy to teach to these students.” Chef Ify was honoured recently by the Ottawa branch of the Culinary Federation as young chef of the year.

Guests at Legacy in Motion were treated to a delicious dinner consisting of Nigerian Fried Rice, Meat Pie, Fish Roll, Haitian Pumpkin Soup, and Puff Puff, dishes all prepared by current Chef Ric’s students from their home countries.

Councillor Rawlson King, who serves as the Council liaison for Anti-Racism and Ethnocultural Relations Initiatives for Ottawa City Council, welcomed panelists and guests to the event. “What’s important is addressing systemic racism. There should be equality in terms of employment, health, housing and economic development. We need greater education, but we also need systemic solutions. Learning from the community at events like these is important to building these solutions,” he noted.

About The Ottawa Mission
Since 1906, The Ottawa Mission has been serving those who are homeless, hungry and lost by providing food, clothing, shelter and skills. In 2024-2025, The Ottawa Mission provided emergency shelter to an average of 187 men every night and served an average of 3,312 meals every day.  The Ottawa Mission also provides to men and women health services, mental health and addiction treatment programs, hospice care, dental services, housing services, educational support, job training, spiritual care, and clothing to thousands in need in our community. In September 2020, The Ottawa Mission marked the one millionth hour that the shelter has been in existence since its founding in 1906. In 2019, the Mission became a housing-focused shelter reflective of its commitment to a home for everyone as a human right with the launch of a new housing department.

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
T 613.234.1144 x 305
C 613.712.3092
aleo@ottawamission.com

Ottawa, ON – Today, The Ottawa Mission celebrated the graduation of the second cohort of students from its burgeoning Maintenance Services Training Program (MSTP), a free work-based learning program that provides instruction and hands-on training for students to become building superintendents upon graduation.

All nine of today’s graduates have been hired out of the program into new jobs as building superintendents or maintenance technicians.

As a no-barrier, job training program founded in 2025, the MSTP provides people who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness with the skills necessary to obtain stable, gainful employment.

“The program is built around work-based learning. With the help of volunteer instructors from program partners, our staff provides the hands-on training that prepares students for the real-life experiences they will encounter as building superintendents. Students learn minor repairs and maintenance in plumbing, electrical, carpentry, drywalling, and painting, receive janitorial training, obtain fire safety and WHMIS certifications, and more” noted Andy Higgs, Manager of Construction and Maintenance at The Ottawa Mission and a leader in running the MSTP.

The MSTP is modelled on the very successful Food Services Training Program (FSTP), another job training program successfully run by The Mission, which provides graduates with the training and confidence to work in a commercial kitchen. Launched in 2004, over 480 students have graduated from the FSTP into new careers and lives in the food service industry.

“We are thrilled with the growth of this new program. Today’s graduating class is nearly double the size of our first cohort,” stated Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley. “By offering a no-barrier job training program like the MSTP, we are extending a hand to lift vulnerable people up and out of poverty and homelessness. It’s been amazing to see what these students have accomplished over the past 5 months.”

Hakim Ssebagala Lubwama, one of the 9 MSTP graduates and class valedictorian, noted “I now have a job as a building superintendent. I had been looking for work for 3 years, and now I can exhale, I can breathe. A job training program like this gives people hope.”

Recruitment for the next class of MSTP students will begin later this winter, as The Mission looks to provide  more people with the work-based learning that transforms lives.

“Our incredibly generous donors and partners are the driving force that makes this program possible. Together, we’re enriching our community and providing solutions to poverty and homelessness. On behalf of our graduates, thank you so much,” Tilley concluded.

The Ottawa Mission also gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the City of Ottawa / Ville d’Ottawa / The Ottawa Mission remercie sincèrement la Ville d’Ottawa de son soutien financier.

About The Ottawa Mission
Since 1906, The Ottawa Mission has been serving the homeless, the hungry and the lost by providing food, clothing, shelter and skills. In 2024-2025, The Ottawa Mission provided emergency shelter to an average of 187 men every night and served an average of 3,312 meals every day.  The Ottawa Mission also provides to men and women health services, mental health and addiction treatment programs, hospice care, dental services, housing services, educational support, job training, spiritual care, and clothing to thousands in need in our community. In September 2020, The Ottawa Mission marked the one millionth hour that the shelter has been in existence since its founding in 1906. In 2019, the Mission became a housing-focused shelter reflective of its commitment to a home for everyone as a human right with the launch of a new housing department.

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
T 613.234.1144 x 305
C 613.712.3092
aleo@ottawamission.com

Ottawa, ON –Today the Ottawa Mission is hosting a unique and poignant exhibition of artwork by clients and staff within its Hospice supported by its Expressive Arts Program, which focuses on the experiences, values and feelings of those who live and work within this special setting. These works are displayed in the shelter’s chapel, accompanied by Newfoundland musician and hospice client Peter Francis Quinlan and catered by Chef Ric’s, the Mission’s social enterprise.

At The Mission’s Hospice, homeless men and women receive 24-hour palliative nursing care and emotional and spiritual support in an atmosphere of compassion and dignity. This includes guidance for patients and their family and friends, and visits from volunteers and spiritual companions. This circle of care consists of a multidisciplinary model created and delivered by The Ottawa Mission and our partners at Ottawa Inner City Health (OICH) and Carefor. Since 2001, the Hospice has been a leader in palliative care by offering medical and psychosocial support tailored to each person’s needs, including mental health needs and addictions.

“The Expressive Arts Program supports Hospice clients to make and enjoy art on a regular basis,” noted Darlene Garner Kuehn, a registered psychotherapist and PhD in expressive arts therapy who leads this program. “The expressive arts are an effective practice for mental health and well-being since lived experience, emotion and identity are engaged with in a connection that often cannot be found in words.”

In program sessions Hospice clients gather to express themselves, sharing their feelings about grief, loss, and well-being in a safe environment. They tap into their creativity while engaging in healing discussions, with sessions organized around drawing, painting, decoupage, pottery, carving, music, and so much more. This program is funded by Ontario Health East to deliver grief and bereavement services to Hospice clients.

Several clients are represented in this show, including John, a trained artist who attended George Brown College. He regularly participates and encourages others to join as well. “This art group is amazing. I started painting as a form of rehabilitation for my hands to see if I could reteach myself how to use them. We have all the supplies here we need. It’s therapeutic, calming, and provides peace of mind. We experiment with different styles of painting, drawing, and creating here. There are some very talented artists and musicians out there experiencing homelessness. The hardest part, when they get down to rock-bottom, is they don’t remember their talents. And that’s exactly when they should be creating art: to help pick themselves up.” 

The lone musician featured in the art exhibit, Peter Francis Quinlan received a surprise video shoutout from Alan Doyle, the frontman of the legendary Newfoundland and Canadian folk rock band.  In the video played at the exhibition, Alan reflected on how hearing and seeing Peter’s music on Newfoundland TV back in the ‘80s helped inspire him to pursue his dreams as a musician.  Peter then performed his Newfoundland hit ‘The Night The Ladies Dart League Had The Fight.’

A centrepiece of the exhibition entitled “Caring Hands” is two multimedia colleges which were created after Hospice clients and staff experienced the loss of many clients in rapid succession over several months in 2025. These pieces commemorate the loss of so many beloved clients within this short time. Clients and staff members were invited to trace their hands on watercolour paper, decorate these pieces, and then cut them out. Expressive Arts Program staff then assembled these handprints together on two canvases to represent moments of joy and the sorrow that are shared between those who are now gone and those who remain.

“This beautiful program is essential to the health and well-being of our clients and those who care for them. This circle of care, compassion and community based on mutual respect is nourishing to both those who receive support as well as those who provide it,” concluded Lynn Landis, Director of Health Services for The Ottawa Mission.

About The Ottawa Mission
Since 1906, The Ottawa Mission has been serving the homeless, the hungry and the lost by providing food, clothing, shelter and skills. In 2024-2025, The Ottawa Mission provided emergency shelter to an average of 187 men every night and served an average of 3,312 meals every day.  The Ottawa Mission also provides to men and women health services, mental health and addiction treatment programs, hospice care, dental services, housing services, educational support, job training, spiritual care, and clothing to thousands in need in our community. In September 2020, The Ottawa Mission marked the one millionth hour that the shelter has been in existence since its founding in 1906. In 2019, the Mission became a housing-focused shelter reflective of its commitment to a home for everyone as a human right with the launch of a new housing department.

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
T 613.234.1144 x 305
C 613.712.3092
aleo@ottawamission.com

Ottawa, ON – Today The Ottawa Mission celebrated the graduation of 32 students of its renowned Food Services Training Program (FSTP) trained at “Chef Ric’s”, the shelter’s social enterprise at 384 Rideau Street.

Amongst the graduates are two valedictorians, Ash Perry and Tae Hwan (Joseph) Park, who together demonstrate the wide range of people helped by the program.

In his 50s, Ash is grateful for the opportunity the FSTP has provided as he’s moved on from a recovery house towards stabilizing and relaunching his life. “Beyond the instruction and training… the small things, like the FSTP’s free grocery program, the life coaching, the employment resources, they weren’t actually small things… they were a godsend.”

In his 20s, Joseph knew that he wanted to break into the culinary industry but couldn’t find work. “…the common response I got was that they wanted someone with culinary training. I looked up culinary school but it was very expensive and wasn’t a realistic option for me.”

Now, Joseph has the training to launch his culinary career, where he plans to pursue a path of operating his own commercial food truck or restaurant. Beyond Ash and Jospeh, each and every FSTP graduate has a similar story of hope, perseverance, and transformation.

The FSTP was created by Chef Ric Allen-Watson, The Mission’s Director of Food Services. Homeless at age 14, he knows the power of paying it forward. Ninety percent of FSTP graduates go on to careers in the food service industry. This success is one reason for the incredible popularity of the program, with over 250 people applying for this cohort.

“When I started at The Mission in 2002, I saw myself in the faces of the people I served food to. While it was satisfying, it wasn’t enough. That’s why I started the FSTP: to help vulnerable people more by supporting them to become independent. And that’s why we’ll be expanding the program this fall to accommodate even more people who need help,” Allen-Watson noted.

The FSTP is funded entirely by donations. With both homelessness and food insecurity at record levels in Ottawa, this program is needed more than ever. “Our incredibly generous donors have changed so many lives in our community for the better by your continuing support for this program. On behalf of our students, thank you so much,” Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley concluded.

About The Ottawa Mission
Since 1906, The Ottawa Mission has been serving the homeless, the hungry and the lost by providing food, clothing, shelter and skills. In 2024-2025, The Ottawa Mission provided emergency shelter to an average of 187 men every night and served an average of 3,312 meals every day.  The Ottawa Mission also provides to men and women health services, mental health and addiction treatment programs, hospice care, dental services, housing services, educational support, job training, spiritual care, and clothing to thousands in need in our community. In September 2020, The Ottawa Mission marked the one millionth hour that the shelter has been in existence since its founding in 1906. In 2019, the Mission became a housing-focused shelter reflective of its commitment to a home for everyone as a human right with the launch of a new housing department.

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
T 613.234.1144 x 305
C 613.712.3092
aleo@ottawamission.com

Ottawa, ON – During The Ottawa Mission’s annual Christmas meal, which was held on December 14 as well as the week prior to this date through the shelter’s food truck program, The Mission served 18,275 meals – a new record for a special meal service.

“It took 7000 lbs. of turkey, 3500 lbs. of peeled potatoes, 2000 lbs. of vegetables, 150 gallons of gravy, and 900 vegetarian quiches to ensure that those who turn to us for help this Christmas did not go hungry,” said Chef Ric Allen-Watson, Director of Food Services for The Mission.

Ottawa Public Health recently reported that the rate of food security has risen from 16.3% in 2019 to 2. “In my 22 years at The Ottawa Mission, I’ve never seen hunger this bad, Allen-Watson added.

Prior to the pandemic, The Mission served 495,360 meals annually. This past fiscal year, it served an astounding 1,208,935 meals, a 244% increase. “Our shelter continues to face unprecedented need in the wake of very serious challenges in a post-pandemic environment, the most shocking of which is the skyrocketing rate of hunger,” stated Peter Tilley, Ottawa Mission CEO.

In addition to a delicious meal, the Christmas gathering at The Mission also provided a sense of warmth and community to those in need who would otherwise be alone.

“While we’re pleased to be providing this special meal for both shelter guests and community clients, we remain very concerned about the shocking increase in hunger across our community. We look forward to working with all levels of government in 2026 to address those conditions which caused so many people in need to turn to our shelter for help, including poverty and growing income insecurity, a continuing lack of affordable and supportive housing, and other factors,” Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley concluded

About The Ottawa Mission
Since 1906, The Ottawa Mission has been serving the homeless, the hungry and the lost by providing food, clothing, shelter and skills. In 2024-2025, The Ottawa Mission provided emergency shelter to an average of 187 men every night and served an average of 3,312 meals every day.  The Ottawa Mission also provides to men and women health services, mental health and addiction treatment programs, hospice care, dental services, housing services, educational support, job training, spiritual care, and clothing to thousands in need in our community. In September 2020, The Ottawa Mission marked the one millionth hour that the shelter has been in existence since its founding in 1906. In 2019, the Mission became a housing-focused shelter reflective of its commitment to a home for everyone as a human right with the launch of a new housing department.

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
T 613.234.1144 x 305
C 613.712.3092
aleo@ottawamission.com

Ottawa, ON – The Ottawa Mission, RBC and Growcer announced today a new initiative to grow healthy, fresh, locally produced greens for use in The Mission’s meal programs to serve to vulnerable community members across the City of Ottawa, using Growcer’s modular vertical farms.

This announcement is made possible by a $1.5 million donation from RBC to the Ottawa Community Foundation for the Food Resilience Foundation Fund, a donor-advised fund with Growcer that aims to empower Canadian communities to securely and sustainably produce and access fresh, nutritious, and healthy food year-round.

A portion of this funding is supporting an initiative with The Ottawa Mission that will enable them to grow their own food, create training opportunities and build resilience to the effects of climate change. By bringing food production closer to where it is consumed, this initiative is also helping to lower transportation emissions, reduce water usage and minimize food waste, in a more sustainable way.

“The Ottawa Mission is the city’s oldest and largest homeless shelter. Over each of the past three years we’ve served over one million meals per year to people in need. A greater number of people than ever before can’t afford to eat healthy food, which leaves them at higher risk of diet-related illness. We’re delighted that this initiative ensures access to nutritious local produce year-round which will help keep our clients healthy,” noted Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley.

The engine of the initiative is two Growcer farms which can produce up to 20,000 pounds of fresh greens every year, displacing imports and enabling Ottawa Mission to source locally grown produce for its various meal programs.
Growcer is an Ottawa-based company making communities more food resilient with its hydroponic modular farms and food storage solutions. There are currently more than 125 farms across North America to date from Prince Rupert, B.C. to Churchill, Man. Its donor-advised fund with Ottawa Community Foundation supports its efforts to bring nutritious food production alongside education, skills development and affordability to the heart of Canadian communities.

“It’s been incredible to see the impact we can make in our own backyard when partners across sectors come together. Not only will this bring more local food, but we also hope to see Ottawa serve as an example for what other cities can accomplish to increase local food resilience with indoor agriculture. This is just the beginning of what passionate organizations across the country can do to make local food part of their daily lives,” says Corey Ellis, co-founder and CEO of Growcer.

RBC works to help address societal challenges that have the potential to undermine the ability of Canadians to thrive and prosper, and has identified three key areas where they believe they can have a meaningful impact: 1) supporting the transition to a net-zero economy; 2) equipping people with the skills for a thriving future; and 3) driving more equitable opportunities for prosperity. RBC’s continued support for Growcer will help to empower and educate Canadians on how to use vertical farming technology, and address food security.

“As part of our commitment to helping our clients thrive and communities prosper, we’ve identified food security as a critical need”, says Devinder Gill, RBC’s Regional President for Ontario North and East. “RBC’s recently announced global commitment of $10 million supports food-focused organizations that grow, store and provide healthy food to people in our communities at a time they need it most. We are thrilled to help make this possible in Ottawa with Growcer and The Ottawa Mission, the first of many such community initiatives.”

The Mission’s Growcer farm will supply local greens across all the shelter’s meal programs for shelter guests, community members needing meals, and its food truck program, which has grown from one truck, five stops and 500 meals a week, to now two trucks, 41 stops and over 10,000 meals a week.

The farm will also offer training opportunities for students with the shelter’s free Food Services Training Program (FSTP), supported by RBC Foundation, which provides graduates with the skills and experience to work in a commercial kitchen. For over 20 years, 90 per cent of graduates have found jobs in the industry. Now, The Mission will also offer FSTP students the opportunity to learn practical skills in sustainable farming, food production, and distribution by working within The Mission’s Growcer farm.

“As the cost of healthy food has gone up, this has made it harder for us to ensure that the people who depend on us have access to healthy food. Now, thanks to Growcer and RBC, people who turn to us for help will get the greens they need to stay healthy. And our FSTP students will have even more opportunities to learn about the food industry and find secure employment,” Chef Ric Allen-Watson, The Mission’s Director of Food Services, concluded.

About The Ottawa Mission
Since 1906, The Ottawa Mission has been serving the homeless, the hungry and the lost by providing food, clothing, shelter and skills. In 2023-2024, The Ottawa Mission provided emergency shelter to an average of 187 men every night and served an average of 3,103 meals every day. The Ottawa Mission also provides to men and women health services, mental health and addiction treatment programs, hospice care, dental services, housing services, educational support, job training, spiritual care, and clothing to thousands in need in our community. In September 2020, The Ottawa Mission marked the one millionth hour that the shelter has been in existence since its founding in 1906. In 2019, the Mission became a housing-focused shelter reflective of its commitment to a home for everyone as a human right with the launch of a new housing department.

About Growcer
Growcer enables communities to become more food resilient through its hydroponic modular farms and food storage solutions. To date, more than 125 Growcer farms across North America grow more than 10 million servings annually of nutritious greens year-round. Operators include retailers, schools, non-profits, as well as rural and Indigenous communities. Learn more about Growcer at www.thegrowcer.ca.

About RBC
Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. RBC are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/peopleandplanet.

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
613.234.1144 x 305
613.712.3092
aleo@ottawamission.com

Stephanie Gordon
Content and communications manager
Growcer
647.861.7723
stephanie@thegrowcer.ca

Erika Whitmee
Senior Manager, Marketing & Communications
RBC
613-218-5060
erika.whitmee@rbc.com

Ottawa – On Friday, The Ottawa Mission celebrated the graduation of the first cohort of students from its new Maintenance Services Training Program (MSTP), a free work-based learning program that provides instruction and hands-on training for students to become building superintendents upon graduation. The program was made possible thanks to a $95,200 Seed grant they received from the provincial government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) in September 2024.

Designed to be a no-barrier, job training program, the MSTP gives people who are experiencing homelessness or are at risk of homelessness the skills necessary to obtain gainful employment. The program is built around a work-based learning model and teaches students tangible skills aimed at dealing with real situations they will experience as building superintendents. The program modules focus on skills such as minor repairs and maintenance such as plumbing, electrical, carpentry, dry wall, painting, fire safety, janitorial skills, and others.

The MSTP is modelled on the very successful Food Services Training Program (FSTP), another job training program successfully run by The Mission, which provides graduates the training and confidence to work in a commercial kitchen. Launched in 2004, over 400 students have graduated from the FSTP into new careers and lives in the food service industry.

With the successful graduation of the MSTP’s first five students, the program will now expand to 10 students beginning this fall.

Quotes
“Fighting homelessness requires a multifaceted approach that ensures that homeless people are put in a position of stability and health. Skills training is an essential part of the process of getting people back on their feet. Ottawa-Vanier is grateful to the Ottawa Mission for the altruistic work that they do, and the approval of this grant is good news.” – Lucille Collard, MPP for Ottawa—Vanier

“We are all so proud of these graduates and can’t wait to help even more people in need as we grow this program this fall.” – Lynn Landis, Director, Maintenance and Health Services, The Ottawa Mission

“Our goal with this new program is to emulate the success of the FSTP to lift vulnerable people out of poverty and homelessness into new careers and new lives. After five months of being in this program, these graduates have a newfound confidence in themselves that’s great to see.” – Peter Tilley, CEO, The Ottawa Mission

“For us, investing in training programs like the MSTP and FSTP is a concrete way to break the cycle of homelessness. It started with our support of providing the new location for the FSTP in 2021 with the establishment of Chef Ric’s at 384 Rideau Street. We’ve seen this program grow over the past four years and our support of the MSTP is a natural extension of this. We want to continue to support The Mission in their journey to help vulnerable individuals rebuild their lives.” – Lalit Aggarwal, President, Manor Park Holdings

“The skills that students learn are based on the real-life experiences that they will encounter as building superintendents. Program modules include minor repairs and maintenance such as plumbing, electrical, carpentry, dry wall, painting, fire safety, janitorial, WHMIS and other skills. Built around a model of work-based learning, the program partners with volunteer instructors to provide hands-on training and employment.” – Andy Higgs, Manager of Maintenance, The Ottawa Mission

“We are welcoming other newcomers into Canada, helping them to adjust to new lives and new communities here. We are all searching for ways to give back, to support our communities, our city, and our nation as a whole. The MSTP has provided us with the means to do so. To The Ottawa Mission, the Ontario Trillium Foundation, and all the supporters of this program, we are so grateful. You empowered us by giving us the resources we needed to succeed. I am so excited to see how this program can grow and help many more people in need.” – Abraham Akinwale, MSTP graduate and class valedictorian

About The Ottawa Mission
Since 1906, The Ottawa Mission has been serving the homeless, the hungry and the lost by providing food, clothing, shelter and skills. In 2023-2024, The Ottawa Mission provided emergency shelter to an average of 187 men every night and served an average of 3,103 meals every day. The Ottawa Mission also provides to men and women health services, mental health and addiction treatment programs, hospice care, dental services, housing services, educational support, job training, spiritual care, and clothing to thousands in need in our community. In September 2020, The Ottawa Mission marked the one millionth hour that the shelter has been in existence since its founding in 1906. In 2019, the Mission became a housing-focused shelter reflective of its commitment to a home for everyone as a human right with the launch of a new housing department.

About the Ontario Trillium Foundation
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Ontario government with a mission to build healthy and vibrant communities across the province. Last year, OTF invested nearly $105M into 732 community projects and multi-sector partnerships. Projects aim to enhance economic well-being, foster more active lifestyles, support child and youth development, provide spaces for people to come together and connect, and create a more sustainable environment. Visit otf.ca to learn more.

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
T 613.234.1144 x 305
C: 613.712.3092
E-mail: aleo@ottawamission.com

Ottawa, ON – Today the Ottawa Mission celebrated the graduation of 28 students of its renowned Food Services Training Program (FSTP) trained at “Chef Ric’s”, the shelter’s social enterprise at 384 Rideau Street.

One of these students is Mark Rudolph, FSTP graduate and valedictorian. Originally from Montreal, he found himself in a halfway house in Ottawa after years of incarceration in the federal system. “What more can I say about this program other than it gave me some hope for life. I feel proud to be connected to The Mission, and I’m proud when I put on that apron that says, ‘Chef Ric’s.’ The fact that this program is basically entirely funded by the community and their kindness… it’s so moving,” Rudolph observed.

Rudolph noted the advantages completing the FSTP has given him as he progresses through his new career. “I was a dishwasher at a downtown restaurant when I applied for this program. I’m now working as a prep cook there, and with the skills and experience I’ve gained there and in this program, I’ll be working as a line chef soon,” he added.

The FSTP was created by Chef Ric Allen-Watson, The Mission’s Director of Food Services. Homeless at age 14, he knows the power of paying it forward. Ninety percent of FSTP graduates go on to careers in the food service industry. This success is one reason for the incredible popularity of the program, with over 250 people applying for this cohort.

“When I started at The Mission in 2002, I saw myself in the faces of the people I served food to. While it was satisfying, it wasn’t enough. That’s why I started the FSTP: to help vulnerable people more by supporting them to become independent. And that’s why we’ll be expanding the program this fall to accommodate even more people who need help,” Allen-Watson noted.

The FSTP is funded entirely by donations. With both homelessness and food insecurity at record levels in Ottawa, this program is needed more than ever. “Our incredibly generous donors have changed so many lives in our community for the better by your continuing support for this program. On behalf of our students, thank you so much,” Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley concluded.

About The Ottawa Mission
Since 1906, The Ottawa Mission has been serving the homeless, the hungry and the lost by providing food, clothing, shelter and skills. In 2023-2024, The Ottawa Mission provided emergency shelter to an average of 187 men every night and served an average of 3,103 meals every day. The Ottawa Mission also provides to men and women health services, mental health and addiction treatment programs, hospice care, dental services, housing services, educational support, job training, spiritual care, and clothing to thousands in need in our community. In September 2020, The Ottawa Mission marked the one millionth hour that the shelter has been in existence since its founding in 1906. In 2019, the Mission became a housing-focused shelter reflective of its commitment to a home for everyone as a human right with the launch of a new housing department.

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
T 613.234.1144 x 305
C: 613.712.3092
E-mail: aleo@ottawamission.com