Author Archives: The Ottawa Mission

Ottawa, ON – During National Volunteer Week, The Ottawa Mission is delighted to celebrate the essential contributions of the many volunteers upon whom we rely to deliver our programs and services each and every day.

Ottawa Mission volunteers provide care, hope and dignity to people in need. During any given week, 250 volunteers give 600 hours of service, including preparing and serving meals, maintaining cleanliness inside and outside, managing clothing donations, providing support to hospice patients, and many other functions to support the most vulnerable in our community.

“We would be unable to provide many of the services we do without the amazing and generous support of our volunteers. They are absolutely essential to meeting the needs of our clients on a meaningful and continuing basis,” noted Ottawa Mission Executive Director Peter Tilley.

In addition to the countless benefits provided by volunteers to our clients and community residents, volunteering also helps our volunteers in aspects of their own lives.

The individual stories of three of our amazing volunteers, Lloyd Richards (Food Services), Nina Glinski (Hospice), and Céline Caron (Stepping Stones Learning Centre) can be found here:

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“At the Ottawa Mission, we are so incredibly grateful for the continuing devotion and dedication of all of our volunteers. A huge thank you,” Tilley concluded.

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

The Ottawa Muslim Women’s Organization cordially invites you and friends to the 18th Festival of Friendship Annual Dinner in support of The Ottawa Mission and Cornerstone Housing for Women.

When: 5:30pm., Sunday, April 28, 2019

Where: St. Elias Centre, 750 Ridgewood Avenue

Guest Speaker

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada

Master of Ceremonies

Adrian Harewood, CBC Ottawa

Cost:

$60 PER PERSON or TABLES of 8@$480. Students: $35

RSVP:

Email: omwo2001@gmail.com
Safaa: 613-884-2411 or Nazira: 613-829-5159 or Nigar: 613-592-0739

The Loaves and Fishes Fund of Ottawa-Carleton is hosting their 19^th Annual Gala to raise funds to assist our disadvantaged, underprivileged and homeless neighbours living within our community. They have make significant donations to our organization over the years.

The event is to take place at the Infinity Convention Centre on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at 6:00pm featuring a reception, dinner and dance, live and silent amazing auctions.

Tickets are $195.00 per person. Tax receipts available upon request. Please refer to the poster below or contact us directly for tickets at (613)-724-8454 or via email. Let’s support a great cause! Thank you.

Hannah is 51 and, until now, has never had a job in her life. This was not her choice.

To hear Hannah tell her story is to journey back with her through decades of unspeakable cruelty and abuse by her own family. But Hannah’s story is also about her journey forward to a life she never dreamed possible.

The trauma that Hannah endured for most of her life left her with severe PTSD and unable to work. She is fearful of so many things and finds it very hard to trust anyone. But, Hannah also has an amazing inner strength that drives her to keep trying to improve her life.

Hannah was volunteering at a local food bank when her supervisor talked to her about The Mission’s Food Services Training Program (FSTP). She wasn’t sure if she could handle being part of a class of students and working in a busy kitchen, but decided she needed to at least try. Twice during the five-month program she became so anxious that she felt she had to quit. But over time, and with the patience and support of Chef Ric, the kitchen staff, and her fellow students, Hannah persevered – and succeeded!

A few months ago Hannah graduated from the FSTP, and her sense of pride is matched by all who have come to know her and witnessed her journey.

Beyond this wonderful accomplishment, Hannah, who only finished Grade 8, is also working at The Mission’s on-site school through the Continuing Education department of the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board accumulating credits that will allow her to earn her high school diploma.

Hannah will need help managing her PTSD for the rest of her life. But today she is working part-time in catering, continuing her volunteer work and her schoolwork, and feeling very hopeful about her future. Secure in the knowledge that she is admired and valued by so many, Hannah is finally beginning to live the life she deserves.

Anne and Phil Nagy are retired, but certainly not idle. Every week they volunteer in the kitchen at The Ottawa Mission, helping to serve 1,312 meals a day to people in need.

As residents of Sandy Hill, Anne & Phil wanted to support their neighbourhood community directly, and they came to The Mission after speaking to a friend who volunteered here. “The volunteer experience at The Mission is exceptional,” Phil says. “We’ve volunteered for several organizations and, at The Mission, volunteers are treated very well and the staff makes it their business to ensure that you’re busy with meaningful work for each shift.” “Working with Chef Ric in particular to make this happen is really fantastic,” Anne adds.

In addition to giving the gift of their time every week, Anne and Phil are also generous in their financial support of The Mission. They have been monthly donors – “Champions of Hope” – for more than 15 years! This kind of faithful support is so important in keeping our doors open 24/7, 365 days a year for all who are hungry, homeless and hurting.

Beyond all this, Anne and Phil blessed us with a very special gift in 2018. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last year and decided to mark the occasion by providing a meal for hundreds of clients at The Mission. “We wanted our anniversary to be meaningful,” Anne says. “And, after we gave it some thought, we decided that this option was perfect.”

What a wonderful gesture from a wonderful and generous couple!

Colin has learned that inspiration can sometimes come when you least expect it.

Colin suffers from addiction, and has been in and out of the shelter system for many years. Last year, while staying at The Ottawa Mission, he had to have knee replacement surgery. After a short time in hospital he returned to the shelter. Almost immediately Colin’s recovery was stalled by complications with his wound. He was in severe pain, and the threat of infection was high. Our medical team immediately arranged a bed for Colin in The Mission’s Hospice, where he could receive 24-hour care in a more antiseptic environment.

Colin’s stay in the Hospice was his first source of inspiration. As Colin says, “The level of care, from both staff and volunteers, is amazing. I once witnessed a volunteer sitting with an unconscious patient, just holding his hand and playing soothing music, for hours on end.” With expert care, Colin was able to leave the Hospice in 8 days – which was important to him because he knew there were others who needed the bed much more than he did.

Every day for the next eight weeks Colin went to The Mission’s on-site Primary Care Clinic where Nurse Practitioners cleaned and dressed his wound, and encouraged him every step of the way. They were Colin’s “angels of mercy” and his second source of inspiration.

With this double helping of hope, Colin made the decision to finally seek treatment for his addiction at The Mission, and he is well on his way. “I realized just how lucky I was to be in pretty good health, and to have received so much care and compassion. I made up my mind not to waste another day of my life.” Colin is filled with gratitude for all of the lifechanging support he has received – thanks to your generosity.

Just inside the front door of The Ottawa Mission is a small office that has a huge impact on the lives of so many of our clients – our Chaplain’s office. This is a place where anyone can seek guidance, support and a sympathetic ear – and it’s always busy! Beyond providing this dropin support, our Chaplaincy services – under the direction of Rev. Timothy Meisenheimer – conducts over 300 chapel services each year, organizes weekly spiritual discussions for staff, provides counselling and support to men undergoing trauma and addiction treatment, brings hours of solace to patients and their families and staff in our Hospice, and arranges memorial services for those who pass away in the Hospice.

In order to enhance the care provided by our Chaplaincy services, and to reach out to even more people who need this support, Timothy’s Chaplaincy team has recently grown to include our two longest-serving employees, Bev Benson and Andrew Wright. Bev and Andrew have both been part of our Housekeeping team for 35 years. Their commitment to serving our clients is deeply rooted in their Christian faith. Either of them could have had other careers – but they chose to serve the most vulnerable people in our community.

In addition to their regular duties, over the years both Bev and Andrew have always helped out as needed with our daily chapel services and at memorial services, and shared the gift of their wonderful musical talents. As newly appointed Assistant Chaplains, their involvement is being formalized and, in addition to conducting Chapel services on a regular basis, they will each devote one day a week to seeing clients in the Chaplaincy office.

We can say without hesitation that this news has been enthusiastically received by both clients and staff at The Mission who recognize what special people we have in Bev and Andrew, and how blessed we are to have them among us.

Ottawa, ON – On Saturday, February 23th, almost 400 supporters of and volunteers with The Ottawa Mission walked with thousands of others across Canada in ‘The Coldest Night of The Year’ (CNOY) event.

“Homelessness can happen to anyone in our community. The Mission offers hope to our most vulnerable members who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we provide food, shelter and life-changing programs to help them,” noted Matt Triemstra, President of the Board of Directors of The Mission and a participant in the walk. The Mission has participated in the event since 2015.

CNOY is a family-friendly walk of 2k, 5k or 10k that provides people of all ages an opportunity to experience the challenges faced by those experiencing homelessness, especially during our cold Canadian winter. The 2019 walk was great success for the Mission, with $137,000 raised.

Lloyd Richards is one of the hundreds of people who came out to support CNOY. At age 79, he has participated in the walk since its inception five years ago. Lloyd was inspired to give back to The Mission by his late wife, Micheline, who was a lifelong advocate for the hungry, homeless and hurting. For Lloyd, supporting The Mission is a tribute to his wife’s memory and a “spiritual journey” that enriches his life. Since 2015 he has raised thousands of dollars for The Mission through his dedicated participation in CNOY, as well as monthly giving. Lloyd is also a dedicated volunteer, helping to prepare and serve meals, and sorting and storing donated food in the stockroom.

“The Mission couldn’t do the work that we do every day without our faithful supporters. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone in the community who came to support us for this walk,” said Mr. Triemstra.

Go to https://cnoy.org/location/ottawadowntown to learn more about the Coldest Night of the Year.

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 hope. In 2017-2018, The Ottawa Mission sheltered an average of 236 men every night and served an average of 1,312 meals every day. The Ottawa Mission also provides health services, mental health support programs, addiction treatment programs, hospice care, dental services, educational support, job training, spiritual care, and men’s clothing to thousands in need in our community.

FOR INFORMATION OR TO ARRANGE AN INTERVIEW, PLEASE CONTACT:

Ottawa Mission
Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
T: (613)234-1144 x 305
e-mail: aleo@ottawamission.com

Presented by:  Argos Carpets & Flooring and Olympia Homes

The Ottawa Mission Serves Thousands in our Community

Ottawa, ON – During the Ottawa Mission’s annual Christmas dinner, which was held on December 16, the shelter served thousands of meals to those in need in our community. On a yearly basis, The Mission serves almost 479,000 meals to shelter residents and members of the community at large.

In addition to warm and nutritious food, the Christmas dinner provides a sense of shared community to those who may otherwise not only go hungry, but also find themselves alone. On the menu this Christmas was: 2500 lbs of oven roasted turkey; 30 pans of savory stuffing; 450 tourtiere pies; 750 lbs of mashed potatoes; 250 lbs of glazed baby carrots; 250 lbs of green beans almandine; 3000 cupcakes; 230 dozen rolls; 50 gallons of giblet gravy; and 100 vegetarian stuffed peppers.

According to Ottawa Public Health, one in 15 households in Ottawa is food insecure. Food insecurity contributes to poor mental health, and also serious chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease. Research also suggests that two-thirds or more of people who are homeless are food insecure.

“Poverty, homelessness and food insecurity are serious public health issues. We at the Ottawa Mission are doing our part to support the most vulnerable in our community by addressing food insecurity and keeping people healthy through our meal program,” said Ottawa Mission Executive Director Peter Tilley.

“Over 175 dedicated volunteers and also our exceptional kitchen staff worked very hard to ensure that to ensure everyone had a delicious turkey dinner. Our great frontline staff went the extra mile to ensure that all who entered our Mission could be accommodated. And our donors and supporters have been profoundly generous in their continuing support to the Mission. A huge thank you to all,” 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 hope. In 2017, The Ottawa Mission sheltered an average of 236 men every night and served an average of 1,312 meals every day. The Ottawa Mission also provides health services, mental health programs, addiction treatment programs, hospice care, dental services, educational support, job training, spiritual care, and men’s clothing to thousands in need in our community.

For information, please contact:

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

Nurse Practitioner Cynthia with Carole’s Poem

Carole suffers from multiple health issues and is unable to work.  For many years, she did not have access to a family doctor and had to rely on drop-in clinics to meet her increasingly complex healthcare needs.   She often had to visit different clinics, and because she suffers from anxiety, this was yet one more stressful situation for her to bear. Carole has been a grateful client of The Mission’s Primary Care Clinic since its doors opened in 2007, and she visits at least once a month.

“The service at The Mission’s clinic is incredible. The staff is very friendly and welcoming, and the care is wonderful.  They all know me and my medical history, and they treat me with kindness and compassion.  They have also given me referrals to other medical facilities for tests and follow-up treatment. At The Mission’s clinic, I know I’m getting the best possible care. I know everyone there and, for me, it’s my safe place,” says Carole.

As an expression of her gratitude for all the help she has received at the clinic, Carole wrote a poem to her nurse – and we’d like to share an excerpt with you.

Your warm smile and kind words make for a caring atmosphere
That eases my mind and alleviates any and all fear
As I leave here today all seems so much more clear
I thank the Lord each and every day for placing you right here

The Mission has begun work on the relocation and expansion of the clinic, and the new facility expects to be able to serve double the number of people as it does now.  When Carole learned about this, she was very excited.  “Knowing that the clinic is growing and improving is very good news, for me and for hundreds of others who have come to rely so much on this wonderful place.”