Author Archives: The Ottawa Mission

Guest blogger – Chef Ric Watson, Head Chef, The Ottawa Mission

Easter is almost here, and at our celebration on Monday, April 21 we expect to serve more than 2700 meals to people who have nowhere else to go. Unlike Thanksgiving and Christmas, when many special community dinners are organized, the Easter weekend seems to offer fewer options for those who are hungry and homeless. Our hope is that anyone who is homeless, hungry or alone is taken care of and provided with a special Easter dinner.

Our kitchen is a busy place every day of the year, but on holidays like Easter there is always something special in the air. Our dining room is decorated especially for the day, 2300 pounds of roast beef and all the trimmings are being prepared, and the many volunteers who will be serving meals and clearing tables throughout the day are ready to roll.

A lot of hard work goes into our Easter meal, but I know that everyone involved gets so much more back. Just seeing people who have so little smiling and enjoying their time with us is truly a gift. For each of them, this meal is a sign that someone cares about them – that they are not forgotten – and their deep gratitude is heartwarming to experience.

A special thank you to our donors and volunteers for allowing us to bring good food, fellowship and hope to those we will be serving this Easter.

The return of warmer temperatures and non-slippery sidewalks has a lot of people getting outdoors for some exercise. For men taking part in The Ottawa Mission’s addiction treatment programs, much attention is placed on their emotional and mental well-being.  But their physical well-being is just as important.

With spring’s arrival, the Mission’s LifeHouse and Stabilization Programs are now offering men a chance to begin walking and running as they focus on recovery and getting life back on track. Every Saturday morning those that want to start a physical fitness program can get some guidance from a couple of dedicated volunteers. Barry went through the LifeHouse treatment program two years ago and says learning to run has helped him immensely. “Running regularly took me on an inward journey and taught me many of life’s hard learned lessons, like patience, endurance, goal-setting, acceptance and self-love. It allowed me to spend time with myself and take care of my body by exercising and being mindful of what I eat. I also exercise my mind by meditating while running and being in the moment. It has been a great stress reliever.” 

Your support of these programs gives men a chance to get healthy again. One way to help is to donate gently used men’s running shoes or running shorts and shirts. These donations can be dropped off at The Mission’s Front Desk at 35 Waller Street anytime or at the Running Room store at 907 Bank Street during business hours.

Next week is National Volunteer Week – a time to recognize, celebrate and thank Canada’s 13.3 million volunteers. Here at The Ottawa Mission, we simply could not help as many people in need without the dedicated support of our compassionate army of volunteers. Every month, close to 250 people fill a volunteer role at the shelter. From preparing and serving meals to organizing clothing donations and running bingo nights, volunteers do so much to help people in need.

Lyn Ward is just one shining example.

During five years of volunteering at The Ottawa Mission, Lyn has turned her hand and her heart to many different activities such as movie nights at the shelter and helping in the clothing room. But if you ask Lyn about her true passion as a volunteer, it’s all about education.

As a volunteer teaching assistant at The Mission’s Stepping Stones Learning Centre, Lyn has worked with men and women who are trying to improve their lives – and their job prospects – by completing their high school education or taking other supplemental courses. Many of the people she helps have been out of school for years, but she has witnessed how hard they work, and the way they are transformed during the process.

Lyn is also a classroom administrator for Discovery University, a partnership program between The Ottawa Mission, the University of Ottawa, St. Paul University and First Baptist Church. Discovery U gives low-income and homeless people the opportunity to take non-credit courses taught by professors in a university environment. Lyn sits in on every class to make sure everything runs smoothly and, from her perspective, it is a joy to see people learning, sharing ideas, growing in self-confidence, and opening themselves up to new possibilities.

So, Lyn will say that her volunteer work – particularly at Stepping Stones and Discovery U – is a total pleasure. We say that it is people like Lyn, who give so generously of their time and talents, who make all the difference in changing lives for the better.

Thank you Lyn, and everyone else who is part of our special “army”, for all that you do.

Some of us are blessed to have a network of family and friends to support us through tough times. Others, like John, do not have people to lean on – until they find their way to The Ottawa Mission.

John was unemployed and had no formal job training when he learned about The Mission’s Food Services Training Program. He successfully completed the five-month program and soon found employment at a local restaurant. But in the weeks that followed, he quickly realized he wasn’t getting enough hours to meet his monthly rent. John feared that if he couldn’t come up with the money for his landlord by the end of the month he would be homeless.

John came back to The Mission in distress and was quickly directed to a Housing Outreach Case Manager. There, he learned that he could contact Ontario Works to inquire about some short-term financial support. The Housing Outreach worker made the call with John to help him connect with the right person and set up a meeting for the next day.

Fortunately, Ontario Works was able to help John cover his rental shortfall and provide him with some financial aid until he could find full time employment. The Mission’s Housing Outreach worker then followed up with John to talk about strategies to get full time work, and not long after he was able to find a better job.

John is getting back on track, but our Housing Outreach worker still meets with him on a weekly basis to ensure that he is able to maintain his housing, and also to continue working on creating goals for his future.

John and many others know they can depend on The Ottawa Mission for much needed support on their journey.

Last year, Ben was a young man who wasn’t sure what the future held. At the age of 21, he was working as a dishwasher, but a serious hearing loss and a battle with depression were holding him back from achieving his full potential. Then he learned about the Food Services Training Program at The Ottawa Mission.

Cooking, particularly baking, has long been one of Ben’s passions – partly inspired by his great-grandfather who was a well-known chef in Ottawa. Ben’s challenge was to gain the skills and the self-confidence he needed to succeed in his chosen profession.

During his five months of both on-the-job training and classroom education at The Mission, Ben has fine-tuned his cooking skills and learned how to operate all types of specialized restaurant equipment. More importantly, he has grown personally, and he credits his newfound strength to counselling along with the great support and encouragement he has received from Chef Ric and the kitchen staff at The Mission.

Ben is planning to pursue his cooking career – and his particular passion – by attending Algonquin College next fall to work towards his certificate in Baking and Pastry Arts. And the “icing on the cake”, so to speak, is that Ben is now working at a local catering company, and will continue to do so when he returns to school.

It is thanks to our generous donors that people facing personal challenges, like Ben, are able to receive support and valuable training – and the gift of hope that goes along with it – that makes such a difference in their lives.

No one will argue that this has been a very cold and very long winter in Ottawa. For people staying at The Ottawa Mission, spring’s arrival in a few days will be very welcome indeed.

But before we officially welcome in spring, another special March event will be held Monday to mark St. Patrick’s Day, or the ‘Feast of St. Patrick’, as it’s known in some parts of the world. A celebratory lunch will be held here that day, one that includes some hearty Irish stew.

To make the day even more special, members of Ottawa City Council, including Mayor Jim Watson, will take some time out of their busy schedule and come down to The Mission to serve the lunch as part of the fourth annual “Councillors Feed the Hungry” event. This annual event is organized by Keith Egli, Councillor for Ward 9 Knoxdale-Merivale and along with volunteering, members of city council are also contributing the funds to buy the food for the special meal.

There are no easy solutions to homelessness but helping people in need in our community is something that requires working together. Thank you to Ottawa City Council for its support and continuing to work with us to provide hope and help to those without a home.

Everyone that comes into The Ottawa Mission looking for help has their own reason for doing so. What’s interesting is that the same can be said for everyone who donates to The Ottawa Mission as well.
Sylvie and Frederick Lecky, along with their daughter, son and their spouses, have traditionally pooled their resources and given one gift each year to The Ottawa Mission. They recently decided to switch to a monthly gift. Here’s why.

Last year, with their lives getting busier and busier – especially with two grandchildren on the way – their annual gift was almost forgotten, and the family decided that they didn’t want to leave it to chance anymore. That’s when they became monthly donors – Champions of Hope. They like the convenience of giving this way, and know it reduces our mailing costs – but they also appreciate that supporting us on a monthly basis makes much more sense, since The Mission’s vital programs and services need to be available to people who are hungry and hurting 365 days a year.

When Sylvie mentioned to her father, Léo Pelletier, that we would be telling the family’s story, she was amazed to learn that he has been supporting The Mission as well – for more than 50 years! And he also shared that during the depression his father – Sylvie’s grandfather – would stop by The Mission each year at Christmas with a $1.00 donation. That was a lot of money in those days!

It’s clear that generosity – and commitment to The Ottawa Mission – runs deep in his wonderful family. We are so thankful to them for choosing to make a difference, and for helping us change lives for the better – every day, all year round.

For more information on becoming a Champion of Hope, please contact Angie Kelly at 613-234-1155, ext. 426, akelly@ottawamission.com.

It’s been three years since Phil arrived in Ottawa from Sudbury – and what a journey it’s been.

Many years ago he had suffered a workplace injury that led to chronic pain, and over time he developed a drug dependency that he struggled to overcome. Phil was unable to work, became depressed, and even considered suicide.

When he got to Ottawa a friend told him about the treatment options available at The Ottawa Mission. Phil is shy and introverted by nature, and at first he wasn’t sure if he could cope with counselling and group therapy, but he worked hard to gain the strength he needed to commit to long term treatment. He entered our 5-month LifeHouse addiction treatment program and says that it was here that he received the tools he needed to help manage his pain, and also gained a sense of self-worth that he was sadly lacking.

After LifeHouse, Phil spent a year in a second stage transitional house operated by The Mission for men who have gone through addiction treatment. It was then that he decided he wanted to help others and give back to the community. He took peer support courses, and for the past six months has volunteered weekly at the Royal Ottawa Hospital where he offers comfort and support to a patient suffering from depression. He is also taking group facilitator training so that he can help others who are struggling with chronic pain. Instead of holding back, Phil is now reaching out to make a difference.

Phil loves animals, and one of his key goals during his treatment was to have a place of his own and adopt a cat. Happily, “Buddy” and Phil have now both found a home of their own.

Winter in Canada can feel long regardless of where you live. But for those staying in a homeless shelter like The Ottawa Mission, the winter can seem extra-long indeed. On top of the cold weather, many people are struck with bad colds or flu bugs.

The Ottawa Mission’s Primary Health Clinic, which celebrates its 7th anniversary this spring, is a busy place this time of year. Before the clinic opened in 2007, people staying in shelters – many of whom do not have a family doctor – had to find their way to a hospital emergency room if they became sick. That was especially challenging for those dealing with mental health or addiction issues. They would often not seek help and sometimes became so ill an ambulance would have to be called. The chances of spreading illness to others in the shelters also increased.

But now, thanks to a partnership with Ottawa Inner City Health, two Nurse Practitioners in The Mission’s Primary Care Clinic can see people very quickly. The NP’s are in the clinic every day of the week and are able to reach a doctor on call at the Ottawa Hospital if the need requires. They also help people connect with mental health resources much faster than before.

For people who have nowhere else to turn, the Primary Clinic makes a huge difference in maintaining good health and accessing vital medical care when it is needed most.   At the same time, it brings hope to many people who often feel forgotten.

There are many definitions and examples of love to be found in our world today, besides the romantic love that many people will celebrate on Valentine’s Day this month.  We are blessed at The Ottawa Mission because we often see many other forms of love and caring – particularly in the kind acts of our volunteers.

This week several members of the Ottawa Fire Department and Emergency Services, including Fire Chief John DeHooge, will be doing something special for people who are homeless. They will spend time on Friday – Valentine’s Day – serving a delicious meal to those who come into The Ottawa Mission for lunch.

Often when we have special events like this, we get comments from people about how much it means to them to know people have gone out of their way to help them and to make them feel special. It’s often these acts of kindness that help lift their spirits and motivate them to make changes in their lives.

The definition of love that we like to honor on Valentine’s Day speaks to the help so many give freely to people in need at The Ottawa Mission throughout the year. It is the definition that reads “unselfish, loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another”.