Author Archives: The Ottawa Mission

At The Ottawa Mission – We Got Ginch!

For the fifth year running a uniquely decorated RV pulled up outside The Ottawa Mission on Daly Street this morning to make a special delivery – of men’s underwear. And you can always tell who’s coming down the street because of the white briefs billowing from their side-view mirrors!

Since 2009, Brent King and Robb Price have been spearheading the “Got Ginch” campaign to help thousands of people across Canada by providing homeless shelters with this much-needed item. Through generous support and lots of fundraising work, they are able to purchase a bulk shipment of underwear and personally delivery it to shelters from Vancouver to Halifax.

Today, The Ottawa Mission was the 8th stop in their cross-country odyssey, and there was a good crowd of Mission staff and residents on hand to greet them and to thank them for their wonderful generosity.

This year, for the first time, Got Ginch teamed up with a new initiative – called “Need Knickers” – and was able to make women’s underwear part of the special delivery to shelters. In Ottawa, “Need Knickers” delivered boxes of women’s underwear to Cornerstone, an emergency shelter for women.

Our thanks to Brent and Robb for keeping this wonderful initiative going over the years, and we look forward to seeing them again in 2014. Godspeed on the rest of your journey!

Preparing to serve hundreds a special Thanksgiving Dinner

The Thanksgiving season is upon us and planning is already underway for The Ottawa Mission’s Annual Thanksgiving Dinner.

Although The Mission kitchen serves an average of 1250 meals every day of the year to people who are homeless or hungry, preparing a special holiday meal like Thanksgiving dinner takes a lot of extra food and extra work. It’s estimated about 2700 plates of turkey (and all the fixings) will be served up at the 5 hour event on the Thanksgiving Monday.

At the centre of this special meal, of course, is delicious roasted turkey.

Chef Ric Watson heads up the team of staff and volunteers who will debone, cook and carve about 90 large turkeys, or an estimated 2300 lbs of turkey, during the week before the big dinner.

You may wonder where all that turkey comes from.

Every fall, The Ottawa Mission asks for community donations of large frozen turkeys and every year generous people in the community come forward to help.

If you would like to contribute a Thanksgiving turkey for our annual Thanksgiving Dinner, donations can be dropped off anytime at The Ottawa Mission Front Desk, located at 35 Waller Street.

Your gift will bring food to the hungry and hope to people who thought they were forgotten.

Mission ‘Kitchen’ Possible

Everyone else’s routine has returned to normal this month – and this is also the case for The Ottawa Mission’s kitchen. But it was anything but ‘a holiday’ over the summer for staff and volunteers who prepare and serve more than 1250 meals a day, as our kitchen underwent a much-needed renovation.

At the end of July, a 44-foot mobile kitchen pulled up next to The Mission and within two days everyone had a new routine. For the entire month of August, food was cooked outside and then transferred back inside to a temporary serving area. Some things stayed the same – like meal times and the dining room space – and the rest seemed to fall into place. And for people in need who rely on us, there was no interruption in service.

Thanks to the hard work of The Ottawa Mission’s maintenance team, the renovation finished on time and on budget – no small feat. The cost of the project could have been significantly higher without their skills and hard work. Several local companies also generously supported the renovation with discounted products or services.

The layout of the kitchen has not changed much, but it sure sparkles now! The entire floor is new and the old deteriorating painted drywall has been replaced with either stainless steel or white PVC walls. These will last for many years and will be much easier to keep clean.

As the Thanksgiving season quickly approaches, our kitchen is back in business and ready for the beginning of our busiest time of year.

Sophia & Adam – Champions of Hope

The Ottawa Mission would like to take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude all of our donors for their kind and generous support over the years. We simply would not be able to serve the growing numbers of those in need in our community without you.

In particular, we would like to highlight the significant impact of those donors who choose to give monthly – people like Sophia and Adam (pictured). We call these friends Champions of Hope, and we would like to thank all of those who have recently responded to us and joined these ranks.

When donors like Sophia and Adam choose to make regular monthly gifts, not only is it more convenient for them, but we are able to save on the expense of producing and sending a mail appeal. This is money that can immediately be put to work providing 1250 meals every day, shelter, medical care, job training, addiction treatment, and so much more.

Sophia has been a monthly donor for years. When Sophia and Adam were married just over a year ago, she shared her thoughts about The Mission with him. Together they decided to find out more about this place that somehow felt special. So Sophia and Adam came for a tour. For both of them, this was a true revelation. As Sophia says, “There is so much going on that we were not aware of. The Hospice is a beautiful and peaceful place, the client services centre is filled with people using computers to find jobs and getting help with housing, and the rooms in the shelter are spotless.”

Sophia and Adam are now more confident than ever that their monthly investment is a very wise one, and they are committed to continuing their support so that we can provide food, shelter and life-changing programs every day. Thank you to all of our Champions of Hope.

To find out more about becoming a monthly donor – a Champion of Hope – please call Angie Kelly at 613-234-1155, ext. 426, or email akelly@ottawamission.com. To arrange for a tour – everyone is welcome – please call Shirley Roy at 513-234-114, ext. 305 or email sroy@ottawamission.com.

Jack Gets Back On Track

At The Ottawa Mission many different people from many different circumstances walk through our door every day desperate for help and seeking shelter.

Many stay with us for only a few days or weeks – just long enough to find a new job, and if they are fortunate enough, a new home. Other men who are struggling with addiction or mental illness stay longer to take part in treatment programs, or to get assistance and referrals from our medical clinic. For some, The Mission becomes their home, because they cannot live on their own or care for themselves and there is nowhere else that can provide even the basic support they need. These are the people deemed “chronically homeless”.

Jack was a recent resident at The Ottawa Mission. He had always worked, and was in good health, but after losing his job and running out of money, and with no family to help out, he found himself on the streets. He came to The Mission and was welcomed with open arms. He immediately made it his goal to find employment and housing, and with the support of our housing outreach staff, Jack quickly achieved his goal. After just 15 days, he is back at work, able to support himself, and living in his own apartment. Through generous donations, we were also able to provide Jack with some basic furnishings to help with his new start.

We are proud of the role The Mission has played in getting Jack’s life back on track. In 2012 our housing support team helped 176 people like Jack find a place to call home.

We also continue to work with government and community partners to find a solution for the chronically homeless – those who aren’t as fortunate as Jack.

Ottawa Mission moves kitchen to trailer during renovations

By Natascia Lypny, OTTAWA CITIZEN August 6, 2013

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Ottawa Mission moves kitchen to trailer during renovations

By Natascia Lypny, OTTAWA CITIZEN August 6, 2013

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Mission is cooking up its high-demand meals outdoors this month as its kitchen undergoes much needed renovations.

“You can’t tell people who come here for a meal, ‘The kitchen is closed down for a month,’” says the Mission’s executive director Peter Tilley.

So, when the nearly decade-old kitchen’s health and safety concerns could no longer be tamed with small fixes, the Mission got creative. It rented a fully equipped, 13.5-metre trailer, which sits on Daly Avenue.

The trailer means the Mission doesn’t have to cut back on the more than 1,200 meals it serves every day. The menu didn’t require much tweaking either.

“The equipment inside essentially replicates what we have in our kitchen,” said director of operations Tim Moran.

The space is narrower, with room for only five people (and even that’s being generous). The freezer is smaller, too, meaning the chef has to put in more frequent food orders.

Inside the Mission, a lounge has been squeezed of space to accommodate a new food prep area. Moran said the Mission’s clients, who start trickling in over an hour before meal time, have been “very accommodating for us.”

Moran says these minor adjustments, made possible by the hard work and coordination of the volunteer team, will be worth the new kitchen. The space had been suffering from mould, water damage and peeling flooring tiles.

In all, the renovations are expected to cost $125,000, with an additional $15,000 for the trailer rental. Moran says the work, which is largely being done by the Mission’s own maintenance staff, has been factored into the organization’s budget and won’t detract
from spending elsewhere.

The renovations are set to be completed by Labour Day weekend.

The Ottawa Mission names a new Executive Director

By Meghan Hurley Ottawa Citizen May 01, 2013

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Ottawa Mission names Peter Tilley as new Executive Director

By Meghan Hurley, OTTAWA CITIZEN
May 1, 2013

OTTAWA — The newly appointed Ottawa Mission executive director says he has big shoes to fill. Peter Tilley, the head of the Ottawa Food Bank, will begin his new position on June 3. He replaces Diane Morrison, who retired in January after 20 years as the executive director.

“I don’t know the actual shoe size of Diane Morrison, but I imagine it must be like Shaquille O’Neal size 17 because they are huge shoes to fill,” Tilley said.

Tilley began working with the food bank as a driver in 1994. He left a high-paying job as an employment recruiting firm executive for the food bank during what he calls a “spiritual search.” After hearing a talk given by a pastor, Tilley thought a new job was exactly what he needed.

“Those thoughts resonated with me and at the age of 33 I wondered if there was more and maybe I just need a break from this,” Tilley said.

When a former client called Tilley in 1994 to see if he could recommend anyone to fill the spot of a driver at the Ottawa Food Bank, he jumped at the chance. The next day, Tilley changed out of his suit into jeans and a T-shirt and went to the food bank to express his interest in the job.

“I took a huge leap of faith,” Tilley admitted. And also a steep pay cut.

It was during his work as a driver that he got to know the staff at the Ottawa Mission, delivering food to the downtown shelter.

Tilley rose to the rank of interim executive director of the food bank in 1999 before he was officially put in charge of the organization in 2000. Since then, the food bank has dramatically expanded from a 2,500 square-foot warehouse to 21,000 square feet and they feed 48,000 people every month.

Tilley said he believes the Ottawa Food Bank was the first in North America to hand out bags at the grocery stores for food drives.

Tilley said he was also behind helping to create a food bank in Gatineau.

When the opportunity to head the Ottawa Mission came up, Tilley took a walk around the warehouse to reflect.

“I see a warehouse full of food, I see we’re in good financial position,” Tilley said. “The Ottawa Mission has always been close to my heart and what an opportunity to look after the more vulnerable people in our community.”

The decision to take over for Morrison became clear after his walk around the warehouse. Tilley said he will talk to stakeholders, staff and clients in the first month on the job to learn about the needs of the community.

From there, Tilley wants to explore how he can help clients with mental illness, addiction and plans to tackle homelessness head-on to find solutions that are more permanent rather than a temporary fix.

What Tilley looks most forward to in his new job is meeting his “clients” and vows to know them all by name after a few weeks in his new position.

“If we’re not going to turn around their life that day, maybe myself or my staff team can just do a small thing that day that’s going to bring a smile to their face and make their day a little bit more bearable,” he said.

An Impressive First Impression

Last week marked my first month in my new role as Executive Director of The Ottawa Mission. To say this has been a remarkable month for me would be a huge understatement. As I have become more familiar with the wide scope of programming offered here, I have been impressed every step of the way by the professionalism, expertise and compassion of the staff. Here’s just one example.

On one of my first days on the job I was approached by a man who had worked for me in a previous career. He had come to a very bad place in his life and had arrived at The Mission the night before desperate for help and with nowhere else to turn. A few short hours later, I spotted him having a consultation with one of our case managers. These are people who meet one-on-one with those who book into the shelter, and help guide them towards the right resources – whether that is addiction treatment, medical or mental health care, or education, employment or housing support services.

As the days passed, this man approached me often in the hallways to express his gratitude for the wonderful care he was receiving, and for the valuable help he was getting from many different parts of the organization. When I saw him just a couple of days ago, he was so grateful that he was moved to tears. He kept thanking me personally for all that was being done to help him regain his health and get his life back on track. Clearly, all of the credit goes to the outstanding people who work here and, by extension, to all of those who support The Mission as donors and volunteers.

I am so proud and happy to be a part of The Ottawa Mission Family. Thank you.

Peter Tilley
Executive Director
The Ottawa Mission

Helping others find their strong suit

Imagine going into a job interview wearing the same everyday clothes you’ve worn for several weeks in the summer heat. Imagine how the interviewers might look at you, and how that would affect your confidence and make you feel embarrassed. This is exactly the situation for many at-risk men who come into The Ottawa Mission while searching for jobs and trying to change their lives for the better.

Fortunately The Ottawa Mission receives donations of men’s clothing from many generous people in the community. Our volunteers help us to sort out the donations and hang everything in The Mission’s clothing room. Thanks to these donations, we can help provide our clients with appropriate clothing for the season, as well as for important life events such as job interviews, funerals, or graduations.

Being able to put on a suit and tie before heading to a job interview can be the difference between hope and despair; between dignity and shame.

Once again this summer, we are proud to be benefiting from the Moores Canadian Suit Drive, which runs from July 1^st to July 31^st. Throughout the month, Moores is offering 50% off the regular price of retail items (some exceptions) to people who bring in donations of gently used dress shirts, pants and suits at local Moores store.

All Moores locations are involved in the promotion, but the two locations supporting The Ottawa Mission specifically are:

145 Trainyards Drive, Unit 2, Ottawa, ON
2085 Tenth Line Road, Cumberland, ON

See the PDF poster below or visit canadiansuitdrive.com for more information.

A second chance can begin with a first impression. Save on your next suit and give the gift of dignity to someone in need!

[button link=”https://ottawamission.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/2013-Moores-Flyer-for-Suit-Drive.pdf” target=”blank”]See the poster[/button]

Graduation Day

June means graduation day for many students in schools, colleges and universities across our city. It is a time filled with pride, laughter, tears and hope for the future.

At The Ottawa Mission there will be two graduation days in June, and these are always special occasions because they truly demonstrate how our programs are changing lives for the better. Meet just two of the graduates we will be honouring.

Aleem is a young man who had always had a job, but suddenly found himself laid off. After trying hard to find a new position, he ended up having to collect social assistance. He wanted so much to get back on track but he needed help. Aleem says he always liked cooking but had no formal training. When he learned about The Mission’s Food Services Training Program he applied right away. Five months later, he is about to graduate, already has a full time restaurant job, and plans to continue his education in food services. Aleem’s graduation day is June 5.

Sam is another man who also always worked, mostly as a waiter which he loved. When addiction took control of his life, he ended up where he never expected to be, jobless and homeless. He prayed to God for guidance and when someone suggested he seek help at The Mission, his decision to do so changed his life. After 5 months in our LifeHouse residential treatment program Sam is now living in the community and is back working as a waiter. While staying with us, he also took classes online at our Stepping Stones learning centre and earned the final two credits towards his high school diploma. Sam’s graduation day is June 12.

On June 5^th and 12^th you can be sure there will be laughter, tears, and a great deal of pride and hope at The Ottawa Mission.