Author Archives: The Ottawa Mission

Addressing Food Insecurity in Our Community

Ottawa Mission Launches Food Truck to Bring Healthy Food to Those in Need Throughout our Community

Ottawa, ON – The Ottawa Mission is partnering with the Pelican Seafood Market and Grill, Urbandale Corporation, Orleans Fresh Fruit, Capital Meat, and local food service agencies such as the Gloucester Emergency Food Cupboard to address food insecurity in Ottawa through a Food Truck to go out into the community to provide warm and nutritious meals to those in need in Ottawa.

“The Ottawa Mission serves over 1400 warm and nutritious meals a day. Last year, we served almost half a million meals to shelter guests and members of the community who are hungry and can’t afford nutritious food. Our new Food Truck meal program will enhance our community meal program through bringing food to people in their own communities who may otherwise not be able to travel to our shelter because of disability, lack of funds for bus fare, or other issues,” stated Chef Ric Allen-Watson, Director of Food Services.

“We’re very grateful to our partners the Pelican Seafood Market and Grill, Urbandale Corporation, Capital Meat and Orleans Fresh Fruit for supporting this project. We’re also very pleased to be partnering with food service providers such as our friends here at the Gloucester Emergency Food Cupboard to ensure that everyone in our community who needs healthy food receives it,” Allen-Watson added.

The meals that will be served from this truck will be similar to the kind that The Ottawa Mission offers to shelter guests and community members. As with shelter guests and those who access its community meal program, those who access the food truck program will not have to pay for their food. Accessing food support can be stigmatizing and The Mission wants to make this program as accessible as possible.

“There’s a lot of hidden hunger in Ottawa, and huge income disparities in our community. People come to food banks such as ours because of inadequate income support, low wages, part-time work, and lack of affordable housing. This situation has been made worse by the current pandemic. We’re very pleased to partnering with The Ottawa Mission and its private sector partners to reach even more people in need,” noted Erin O’Manique, Executive Director of the Gloucester Emergency Food Cupboard.

Larry O’Hara, Vice-President of Commercial Real estate for Urbandale Corporation, noted the importance of the private sector in addressing food insecurity in Ottawa. “At Urbandale Corporation, we believe in building strong communities and value our partnerships. This important new initiative will go a long way go a long way to addressing food insecurity in our community and ensuring that people who need healthy meals will get them. We’re very pleased to support The Ottawa Mission toward this end.”

Jim Foster, owner of the Pelican Seafood Market and Grill, spoke of his decision to donate Pelican’s food truck to the shelter to address food insecurity in Ottawa. “We believe in giving back to the community where we live and work. That’s why we’re thrilled to be partnering with The Ottawa Mission to launch this critically needed new service by donating our food truck. We know through our own experience how important it is to provide healthy meals to people in their own communities.”

Adam Tomaszewski, Vice-president of Sale for Capital Meat and long-time partner of The Mission, noted the importance of public-private partnerships to meet the needs of our community’s most vulnerable. “Through our business, we understand the importance of providing quality healthy food to our community. That’s why we’ve partnered with The Ottawa Mission since 2015 to provide healthy food options for the most vulnerable members of our community. We’re delighted to support this new food program by The Mission to meet people where they’re at and ensure that no one in our community goes hungry.”

The Food Truck will also make people aware of our Food Services Training Program, which is a job training program The Ottawa Mission has run for the past 15 years that provides graduates the skills, confidence and professional certification to work in the food services industry. Since its inception in 2004, over 90% of FSTP graduates have secured positions in this industry.

“FSTP applicants must demonstrate only one qualification to be accepted into the program — a strong desire to change their lives for the better. Students pay no costs and we make sure they have all the tools they need to succeed. Students graduate with not only a credential that allows them to be self-supporting, but also newfound confidence, pride and dignity,” 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 hope. In 2018- 2019, The Ottawa Mission provided emergency shelter to an average of 195 men every night and served an average of 1,358 meals every day. The Ottawa Mission also provides health services, mental health and 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
E-mail: aleo@ottawamission.com

The Ottawa Mission Partners With GiveShop and Local Artist Erika Déruaz

The Ottawa Mission is pleased to announce its new partnership with GiveShop, an exciting Ottawa-based start-up whose mission it is to make it easy for Canadians to give to their favourite charities. The GiveShop online marketplace is the place to go to buy and sell, and support the life-changing programs of The Mission. We’re proud to announce our first vendor, Ottawa artist Erika Déruaz!

Erika was born and educated in Zurich. She moved to Ottawa in 1966 and became an important member of the Ottawa visual arts community. Now, just shy of her 90th birthday, Erika has put down her paintbrush and is having a final sale of her paintings. All proceeds will go to the Ottawa Mission.

Erika’s art reflects her European and Canadian heritage. She has been a Fellow of the Ottawa Watercolour Society and a long-time member of Arteast Ottawa. Over the years, she has won many awards. Her works are included in a large number of private and corporate collections, including the City of Ottawa Art Collection.

Although most of her work consists of watercolours and acrylics, in later years Erika also experimented with mixed media and abstraction. Works will be displayed on GiveShop 10 at a time, with new works to be added throughout the year. The paintings will include landscapes, still life, architectural and floral studies, and a variety of abstracts.

The Ottawa Mission is thrilled to welcome the kind support of Erika, and we look forward to sharing her beautiful creations with our generous donors.

To see Erika’s work and learn more about GiveShop, please visit their website at: https://www.giveshop.ca

Giving Thanks For A New Country

Deng first came to Canada as a political refugee from Sudan in 2000, landing in Vancouver and making his way to Brooks, Alberta where he worked in a meat packing plant. His experience as a civil society leader inspired him to join the fight for better working conditions and wages at the plant. The story was featured on the CBC news. Deng’s activism, however, made for an uncomfortable relationship with his employer, so he pursued a new path, training in Calgary to become a personal support worker.

Deng found a job at the Queensway Carleton Hospital, but eventually returned home, motivated by patriotism, to support a new peace agreement. “I was elected Chair of Civil Society in the new South Sudan, a non-governmental organization,” Deng says, “and I still hold that position.” South Sudan is the world’s newest country, founded in 2011 following decades of colonial rule and Africa’s longest civil war.

Deng returned to Canada in 2017 with the help of the U.N. and Canadian Embassy staff, as political tensions required that he flee once again. “I was calling for support for the grass roots, but I was banned by the government and many things happened I cannot talk about,” he says, “but I am working from here for change.” Deng lived at The Mission for several months, where, “the first people to become my friends at the shelter and love me were Indigenous people,” he recalls proudly. He eventually met Larry at St. Joseph’s Supper Table in Sandy Hill where the retired teacher, and member of the parish, volunteers serving meals. The two men became friends and Larry welcomed Deng into his home, where he still resides.

Seeking to upgrade his education, Deng approached The Mission’s Stepping Stones Learning Centre (SSLC). Kathy Cillis is the SSLC’s certified teacher. “Sometimes students need to step away from education for some reason, but the door is always open,” Kathy says. “It’s a small classroom with a big heart, and a big impact.” The symbol of the stone truly resonated with Deng. “I wanted to improve my English, so I met teacher Kathy at Stepping Stones,” Deng shares. “When I was detained back home, I had a dream God told me I would be free when I receive a stone, and when I saw the painting of the stone [on the SSLC wall], I knew I belonged there.”

Deng is a dedicated student at St. Patrick’s Adult School, where he is working hard to improve his language and computer skills. His weekly ESL class with Kathy at Stepping Stones supplements those studies. Deng enjoys stories about inspirational figures like Louis Riel, Rosa Parks, and Nelson Mandela. Kathy recommends two articles a week from the ESL Library website and meets with Deng every Wednesday, these days by phone, to review homework and converse about the reading assignments. Housemate Larry serves as resident tutor and reports real progress in overall literacy.

It takes a community to successfully welcome refugees into Canadian society. Stepping Stones is an integral part of that process for many refugees seeking a new life in Canada. “I want to thank God, the indigenous people, churches, and The Mission for welcoming me on Canadian soil,” Deng says. “I’m proud to be Canadian, and with your help, I work to bring what I am learning about democracy and civil society here in Canada to my people in South Sudan.”

Your generous donation helps individuals like Deng overcome the anxiety of forced displacement and find hope in a new country. You are a part of his extraordinary story.

Building A Relationship Of Kindness

“Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves.” Matthew 14:19

Greg Huyer and Scott Rufolo met in England over 20 years ago after moving to Cambridge, Scott from the US and Greg from Canada. After finishing their studies in the UK, they moved to Baltimore, Maryland where Scott pursued a doctorate and Greg worked as a biomedical researcher. It was while living in downtown Baltimore that the couple regularly encountered people living on the streets and in local parks. Daily dog walks became opportunities for conversation with many homeless individuals.

“Encountering homelessness on a daily basis inspired us to act,” Greg says, “so we became involved in a program at our church called ‘Loaves and Fishes’ to prepare and serve food to the homeless in the inner city.” Greg and Scott moved to Ottawa 14 years ago. Their concern for the homeless continued once they settled here, and so Scott and Greg approached The Ottawa Mission as volunteers.

“We wanted to do something to help, and The Mission was an obvious fit,” Scott recalls. Greg began, as so many volunteers do, in the kitchen. Scott offered his support as a tutor with Stepping Stones. “We also became regular donors along the way. Our time as volunteers showed us how dedicated the staff at The Mission are, and how much of a difference The Mission makes in so many people’s lives.”

Scott and Greg have generously contributed a leadership gift to support the expansion of The DYMON Health Clinic, as well as a charitable gift in their wills. “We’re extremely fortunate to be in a position to support The Mission financially and we’re grateful for the relationship that we’ve built with The Mission over the years.” The Mission and its guests are eternally grateful for the generous support of kind donors like Greg and Scott. Thank you both!

If you would like more information, please contact Angie Kelly, Director, Major and Planned Giving at 613.234.1155 x 426 or by email at akelly@ottawamission.com.

Dignity For One And All

It is a matter of human dignity that no person should have to face the end of life alone. The Ottawa Mission’s Diane Morrison Hospice was founded by our retired Executive Director in 2001 to ensure that individuals in its care will be honoured in their final days. It is a unique facility and the first and largest of its kind within a shelter in North America, offering 24-hour palliative care to men and women who are homeless and dealing with a terminal or serious chronic illness. The 21-bed ward operates in partnership with Ottawa Inner City Health, a recognized leader in health and hospice care for the homeless, and is staffed by nurses, client-care workers and other health care professionals.

Yetty is the administrative coordinator of the hospice. She describes the fundamental belief behind all hospice practices as being centred on caring for the individual in a manner that takes a person’s sense of themselves into account. “What distinguishes The Mission’s care from other palliative care facilities is that we not only cater to people who are homeless or street involved, but who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness,” Yetty says. “We also support individuals who are terminally ill but are unable to access palliative care elsewhere due to addiction issues.”

Hospice staff work to foster a feeling of inclusion and a sense of worthiness and personal accomplishment while striving to lessen depression and enhance relationships within the patient’s community, including family members. Yetty describes “a holistic palliative care approach to support our clients’ needs, namely physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual support, during their stay with us. In addition, our hospice is a non-judgemental environment where our clients can be themselves and are treated with dignity, love, and compassion.” The Hospice offers a range of mainstream and alternative therapies, and hosts special celebrations for its guests at Easter, Christmas, and Thanksgiving.

In 2019-20, 59 patients were admitted to the Hospice and 30 men and women spent their final days in its loving care. Joseph was a 58-year old man who spent his near-motionless days reflecting back on his life. Colon cancer had dramatically shortened that life. Joe was born in Africville, the old ghetto in Halifax first settled by British slaves in the 18th century. He vividly recounted the pain induced by racist taunts uttered well into the 20th century. Memories of his grandmother caused Joe’s eyes to well up with tears. His dad was a conductor on the CN train route between Halifax and Montreal, running through what Joe described as “God’s country”. He described his father and his childhood home life in less flattering terms.

Joe moved to Toronto in his teens with the woman with whom he would have his large family. Photos of his handsome descendants, children and grandchildren cuddled up in happy groups, hung on the wall of his hospice room. Joe believed he tried his best as a dad, working at the Sheraton Toronto Centre hotel for many years, but a crack cocaine addiction ravaged his body, mind and home life. His family, now spread across Canada, could only drop by his room occasionally where they found a frail frame and a weakened spirit filled with regret.

“For The Mission to bring me back here, to show me the love and the care they show me now, I don’t know,” said Joe. “I tell you, without this place, where would we well be!?”

Hospice staff are steadfast in the belief that all persons are entitled to dignity and that no one should die alone. Guests who spend their finals days in residence consider The Mission to be their final home and, in many cases, the care staff to be their family in spirit. A memorial service is always held in the chapel offering an opportunity for friends, family and staff to share grief and memories. Names are also added to the Wall of Remembrance.

The staff and volunteers of The Diane Morrison Hospice are able to provide this sensitive caregiving because of the generosity and kind hearts of donors like you. Your gift of support ensures that guests who seek solemnity in the closing days of their lives shall receive it. These human souls are deeply thankful for your compassion.

A Pebble, A Pond, and Your Will

Have you ever dropped a pebble into a pond? When the stone hits the water, you will see ripple after ripple spreading out from the point of impact.

Your will could be like that. Properly prepared, your will can create a ripple effect of goodness and generosity to the people and organizations you care about. You could ensure family members can afford the costs of higher education. A piece of jewellery that a friend has long admired could now be hers. You could also leave something to the charities you have respected and supported financially during your lifetime — a charity like The Ottawa Mission. The possibilities are endless but to make these good things happen, you must have a will.

Preparing a will or updating one you already have is easy to put off. There are other priorities. It’s an extra expense. It’s a subject many would simply prefer not to deal with. If you don’t have a will, however, you lose control of what happens to your assets. Gifts to specific individuals or to organizations will not occur. Your estate will be divided according to provincial statute and may go to close relatives who may not need the money or, worse, from whom you are estranged.

A will is just an essential document to have for the above reasons and more. Think of a pebble hitting the water. Think of the potential for good a gift in your will could have. Then, contact a lawyer and get the conversation started. If leaving a gift in your will to The Ottawa Mission Foundation is something you would like to consider, we would be pleased to speak with you in confidence to explore options.

Estate Donation Tax Credits – How Do They Work?

Your gift can be life-changing for Mission guests like Kerry

Most people, regardless the amount of planning they do, will have some assets to disburse through their estate. However, when you include a gift to The Ottawa Mission Foundation in your will, your estate receives a charitable tax receipt for the full amount of your gift. Your executor or trustee may then use that receipt to offset taxes that arise during the liquidation and distribution of your estate’s assets. In most circumstances, the tax credits can be used against the taxes in the year of your death, the year prior to your death or in your estate in either the year that the donation was made or any earlier taxation year.

For example, if you leave a gift in your will of $10,000 for The Ottawa Mission, the tax credits are significant.

For a legacy gift of $10,000, The Ottawa Mission Foundation will issue a tax receipt to your estate for the full amount.
Assuming a combined federal and provincial income tax rate of 45% and provided that you have sufficient tax obligations, your estate will save up to $4,500 in taxes. Note – depending on the province you live in this rate is typically between 40% and 50%.
Your gift of $10,000 may cost your estate as little as $5,500.

Every gift in your will matters, whether it’s small, large or in between. The Ottawa Mission Foundation has been the fortunate recipient of a number of such legacy gifts over the years and their impact has been significant. Legacy gifts help provide life-changing programs to people like Kerry.

For much of his adult years, Kerry’s life seemed quite normal. He held steady work doing everything from commercial house painting, to working on oilrigs, to sales and retail management. But Kerry was homeless, a state of living that does not always see someone on the streets, but enduring an unstable and vulnerable existence. In Kerry’s case, that meant couch surfing, sleeping in vehicles or motels, or using shelters when no other option was available. It is a mentally and physically stressful way to live — and a direct path to chronic addiction.

Kerry came to The Ottawa Mission in his mid-fifties after a lifetime of struggle. A single night in another local shelter convinced Kerry that he finally needed to seek help. He walked through the blue doors on Waller Street and was met by The Mission’s Front Line staff. There he found shelter, a good meal, and a range of programs designed to change lives for the better.

Kerry entered The Mission’s LifeHouse program, our 5-month residential treatment facility. LifeHouse serves men with a history of trauma and addictions and starts from the premise that addiction often develops as a way of coping with abusive relationships. Kerry succeeded in graduating from the program as a self-sufficient individual ready for a new life. He then worked with one of our housing case managers to find an apartment, was guided through the paperwork and the process, and finally, after all those years, moved into his own home. Our staff also helped Kerry acquire furniture and appliances to get him started in his new and independent life.

One act of generosity on your part could make a world of difference in the lives of people like Kerry, far into the future.

Need more information? Would you like to discuss ideas? Please contact Christina Hunter Cadieux at 613 277-4902 or by email at chuntercadieux@ottawamission.com. And do check with your financial advisors to ensure that the gift you make is exactly right for you.

If leaving a gift in your will to The Ottawa Mission Foundation is something you would like to consider, we would be pleased to speak with you in confidence to explore options.

This article was written by Becky Turcotte, CPA, CA, TEP, CLU
Vice-President, Estate & Succession Planning
The Millar Corporation

Becky is a member of The Ottawa Mission Foundation’s Allied Professionals Network. This group of volunteers from various professions – law, accounting, financial planning – bring their professional knowledge and technical expertise to The Foundation’s legacy giving program. Learn more about Becky and our other allied professionals.

Want to leave more for your heirs? Here are some simple tips

As you grow older, your estate can become more complex. You own more property. You have more assets. Because of this, when you pass away your estate could incur higher probate costs. Probate fees are the financial charges levied by government to confirm the appointment of your estate executor or trustee and to prove your will is valid. Since these fees are paid out of your estate, they reduce the amount you can leave to the people you love and the charities that you value — charities such as The Ottawa Mission.

Careful planning with your professional advisors can help reduce the amount of probate fees your estate has to pay. Here are some steps you can take to pass more of your assets on to your beneficiaries.

Name Beneficiaries

Leave your life insurance policies, annuities, retirement funds such as RRSPs, RIFFs and pension benefits to a beneficiary that you name. When you do this, the assets will not fall into your estate and therefore will not be subject to probate fees. Your insurance company or financial institution can advise you and provide the necessary forms for you to complete.

Joint Ownership

When items for personal use are jointly owned — things like homes, cottages, bank accounts, GICs, mutual funds – these items will go directly to your survivor, not your estate, and thereby circumvent probate fees.

Trusts

If you own a business, you can transfer it to a trust or create a separate will that leaves the business to a named individual, such as your spouse. For some assets, it may be necessary to set up a revocable trust. These procedures can also reduce probate fees, but you should seek a lawyer’s advice before proceeding.

Inter Vivos Trusts

Inter vivos trusts enable you to transfer ownership of an asset when you die, yet retain full use and control of the property while you are alive. Such trusts can be arranged through your financial advisor and only after careful consultation.

Immediate Charitable Gifts

Donating gifts of cash, securities, life insurance, gift annuities and charitable trusts during your lifetime instead of through your estate exempts those assets from probate. It also allows you to enjoy the immediate tax benefits of giving.

Power of Attorney

You can ensure your wishes are followed by giving someone you trust power of attorney over your financial affairs. Should you become ill or otherwise incapacitated, your power of attorney will act on your behalf.

These are proven tips that reduce probate fees. Again, discuss any of these options with your professional advisors. In this way, you can protect your survivors from unnecessary financial hardships and maximize your legacy intentions. And these are all good things to do.

Shirley and Reg Rochon – Lives of Gratitude

Gratitude.

It’s been a watchword for Shirley Rochon all her life. It’s a reason she supports the Ottawa Mission with annual gifts. It’s also why she and her husband remembered the Ottawa Mission Foundation with gifts in their wills.

Shirley has had a good life, and she knows it. Born in Quebec City and raised near Montreal, she trained as a secretary after completing secondary school. When she met her husband Reg, her life took a different but very exciting turn.

Reg worked as an accountant in the international division of a major bank. His responsibilities took the Rochons to Beirut, Paris, and Amsterdam. Shirley loved it. “It still astonishes me,” she says, “that such a shy little girl could have had all those wonderful experiences around the world.” When they settled in Ottawa, Reg continued his work with the bank, and Shirley joined the civil service. It was a highly satisfying time for them both. It was also when they began their association with The Ottawa Mission.

The Rochons started to support The Mission with annual gifts in 1999. They also decided to help at The Mission’s Christmas dinners. They didn’t exchange gifts themselves so they chose to give to the Mission instead — an experience they enjoyed and found most gratifying. They volunteered for several years until Reg’s health declined.

It was around this time that Shirley and Reg decided to remember The Ottawa Mission Foundation with a charitable gift in their estate plans. For them, it was simply the right thing to do. “We had no children, had been blessed with a good life, and both felt strongly that we wanted to give back.” They left their future gifts undesignated for use where the need is greatest. As Shirley comments, “Who knows what the future will bring, and we both know the staff do simply outstanding work.” Shirley also strongly encourages others to remember The Ottawa Mission Foundation with a legacy gift. “Just do it!” she says. “It’s a way to help others who have been less fortunate than we have been. Besides, The Mission can’t survive on a wing and a prayer!” How right she is.

For Shirley, life remains good. She exercises regularly, does aqua fit, and plays a mean game of darts. She fondly remembers her time with Reg— sadly, he died in September 2019 — and continues her association with The Ottawa Mission. And The Mission couldn’t be more grateful.

Won’t you join Shirley Rochon and remember The Ottawa Mission Foundation with a gift of any amount in your own estate plans? You may direct your gift to any area of the Mission’s work that you wish or leave it undesignated. The choice is yours. If you have already remembered The Ottawa Mission Foundation with a legacy gift, would you let us know? We would like to offer you recognition—or not—as you wish and ensure we use your future gift precisely as you like.

And to the Rochons, thank you for your generous support of The Ottawa Mission Foundation — past, present and future!

Caivan Communities and The Ottawa Mission join forces to fight homelessness.

Ottawa’s Caivan Communities and The Ottawa Mission have joined forces to build a better tomorrow for individuals experiencing homelessness in our city. Caivan recognizes that a home of one’s own is a challenging dream for guests who come to The Ottawa Mission, which is why Caivan has partnered with The Ottawa Mission to create the Building Tomorrow Together initiative.

The Caivan team is proud that the sale of each new home represents a donation to The Ottawa Mission Foundation and the Building Tomorrow Together initiative.

For every new home sold, Caivan Communities will contribute a donation to The Ottawa Mission to support its life-changing services. Caivan has set a target of $150,000 by the end of 2020. For the remainder of 2020, Caivan is offering special incentives to get more families into the home of their dreams. The Building Together Tomorrow initiative with The Ottawa Mission is Caivan’s way of helping everyone achieve the dream of a warm and safe place to shelter.