Author Archives: The Ottawa Mission

Statement on motion to declare an emergency regarding homelessness in Ottawa

The Ottawa Mission strongly supports Councillor Catherine McKenney’s notice of motion brought forward to city council to declare an emergency regarding homelessness in Ottawa, and commends her for bringing this initiative forward in her capacity as Special Liaison for Housing and Homelessness on Ottawa City Council.

Despite the City of Ottawa’s 10-year plan to reduce homelessness, the situation in our community has significantly worsened. This includes:

  • 42% of renters spend more than 30% or more of their pre-tax income to pay the median rent for local housing that is adequate, affordable and suitable.
  • The wait list for affordable housing has increased by 14.8% to over 12,100 households in the past year.
  • Emergency shelter use increased by 6.5% in the past year.
  • In terms of chronic and episodic homelessness, significant increases have occurred amongst single men (10.8% and 5.6%), and amongst families (13.7% for chronic homelessness)
  • Homelessness can happen to anyone, but has a disproportionate burden on very vulnerable populations, including: families; those who identify as Indigenous; those who identify as LGBTQ; women, particularly those fleeing domestic violence; veterans, and others.

When people have access to stable, safe and affordable housing, this allows them to focus on other aspects of their lives. Unfortunately, despite investments by governments, almost 8,000 people are living in emergency shelters in our community, meaning that they are operating at over 100% capacity every night, people are sleeping outside in wintertime, and women fleeing domestic abuse are being turned away from shelters with few other options for safety, often returning to unsafe circumstances.

The urgency and magnitude of this situation highlights the immediate need for collaborative action to find safe, accessible and supportive housing for thousands who need it in Ottawa. The Ottawa Mission urges the municipal, provincial and federal governments to work together now to provide practical, accessible and timely solutions to meet the needs of the most vulnerable in our community.

Greggory is Home for the Holidays

Greggory stayed with us at The Ottawa Mission over last Christmas, and although no-one wants to spend the holiday season in a shelter, he was very grateful for all that was done by staff and volunteers to make things as special as possible for those who had nowhere else to go. He talks about the backpacks filled with donated items like socks and treats and Tim’s cards that were placed by each bed on Christmas morning, the church group that came in to sing carols in the Chapel, and of course, the fabulous turkey dinner with all the trimmings. He says it was a very peaceful time.

Beyond this, Greggory is also grateful for the unqualified support he has received at The Mission this past year that is allowing him to move on to a better life. He has become a devoted attendee of our Day Program, where group sessions and personal counselling are available, and credits the positive reinforcement he has received all along the way with helping him maintain his sobriety for close to a year now!

Today, not only is Greggory working part-time, but, with the help of our housing support team, he has found a safe and affordable place to call home in time for Christmas.

Greggory still intends to continue to visit The Mission regularly to attend Day Program, and says he wouldn’t miss the Christmas dinner! He knows that he owes so much of what he has accomplished to people like you who support the work of The Mission, and to you he would like to say, “Thank you so much for helping me change my life – God bless you!”

Dylan’s Inspirational Journey

At 26, Dylan has had a lot of pain and hardship in his life. But, in recent years, he has also accomplished more than he ever dreamed possible! And he credits The Ottawa Mission for giving him life-changing support and inspiration when he needed it most.

Dylan fell into a life of alcohol and drugs when he was very young. Then he found himself involved in a situation that threatened to destroy any chance for him to succeed in life. He had to spend time in jail, and his sense of guilt and remorse was overwhelming. He was just 18.

It was during this time that Dylan’s path towards redemption and hope began – with the ongoing love and support of his family. He studied hard and achieved his high school diploma (he had only been in school up to grade 7). He also worked in the kitchen – where he felt peaceful and productive. When he was released, a vocational counsellor suggested he look into The Mission’s Food Services Training Program (FSTP). The rest, as they say, is history.

In the FSTP, Dylan not only embraced the hard work and long hours, but he also felt part of something special at The Mission. He looked around him at people who were homeless and hurting and felt nothing but compassion. And, for the first time in his life, he didn’t feel judged – his healing had truly begun.

After graduating from the FSTP in 2016, Dylan enrolled in Algonquin College’s Culinary Management Program which he completed 2 years later on the Dean’s List and Honour Roll! Dylan had no doubt where he wanted to put his education to work and, as chance would have it, there was an opening in the kitchen at The Mission. He will soon be celebrating 7 months on the job.

This Christmas will be special for Dylan as he reflects on the past few years with great gratitude for The Mission, and for your support. It’s been a remarkable journey for a remarkable young man.

Paul Has the Gift of Hope this Christmas

Paul is a man who wears his heart on his sleeve. And, thanks to you, it’s a heart filled with hope as Christmas approaches.

Paul is from Carleton Place where he spent his childhood with seven siblings. His father passed away when he was just 6, and Paul’s sense of loss was intense. He began working as a farmhand for a neighbour when he was only 12, and that’s about the time that his addiction to alcohol began.

Paul fought his addiction for many years, but he always worked – as a specialist Glazier Mechanic in the construction industry, and also as a musician. As time went by, he found himself struggling harder to overcome his addiction. Finally, in his late 50’s Paul summoned the strength to change his life for the better.

When he came to The Ottawa Mission in 2018, Paul embraced all of the help that was available to him. He entered our Stabilization program to get ready for long term treatment. Then it was on to LifeHouse, our residential trauma and addiction program. At LifeHouse, Paul experienced what he calls “the warmth, compassion and safety that helped me break down the walls of my addiction.” From there, he went on to live in one of The Mission’s Second Stage homes in the community, where LifeHouse graduates live together and re-connect with the basics of cooking and cleaning for themselves and others, and prepare to move towards a healthy and productive life.

Paul has since moved into his own apartment with the help of our housing staff, and he remains close to his friends from Second Stage, and to his extended family at The Mission. While he continues his recovery, his gratitude for his second chance at life is huge, and he knows he owes it all to you, because you gave him the support he needed that has changed his life.

Barry’s Stepping Stones to Success

We first told Barry’s story in 2017 when he came to us looking for help. After 14 years working as a window installer, the company closed its doors. Then he had some serious medical problems that left him unable to work. For the first time in his life, Barry found himself needing social assistance to make ends meet. As time went by, Barry’s health improved, but he couldn’t find work – mostly because he wasn’t sure how to do a good job search. And he hadn’t been to school in a long time!

The Mission’s Client Services Centre provides a variety of support to people who are struggling – among them education and training opportunities at our Stepping Stones Learning Centre (SS LC). Staff in Client Services and SS LC helped Barry in many ways – building a solid resume, providing training in computer basics, and giving him hands-on assistance with his job search. Barry found a job. In fact, he found more than one, but continued to enjoy his visits to the classroom and all that he was learning. It was time for a new challenge!

Even though Barry did not initially indicate earning a high school diploma as one of his goals, his comfort in the classroom and his newfound confidence led him to revisit the idea. We ordered his transcript and soon found out that he had only one high school credit to go before achieving his diploma. In January 2018, Barry registered for ENG4E, a Grade 12 English course that would complete his credits.

Barry worked hard with our teacher at SS LC, and on June 13, 2019, in front of his son and daughter (see photo), friends, and proud Mission staff, he walked across the Ottawa Carleton District School Board’s Continuing Education stage to receive his high school diploma. At 58, Barry has achieved a major milestone in his life that he never imagined was possible, and his future looks brighter than ever.

Homelessness is the number one issue of concern as housing access worsens in Ottawa

With bitter temperatures and a colder than normal winter forecast, The Ottawa Mission is urging governments at all levels to work together to address the worsening situation concerning homelessness in Ottawa and nationally. This comes as a new public opinion poll by Nanos Research indicates significant concern about the impact of homelessness both in Ottawa and nationally, and a strong desire for governments to work with other stakeholders towards solutions.

Click here for the media release in English

Cliquez ici pour le communiqué de presse en français

Click here for the Impact Report

Click here for the Nanos Research Poll

Why I work for The Mission: KRISTYN

For someone so young, Kristyn is a mission “old soul”. “I grew up at the Mission.” Joining the kitchen after high school, she has worked her way up from dishwasher to sous-chef. In 2019, she was once again promoted to Manager of Food services.

“I wanted to work in a shelter to help vulnerable people, but initially thought that it wouldn’t be my career. so i did my undergrad in psychology while working in the kitchen. Over time, I fell in love with culinary work and realized that this would be my permanent vocation.” Accordingly, she obtained her red seal, a prestigious certification.

Kristyn is responsible not only for the Mission’s meal program, but also for its catering program, which provides training opportunities for Food Service Training Program (FSTP) students. The catering program has expanded five-fold since 2010, with revenues going back into the FSTP.

As the beneficiary of Chef Ric’s mentorship, Kristyn believes in paying it forward. “When someone pays attention to you, you have confidence to be successful. This is what Chef Ric did for me, and this is what I want to do in my new role — encourage individuals and build on their strengths.”

Kristyn also believes in encouraging clients. “Each day, I try to look clients in the eye and treat them with dignity and respect, like an equal, to hopefully improve their quality of life for that day.”

Why I volunteer for The Mission: LLOYD

Lloyd has been volunteering at The Mission for almost nine years. He recently celebrated his 80th birthday, and his surprise birthday party included family and friends, and members of his extended family at the Mission.

Lloyd comes to the Mission every Monday and Thursday morning all year round to help prepare meals in the kitchen, serve lunch, and sort and store donated food in the stockroom. He is also an enthusiastic fundraiser and participant in our annual Coldest Night of the year Walk to raise funds for those who are homeless, and, beyond this, he is a faithful monthly donor to the Mission. In addition, he is a valued member of the dedicated volunteer team that prepares 100 to 150 turkeys for our special thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations each year weeks in advance.

Lloyd was inspired to become a volunteer at the Mission by his late wife, Micheline, who was a lifelong advocate for the hungry, homeless and hurting. Lloyd says that coming here and doing whatever he can to help the Mission is a tribute to Micheline’s memory and a “spiritual journey” that enriches his life. The

Mission, in turn, has been blessed in so many ways by Lloyd’s tireless kindness, compassion and generosity of spirit.

“I enjoy coming here and feel very rewarded by being here. I’m inspired by the wonderful staff, including Chef Ric, and the other volunteers. I’ve made many good friends over the years and hope that my health will allow me to continue.”

Why I turned to The Mission for help: WILLIAM

William is a gentle, articulate man who is also an artist – but was never able to translate his passion into a career – until he enrolled in the FSTP.

In 2017, William was unemployed and struggling with serious health issues. While having a meal at the Mission, he heard about the program, and talked to Chef Ric about enrolling. He was accepted and was making progress until another health crisis forced him to discontinue the training. When he recovered, he was accepted back without question, and graduated in June 2018 as class valedictorian. Afterward, he enrolled in and completed Algonquin College’s Indigenous Cook program.

His FSTP experience had a profound effect on William. What struck him was the quality of the kitchen environment, and the equally high standards and work ethic of the staff and volunteers. What fed William’s artistic spirit was the opportunity to create different types of food, and to participate in catering activities where his plating talents shone. His health improved, which he attributes to his success in the program and newfound passion for the art of cooking.

“Chef Ric and the FSP gave me the support, encouragement and tools to re-invent my life. I am so thankful.”

Why I turned to The Mission for help: KERRY

2018 was the first time in years that Kerry had a place to call home at Christmas. Kerry had spent much of his time homeless — couch-surfing, sleeping in vehicles, or motels. He was able to work most of the time — everything from commercial house painting to oil rigs to retail.

Two years ago, Kerry decided that he needed finally to seek help for his addiction. After visiting a detox centre, Kerry was ready to enter long-term treatment through The Mission’s stabilization and LifeHouse programs and afterwards in one of our 2nd stage houses — still receiving counselling and support. He worked with our housing staff to find a place, and finally moved into his own apartment. Our staff also helped Kerry access furniture and appliances.

Kerry appreciates that subsidized housing is a rare commodity in our community, and while he feels fortunate to have a place, his heart goes out to others who are waiting. “For people recovering from addiction, or suffering from mental illness, a journey without a destination is not an option. ’ve found my home — and now I finally have hope for the future.”