Category Archives: Archive

Finding Work… and Hope

Most of the people who come to The Ottawa Mission have no desire to spend time at a homeless shelter. They are just like you and me – they have families, and have had homes and jobs in the past. The difference is that circumstances in their lives have left many of them sick and hurting − without a home, without work, without hope. Their priority is to get their life back on track – and that means getting the help they need and, when they are able, finding a job.

The Ottawa Mission has a number of programs to support people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness who want to rejoin the workforce. Our Client Services Centre offers phone and computer access and workshops on resume writing. The Stepping Stones Learning Centre has a full-time teacher who helps people upgrade their education – working on-line to achieve a high school diploma, or accessing college and university courses. Our 5-month Food Services Training Program gives people the opportunity to gain valuable skills working with professional staff in our kitchen. Many graduates have gone on to pursue careers in the food services industry.

The latest program to be introduced at The Mission is the Custodial Skills Training Program. Developed in 2012 in partnership with the City of Ottawa and the Ottawa Catholic School Board, this 8-week program includes classroom and on-the-job training. The first class wrapped up in March, and we are pleased to announce that 13 of the 15 students are now employed.

The success of the first Custodial Training Program session speaks for itself. It has given thirteen people renewed hope – and a chance at a better life.

Volunteers give more than their time

This week we honour a group of people who help The Ottawa Mission in so many ways. Those people are volunteers.

Each month, close to 250 people give the gift of their time – individuals, families and groups − not only in the kitchen, but in our clothing room, library, computer lab, medical and dental clinics, and in so many other ways.
Many volunteers come down by themselves but we also see groups coming together to share the experience of helping people in need. One such group is here this week to serve a special sit-down lunch.

For the past three years, TELUS Community Ambassadors have been coming to The Mission a few times a year to serve meals to people who are hungry and in need. They are back this week and then next month, TELUS employees will be at The Mission serving lunch for the company’s Annual Day of Giving on May 24th. TELUS also generously provides the funds to put towards food for these meals.

As TELUS Vice-President Michael Sangster says, “TELUS fosters a corporate culture that offers team members opportunities to make a positive difference in the communities where we live, work and serve.” Here at The Ottawa Mission we are thankful to be one of the beneficiaries of this wonderful philosophy.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of any non-profit organization, and here at The Mission we know that we simply would not survive without them. We are privileged to have such caring, committed volunteers – we are blessed that our work and the lives of those we serve is important to so many in our community.

Thank you to TELUS – and to all of our volunteers – for all that you do.

Find out more about volunteering at The Ottawa Mission.

A Helping Hand in Times of Need

Many different types of people walk through the doors of The Ottawa Mission every day. Some need medical help or addiction treatment. Others are facing day to day challenges that they can’t overcome on their own, and need food, a place to sleep, and some basic help to get back on their feet. Benoit is one such person.

Benoit first came to The Ottawa Mission in 1999 out of work, hungry and homeless. He stayed at the shelter for several months and with help from staff was able to find a job and move out on his own. Even after he left the shelter, he still relied on The Mission for his meals, as do so many people living on limited incomes.

Recently, Benoit hit another rough patch in his life, and he turned once again to The Mission because he knew he would be welcomed here and would find the help he needed. He is staying at the shelter, working hard with our staff to find affordable housing, and has meetings set up with potential employers.

Benoit appreciates all of the gifts of hope he has received at The Mission over the years. As he says, “I know I can rely on The Mission if I really need help, and I’m thankful to all those who donate for their support of this special place.”

Easter – a time for hope and renewal.

Close to 2800 meals are expected to be served at Easter dinner at The Ottawa Mission on Easter Monday, April 1. The people who come in for those meals will include many who are homeless and living in shelters, families living in poverty, and many men and women who are alone and looking for fellowship over the holidays.

All are welcome at The Ottawa Mission, and sometimes what begins as a meal can become – in the spirit of the Easter season – a chance for hope and renewal.

Steve came to our Easter dinner two years ago. He was staying in the shelter at the time and trying to come to terms with his long term addiction. He was participating in our 5-month residential treatment program LifeHouse, but was struggling to remain sober.

When donors send gifts for our Easter dinner, we ask them to sign and return a placemat that will be used to add a special touch to the occasion. Two years ago, when Steve sat down to his meal, he was inspired by the message of hope and encouragement on his placemat. This simple gesture – the fact that someone he didn’t even know cared enough to write a message – gave Steve the boost he needed, just when he needed it most.

Since then, Steve has not only successfully completed his treatment program, but he has gone on to graduate from our Food Services Training Program, is working in The Mission’s kitchen, and will be returning to college to further his education in the food services field.

This is just one of many examples of how the generosity and compassion of our donors can change lives.

God bless you and Happy Easter.

When Helping Brings Hope

Bhavesh has been volunteering at The Ottawa Mission every week for the past two years. He recently graduated from the University of Ottawa with a degree in Criminology and hopes to become a police officer. Like many people new to The Mission, when he first arrived Bhavesh had certain preconceived notions about people who are homeless and living in shelters, and he readily admits that his time here has been a real eye-opener.

Bhavesh has volunteered in the clothing room and the computer lab. In both cases, he has witnessed the overwhelming desire of the people he has met to change their lives for the better. In the clothing room, he has seen men looking for a jacket and maybe even a tie – something that might help them when they go out on job interviews. In the computer lab, Bhavesh has been able to work with people to find on-line resources that will help them find a place to live, or show them how to build a quality resume.

Throughout it all, Bhavesh has enjoyed dealing with people one-on-one and getting to know them for who they really are. “Whatever I can do to help is more than repaid by the respect and gratitude that I get back from people who are making a real effort to get their lives back on track.”

We are grateful to Bhavesh, and to all of our volunteers, for bringing hope to those who need it most.

Another Face of The Ottawa Mission

We often try to highlight the struggles of people who come to The Ottawa Mission because they are homeless, or suffering from addiction. There is another group of people who regularly come through our doors, and Fern is one of them.

Fern has never stayed at our shelter. He lives alone in a small, subsidized apartment and has little access to the social networks that many of us take for granted. He has been coming to The Mission almost every day for more than 15 years for meals and to attend chapel services. The people at The Mission are an important part of Fern’s life, and we feel the same way about him. He feels at home here and has made many friends. He is a bright light, and he knows he matters to us.

Fern is also a regular student at Discovery University — where people who are homeless or living on low incomes have the opportunity to take non-credit, university courses at no cost. His favorite course so far was “Drama Literature” where one of the plays studied was King Lear. He enjoys the learning experience, and is proud of the certificates he has earned.

The generosity of our donors allows us to do as much as we can to make sure that Fern and so many others like him receive healthy meals and friendship – and never have to feel that they are alone. On behalf of Fern and many others like him, we thank you.

Gordon’s project at the SSLC

Gordon is a young man who has struggled with depression and mental illness most of his life. For the past few years, he has travelled back and forth from his home on the west coast to Ottawa trying to find his place in life. The time he has spent at The Ottawa Mission has finally given him the care and encouragement that he needs to make a positive change.

While he was staying at the shelter, a case-worker was able to connect Gordon to psychiatric outreach services at The Mission’s clinic, and he continues to receive regular treatment there.

Over the past couple of years he has also taken advantage of on-line education courses at our Stepping Stones Learning Centre. Gordon’s goal is to obtain his GED, and we are thrilled to say that he is just one course away from this achievement.

Gordon is now living in the community, but still comes to The Mission every day for meals and school. He is also working with staff to explore employment opportunities and is enrolled in a custodial training program being offered in partnership with the Ottawa Catholic School Board.

“The people at The Mission have been very kind and helpful, and I feel confident about my future. I’m thankful for all that is available for me here”, says Gordon.

Recently, Gordon worked with other Stepping Stones students on a project to develop a video game with local software designers David Rust-Smith and Grant McLaughlin. The game is about the men at the Mission overcoming obstacles to accomplish their goals – a lesson that Gordon has learned well. Each game episode tells the story of one of the men involved, through a journey to reach 3 significant milestones and 3 hidden items that have sentimental value to the storyteller.

Gordon enjoyed collaborating with others to tell their stories through the game, which is now available to be played online at ottawamission.com/LifeJourney/.

Farewell to Diane Morrison, long-time Executive Director

On Friday, January 11, Ottawa Mission staff, residents and volunteers wished a fond farewell to long-time Executive Director, Diane Morrison. Diane started out as a volunteer here at The Ottawa Mission 23 years ago, while still working as an elementary school teacher. Within three years she had become Executive Director of the organization, and under her guidance, many proud improvements have been made to serve our clients better.

The Ottawa Mission has become one of the largest social-service providers in the city, growing from 75 beds to 235. We now serve over 1200 meal a day on average, and the cleanliness and quality of food has improved.

The programs offered through The Mission have increased dramatically as well. We now have a learning centre, job training, addiction treatment programs and transitional housing, a medical and dental clinic, and a hospice where homeless people who are terminally ill can die with dignity.

Diane’s leadership has been a blessing to the people who come through The Mission. Her influence has made it an increasingly compassionate, practical, and dignified place for men who are homeless in Ottawa.

In her final week here before retirement, several news stories were published detailing her time and accomplishments here. A few of these are linked below.

We wish Diane a joyful and blessed retirement. She will be sorely missed, though gifts of her ministry here will continue to be felt here for years to come. Thank you Diane, and God Bless.

Mission bids farewell to woman who ‘knew they could do better’

By Kelly Egan, Ottawa Citizen January 08, 2013

[button link=”/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Ottawa-Citizen-Diane-Retirement-Jan_2013.pdf” target=”blank”]View PDF[/button]

Mission Chief to Retire

By Adrienne Ascah, QMI Agency January 09, 2013

[button link=”/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Ottawa-Sun-Mission-chief-to-retire-Jan_2013.pdf” target=”blank”]View PDF[/button]

A New Journey for The Ottawa Mission

2013 will be the beginning of a new journey for The Ottawa Mission – and for me.

Last fall, at The Mission’s Annual General meeting, I announced that I would retire early in the new year. After much thought and discussions with my family, my colleagues and the Mission Board of Directors, I have decided I will step down from my position at The Ottawa Mission this Friday, January 11^th.

I want to thank everyone who has given such generous support over the years to The Mission and to the people in our community who are hungry, homeless and hurting. Your donations, your time and your prayers bring hope to many, many people. When I think of the conditions at The Ottawa Mission when I arrived here 23 years ago and look at it now, I am amazed and humbled. All of the positive changes that have taken place could not have happened without your support.

A hospice was just a thought that I had, inspired by a man named Tim who was very sick and wanted to die among friends at The Mission. It took a community of caring individuals and over 3 years to make the hospice a reality, and now more than 200 people have spent their last days in loving care instead of on the streets. Thank you for bringing dignity to the dying.

Dental services were brought to The Mission by Dr. Tom Harle and now people do not have to live in embarrassment because of missing or decayed teeth. Thank you to Dr. Harle and all the volunteer dental professionals who bring dignity to people living in shelters or on the street.

A medical clinic took two years to negotiate in partnership with Inner City Health – now people in need can receive medical services, and their health improves because treatment is close at hand. Donations pay for a nurse practitioner, medical receptionist/lab technician, a medical supervisor, management oversight and all operational costs. Thank you for bringing health care to homeless people.

A learning centre was a dream of mine because I taught school for 17 years before I came to The Mission. It happened because supporters like you believed that education improves one’s self esteem and chances of integration back into the community. The school is entirely funded by donations. Thank you for believing in education.

On-site training programs for kitchen and custodial staff succeed because we deal with the barriers that prevent people from being. We look at their literacy level, their emotional readiness and their learning level. Many students have gone on to full time work. We have wonderful partnerships to support this effort but donations cover all direct costs. Thank you for helping to get people back to work.

The LifeHouse 5-month residential addiction treatment program has been operating successfully since 1993. Many people credit LifeHouse with saving their lives. This program relies solely on donations. Thank you for helping those who are addicted and want to change their lives.

If you are a volunteer, we value the generous gift of your time. Thank you for bringing life, love and the acceptance of the outside world into this space.

2013 will be a year of transition for the organization but with very capable and compassionate staff, volunteers and donors working together, I know the life changing programs and services will always be there for people who are homeless.

My time here has been so rewarding, and this special place will always be a part of my life. And you are a very important part of making miracles happen here. I bless and thank each one of you for your notes, your love and your generous spirit. Please remember the less fortunate in our community, and continue to donate as you can.

May God bless you!

Diane Morrison, Executive Director

When Shelter is Not Enough

There are many reasons people walk through the front door of The Ottawa Mission. In the majority of cases, a homeless shelter is usually the last resort for someone in crisis. Some people may only need to stay a few days but there are others who stay much longer – sometimes years. These are people who are called “chronically homeless”.

I’ve been part of a group, along with representatives from other local shelters and the City of Ottawa’s Housing Branch, working on solutions to end ‘chronic homelessness’ in our community.
Our focus has turned to people in shelters who are suffering from mental illness. For them life is a constant struggle. Living in cramped dorm rooms month after month, even eating with people they don’t know in a crowded dining room can be frightening – but they have no alternative.

Right now, there are 245 people living in shelters across the capital who have been identified as chronically homeless. The average length of stay for this group is 6.1 years. Of these, many suffer from mental illness. Over 50 chronically homeless people are at The Ottawa Mission. Adam is one of them. He is a gentle man who has multiple mental and life-skill issues which prevent him from living on his own. He’s been living at The Mission for 15 years.

Many people like Adam would fit into a housing situation that offers a private room, but includes common areas for skills development and group activities and on-site staff. With proper support, some might eventually move on to living independently and perhaps, with training, find employment. The first step is moving out of the shelter.

With your support, The Ottawa Mission, will continue to provide food, shelter and life-changing programs to those in need in our community, and at the same time we will continue to work with the City and our partners to do whatever we can to find a solution for all of the “Adams” in our care.

God bless.

Diane