The Christmas season always comes alive very early at The Ottawa Mission. Already we are seeing generous people coming in with donations of all types – winter clothing, sandwiches and also monetary donations to keep our services running for those staying at the shelter. It never ceases to amaze us when we see the outpouring of generosity from the community. And the help doesn’t go unnoticed by the men staying here either – some of whom are facing a Christmas in a shelter for the first time.

The arrival of the winter weather makes life even more difficult for people who are homeless. Getting around to search for jobs or new housing is made that much more onerous in snow and cold temperatures.  The Mission’s clothing donation room is starting to fill up with some winter necessities but many items are going out just as fast as they are coming in. If you have any gently used mens winter coats, winter boots, gloves and hats please consider bringing them down to The Mission soon. You can always refer to our ‘most needed items’ list on the homepage of The Mission website.

Your donations help provide the day-to-day needs of people who have very little and  represents a gift of dignity and care for those who will receive them. It’s often the acts of kindness from people like you that lift their spirits and motivate them to make changes in their lives and give them hope for the future.

Helping men through the journey of addiction recovery is very rewarding but often challenging.  The majority of those who come to The Ottawa Mission for help with addictions have experienced significant trauma in their lives.  Research shows that there is a strong connection between addiction, mental illness, and trauma.

The Mission’s Addiction Services team offers individual and group counselling to men in our programs.  Some clients, however, are unable to benefit from traditional talk-based therapy for a few reasons. They may have mild developmental delays or acquired brain injuries which affect their ability to articulate their feelings. They may have mental illness and be unable to communicate clearly.  Or they may have experienced traumatic events as a young child and are unable to process those events in words because of the age at which they took place. Thanks to a generous donor, there is now a new program available at The Mission for people with any of these communication barriers.

A licensed Art Therapist now comes into the shelter one afternoon a week to work with men in our addiction treatment programs.  In the few months since this program has been up and running, it has proven to be highly effective for those who have difficulty communicating verbally.  It also allows men to create art in the form of drawings or collages or other media that they can feel proud of.

Breaking down barriers is a large part of the healing process for anyone suffering from addiction, and we are grateful for the opportunity to add this unique program to the tools that can help the people we serve regain hope.

Just steps away from the front door of The Ottawa Mission, you will find a small office with a sign reading “Chaplain”. For the last 4 months Cosmas Ajawara has been sitting behind the desk in this office, offering spiritual support to anyone who walks through his open door.

“When people in the community ask me what I do on a daily basis as Mission Chaplain, sometimes it’s hard to describe,” says Chaplain Cosmas. “Spiritual support is much more than just offering prayers.  A big part of my job is actually to just listen, because often someone who is homeless has no one to talk to and may not feel heard. I believe there’s a much deeper need for spiritual support in the shelter than most people think. “

As well as offering his ear to anyone who needs to talk, Chaplain Cosmas has many other duties. He visits with the patients who stay in The Mission’s 14-bed hospice and also holds a weekly meeting with men in our Stabilization addiction treatment program.   He also organizes special spiritually-based discussion groups for staff at The Mission each week.   And every weekday at 11:00 a.m. you can find him in the Chapel at The Ottawa Mission conducting a service for an average of 40 people.

“The people who attend our Chapel service every day are a mix of those staying at the shelter and also people in need in the community, who come to The Mission for lunch,” Chaplain Cosmas notes. “Some consider our Chapel their church and others come because they just love to sing – that’s a big part of the service.  I see them all as members of The Mission ‘family’ because often it’s here they feel safe, welcome and cared for and that’s the true meaning of family.”

We will mark another Remembrance Day this month. A day to reflect and remember the tremendous sacrifices people have made – and continue to make – to maintain our freedom and keep peace in our world.

Here at The Ottawa Mission, we occasionally see men staying at the shelter, or coming in for meals, who have been soldiers themselves and struggle with issues like post-traumatic stress disorder or addiction. Occasionally someone will talk about their military background and experiences but many do not and would prefer not to share those experiences.  Veterans Affairs has connected with The Ottawa Mission in recent years and we can now refer anyone with a military background to the support programs that have been set up to help vets in crisis.

People from all walks of life seek help at The Mission and some of them tell us that Remembrance Day has personal meaning for them, even though they do not have military experience. Robert has been staying at The Mission for a few days, struggling to find work and get back on his feet. Remembrance Day actually makes him reflect on his grandmother’s life. “My grandmother remembered the First World War as a young child and then lost her husband in the Second World War and had to raise 3 children on her own for a few years,” says Robert. “She always told me Remembrance Day was an important but very sad day for her.  Now that I’m older I have a better understanding of how she must have struggled. So I try to remember that even though my problems seem big, my grandparents sacrificed a lot for our country and our freedom. Remembrance Day is very important to me.”

A minute of silence will be observed during The Mission’s daily Chapel service on Remembrance Day, marking the 11^th hour of the 11^th  day of the 11th month. We will remember.

The 4^th annual TELUS Mission Possible: Half Marathon and 5K event is coming up in a few short weeks. This year it will be held Saturday November 8^th and once again the track will take runners and walkers through the beautiful Marshes Golf Course in Kanata.

Last year, the 300 or so runners who participated raised close to $10,000 for The Ottawa Mission, and organizers hope to better that this year.  A portion of the proceeds from this event helps support a special program here that helps men who are homeless learn to run and gain access to activities that promote physical fitness.

Tony is in the Addiction Service’s Stabilization program right now and has been out to run with volunteers on a few times on Saturday mornings. “Similar to mediation, I find that running is therapeutic and enables me to clear my thoughts and focus on my breathing’” he says. “The running program provides the support and encouragement I require to follow through with my recovery goals.” Tony plans to take part in the Mission Possible 5K on Nov. 8, as do a few other men staying at the shelter.

If you would like help make our mission possible, and join Tony and others for a beautiful run on a Saturday morning, register today at https://www.events.runningroom.com/site/?raceId=11232

Registration closes at midnight on Wednesday November 5^th, so don’t delay!

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our sponsors – TELUS, our presenting sponsor, as well as Mizuno, The Marshes, and the Running Room for their wonderful support.

In just a few short days, The Ottawa Mission kitchen will be dishing out some delicious roast turkey – and all the Thanksgiving fixings – as part of our Annual Thanksgiving Dinner.
In fact, take a look at the menu our Chef Ric Watson put together a couple of weeks ago:

2300 lbs Oven Roast Turkey
15 Pans Savory Stuffing
600 lbs Baked Ham
400 lbs Mashed Potatoes
400 lbs Glazed Baby Carrots
400 lbs Green Beans Almandine
225 Assorted Pies
200 dozen Dinner Rolls
50 gallons Giblet Gravy

As you can imagine, preparing a menu of that size takes a lot of extra food and extra work – on top of the effort that’s involved in serving an average of 1295 meals to people in need every day of the year.

The Ottawa Mission simply couldn’t do it without support from so many caring people.

Over the past few days, dozens of volunteers have come into our kitchen to help with preparations and dozens of people have dropped off donations of frozen turkeys. Just yesterday, we had $1000 worth of turkeys donated by the Canadian Community Support Foundation, shown in the picture here. Incredible!

The donations of both turkey and time will ensure hundreds of people have a chance to come together for a special Thanksgiving Dinner at a time when they need our help. Along with people staying in shelters right now, we often see young families attend these holiday events, who are struggling to make ends meet – or seniors who live alone and aren’t able to make a special turkey dinner for themselves.

Monday’s special Thanksgiving Dinner at The Ottawa Mission will run from 11:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  When it’s over, you can rest assured many will have given thanks for your support.

The Primary Health Care Clinic at The Ottawa Mission is a very busy place. On any given day, the two Nurse Practitioners in the clinic will see an average of 12-14 patients with a wide variety of health issues.  They are always looking for ways to help people in shelters stay healthy and connect with community programs that will assist with that.

One of the newer programs that is attracting the interest of those staying at the shelter is a “Smoking Cessation” program offered through a partnership that includes The University of Ottawa Heart Institute, the Canadian Mental Health Association, and the Center for Addiction and Mental Health.

Every Thursday morning, a smoking cessation counselor visits The Ottawa Mission to meet with anyone who is interested in quitting smoking. Many are encouraged by our Nurse Practitioners to try the program and although nicotine is one of the hardest habits to quit, some of the men are having success and say they are staying motivated by the weekly counseling sessions and the nicotine replacement therapy they are receiving, like patches, inhalers or gum.

The clients are very appreciative of this service and have continuously commented that making these changes in their smoking behaviour would not have been possible without this program.  “Counseling is absolutely necessary – person to person – not by phone,” says George, one of the men. “I was stuck and not able to move forward, but now I am. Thank you.”

The crisp air and changing leaves this week aren’t the only signs that Thanksgiving season is almost upon us.  The Ottawa Mission kitchen has also started the planning for our Annual Thanksgiving Dinner.

Preparing a special holiday meal like Thanksgiving dinner takes a lot of extra food and extra work – on top of the effort it takes to serve an average of 1295 meals to people in need every day of the year.  It’s estimated about 2700 plates of turkey (and all the fixings) will be served up during the five hour afternoon event on the Thanksgiving Monday.

At the center of this special meal, of course, is delicious roasted turkey.  Chef Ric Watson heads up the team of volunteers and staff members who will debone, cook and carve about 90 large turkeys, or an estimated 2300 lbs of turkey, during the entire 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 like you 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 many people – and The Ottawa Mission is very thankful for that.

Bill will never forget December 14, 2013. That’s the day he walked through the door at The Ottawa Mission – something he never imagined he would have to do.
Bill worked all of his life – most recently as a warehouse manager – until a year ago when chronic pain forced him to quit. Unable to make ends meet, he lost his apartment and had to rely on the charity of friends for months before he came to us in desperation.
“From the first day I arrived, I was amazed at the amount of care and encouragement I received at The Mission,” Bill says. “Not a day went by without a feeling that people cared about me and that there was hope for a better life.”
Small gestures made all the difference in Bill’s journey – like help getting a bus pass in order to get to medical appointments during the harsh winter months. And he received practical guidance to help him apply for disability support – something he was reluctant to admit he needed.
One of the most important pieces of support Bill received was help to find a new home. This summer, he finally moved into a small, clean, affordable apartment. The Mission’s housing support worker even helped Bill find used furniture and everything he needed to set up his place. Now he is focused on continuing his medical treatment and finding a job.
“It has been an amazing journey, and I received everything I needed – physically, emotionally and practically – to get back on track,” Bill adds. “Thanks to everyone who played a part.”

Dan struggled with addiction from a young age and, as a result, he often found himself in trouble with the law.  A year ago, determined to make a fresh start, Dan sought help at The Ottawa Mission – and he hasn’t looked back.
He spent time in our Stabilization unit where he was able to prepare for long-term treatment, and then entered The Mission’s five month LifeHouse residential program.  In Dan’s words, “The counselling I received in LifeHouse helped me understand the roots of my addiction, and taught me a whole new way of life.”
During treatment, Dan expressed his strong desire to go back to school.  Thanks to a bursary from a generous Mission donor, he is now enrolled in the one year Aboriginal Enriched Support Program at Carleton University.  This program gives people who have been out of school for a long time the opportunity to transition to university studies.  In his first semester Dan achieved top marks, and he is now setting his sights on a degree in Criminology.
Dan’s interest in this area of study is deeply rooted in his own personal experience.  His desire for the future is to work with young offenders and try to give them the opportunity to change their lives as he has changed his.   As Dan says, “At The Mission, I was shown a lot of compassion and was given a second chance.  I never dreamed a year ago that I would be where I am today, and I am determined to carry the gift of hope I have received forward to other young people who are struggling.”