Yesterday was a very special day at The Ottawa Mission as we welcomed close to 70 volunteers and donors to a special open house event at the shelter.

We called this event “Walking Together” because we know that the people we serve – the hungry, those recovering from addiction, and those looking for work and a place to live – share their journeys with the volunteers and donors who support them. We wanted to thank them and give them an “up close and personal” look at all aspects of the programs we can offer because of their generosity.

For many, even volunteers, this was a really eye opening experience. One volunteer who has been helping us prepare and serve meals for many years had never been off the main floor of The Mission. She had never visited the clothing room, the medical and dental clinics, the dorm rooms, or the hospice. The experience, for her, was a real education.

For the donors who attended, many had never visited The Mission at all. So, not only had they not seen the areas of the shelter mentioned above, but they didn’t know a whole lot about the building one door down from the shelter – Client Services. They were amazed to see a bustling enterprise where people have access to computers to help with job searches, receive support to find housing, and have access to a variety of education and job training programs. As one donor commented, “What I have seen today – the sheer breadth of services provided here and the professionalism of the staff – gives me every assurance that my donations are being invested very wisely.”

We thank everyone who took the time to visit yesterday, as we thank them for their ongoing support as volunteers and donors. We simply couldn’t do what we do without them. And we know that for all who attended, seeing indeed has led to believing.

If you are interested in visiting The Mission, we would love to welcome you! Please contact Angie Kelly, 613-234-1155, ext. 426, akelly@ottawamission.com to schedule a tour.

Barry arrived in Ottawa in the summer of 2011 looking for help with his drug addiction. He literally left everything behind in his hometown of Sudbury and didn’t know what the future held for him.

Barry found his way to The Ottawa Mission’s Lifehouse treatment program within a few days and shortly after his arrival he was told about the Saturday morning run/walk group. He had tried running before to try and get fit – but this time Barry found running became a tremendous outlet.

“Running regularly took me on an inward journey and taught me many of life’s hard learned lessons, like patience, endurance, goal-setting, acceptance and self-love. It allowed me to spend time with myself and take care of my body by exercising and being mindful of what I eat. I also exercise my mind by meditating while running and being in the moment. It has been a great stress reliever.”

Barry ran his first half marathon in November 2011 at the TELUS Mission:Possible event. He stunned himself and others by finishing 17^th in a field of 212 runners, with a time of one hour, 37 minutes!

Barry eventually completed the LifeHouse program and continues his recovery journey in the community. He is now working on an advanced diploma in Civil Engineering Technology at Algonquin College.  Running continues to be an outlet for him and 3 months ago he decided to begin training for a marathon and registered for the Ottawa Marathon – which is now just days away! What’s more, Barry wants to use his first marathon run as a way to raise funds and awareness about The Ottawa Mission.

“Every time I visit The Mission I see familiar faces, warm smiles, and people who don’t judge me because of my past.  I’m hoping my marathon run will help me give back some of what was freely given to me.”

If you’d like to support The Ottawa Mission in honor of Barry’s marathon run, visit the our donation page  on this website and write “Barry’s Marathon” in the comment section. Good luck Barry!

Many of the people we see every day at The Ottawa Mission are struggling with addiction. They are also living with tremendous guilt and shame because their behaviour has hurt the people they care about most – their families.

Adam was no exception to this rule.

Adam was born and raised in northern Ontario. Over the years his mother, a single parent, tried hard to help him as he sank into addiction, but her efforts were in vain and the disease took hold. Adam left home one night with a few belongings in a knapsack. His mother spent months looking for him, but he had basically just disappeared. That was a year ago.

Adam arrived at The Ottawa Mission during the cold days of winter, hungry and sick. Shelter staff gave him a bed and a change of clothing, and encouraged him to consider the many treatment options that were available. After attending our drop-in Day Program for several mornings, Adam made the decision to seek long term treatment and entered our 5-month LifeHouse residential program.

During counselling, Adam often broke down when he thought about his mother – how badly he had hurt her and how much he missed her. He was sure that their relationship could not be mended – until the day he made the most important phone call of his life. As Adam says, “That was the day I learned the true meaning of unconditional love.”

There is a special graduation ceremony at the end of every LifeHouse program, and at Adam’s graduation, sitting proudly in the front row, was a mother watching a son who had a new lease on life. It was a beautiful thing to see.

Happy Mother’s Day!

In Ottawa, hunger has many faces. At The Ottawa Mission we serve more than 1295 meals every day. The faces of hunger we see include individuals and families who cannot afford to pay the bills and feed themselves, shelter residents who are out of work and whose only other home is on the streets, people who are undergoing addiction treatment with us, and those participating in our job training or education programs in the hopes of a better life.

On the wall in our dining room is a quote from Chef Ric Allen-Watson who, for the past 12 years has managed our kitchen and who, with the help of generous donors, volunteers and community partners, has put millions of meals on the table for those in need. His quote says: “People have to eat well to be well.”

Chef Ric feels passionately about the difference good, nutritious meals can make. He believes in the power of food to bring hope to those who would otherwise feel forgotten. He sees the gratitude in the faces of those that he encounters every day. He also realizes that what begins as a simple meal often becomes a life changing experience – because so many who come to us hungry end up seeking our help in turning their lives around.

May 5-9 is National Hunger Awareness Week in Canada. If you have not already done so, please consider how you might make a positive impact in the battle against hunger in our community.

 The Ottawa Mission’s Stepping Stones Learning Centre is a small room on the top floor of our Client Services centre located next to the main shelter.  It’s not a formal ‘classroom’ but rather a place where men and women can find support for a number of different educational hurdles – whether it’s completing online courses towards a high school diploma, studying for the GED test,  or getting help with basic literacy.

But education is much more than a textbook, and Stepping Stones is also a place where people can connect with our community. This past week, there were a couple of wonderful opportunities for students currently using the services of our learning centre.

On Tuesday, The Mission’s Education Co-ordinator, Kathy Cillis, organized a field trip to the Museum of Science & Technology. During the visit, the group was allowed to visit the warehouses behind the museum and learn about how items are preserved and archived.

Later in the week, Stepping Stones held a mixed media art class that was open to anyone taking part in programs at The Mission. It brought together people in addiction treatment, people working on education goals, and even someone currently staying in our Hospice. Two retired teachers volunteered their time to help everyone create a personal piece of art related to what the Ottawa Mission means to them.

Activities such as these can help people in shelters, or people ‘at-risk’ of homelessness, form new interests and new friendships, and gain much needed self-confidence.   They also give people a sense of being part of the community.   For all of these reasons, they make a big difference in the lives of those who often have very little to look forward to.

Yet another example of why we say that The Ottawa Mission is “much more than a shelter”.

Guest blogger – Chef Ric Watson, Head Chef, The Ottawa Mission

Easter is almost here, and at our celebration on Monday, April 21 we expect to serve more than 2700 meals to people who have nowhere else to go. Unlike Thanksgiving and Christmas, when many special community dinners are organized, the Easter weekend seems to offer fewer options for those who are hungry and homeless. Our hope is that anyone who is homeless, hungry or alone is taken care of and provided with a special Easter dinner.

Our kitchen is a busy place every day of the year, but on holidays like Easter there is always something special in the air. Our dining room is decorated especially for the day, 2300 pounds of roast beef and all the trimmings are being prepared, and the many volunteers who will be serving meals and clearing tables throughout the day are ready to roll.

A lot of hard work goes into our Easter meal, but I know that everyone involved gets so much more back. Just seeing people who have so little smiling and enjoying their time with us is truly a gift. For each of them, this meal is a sign that someone cares about them – that they are not forgotten – and their deep gratitude is heartwarming to experience.

A special thank you to our donors and volunteers for allowing us to bring good food, fellowship and hope to those we will be serving this Easter.

The return of warmer temperatures and non-slippery sidewalks has a lot of people getting outdoors for some exercise. For men taking part in The Ottawa Mission’s addiction treatment programs, much attention is placed on their emotional and mental well-being.  But their physical well-being is just as important.

With spring’s arrival, the Mission’s LifeHouse and Stabilization Programs are now offering men a chance to begin walking and running as they focus on recovery and getting life back on track. Every Saturday morning those that want to start a physical fitness program can get some guidance from a couple of dedicated volunteers. Barry went through the LifeHouse treatment program two years ago and says learning to run has helped him immensely. “Running regularly took me on an inward journey and taught me many of life’s hard learned lessons, like patience, endurance, goal-setting, acceptance and self-love. It allowed me to spend time with myself and take care of my body by exercising and being mindful of what I eat. I also exercise my mind by meditating while running and being in the moment. It has been a great stress reliever.” 

Your support of these programs gives men a chance to get healthy again. One way to help is to donate gently used men’s running shoes or running shorts and shirts. These donations can be dropped off at The Mission’s Front Desk at 35 Waller Street anytime or at the Running Room store at 907 Bank Street during business hours.

Next week is National Volunteer Week – a time to recognize, celebrate and thank Canada’s 13.3 million volunteers. Here at The Ottawa Mission, we simply could not help as many people in need without the dedicated support of our compassionate army of volunteers. Every month, close to 250 people fill a volunteer role at the shelter. From preparing and serving meals to organizing clothing donations and running bingo nights, volunteers do so much to help people in need.

Lyn Ward is just one shining example.

During five years of volunteering at The Ottawa Mission, Lyn has turned her hand and her heart to many different activities such as movie nights at the shelter and helping in the clothing room. But if you ask Lyn about her true passion as a volunteer, it’s all about education.

As a volunteer teaching assistant at The Mission’s Stepping Stones Learning Centre, Lyn has worked with men and women who are trying to improve their lives – and their job prospects – by completing their high school education or taking other supplemental courses. Many of the people she helps have been out of school for years, but she has witnessed how hard they work, and the way they are transformed during the process.

Lyn is also a classroom administrator for Discovery University, a partnership program between The Ottawa Mission, the University of Ottawa, St. Paul University and First Baptist Church. Discovery U gives low-income and homeless people the opportunity to take non-credit courses taught by professors in a university environment. Lyn sits in on every class to make sure everything runs smoothly and, from her perspective, it is a joy to see people learning, sharing ideas, growing in self-confidence, and opening themselves up to new possibilities.

So, Lyn will say that her volunteer work – particularly at Stepping Stones and Discovery U – is a total pleasure. We say that it is people like Lyn, who give so generously of their time and talents, who make all the difference in changing lives for the better.

Thank you Lyn, and everyone else who is part of our special “army”, for all that you do.

Some of us are blessed to have a network of family and friends to support us through tough times. Others, like John, do not have people to lean on – until they find their way to The Ottawa Mission.

John was unemployed and had no formal job training when he learned about The Mission’s Food Services Training Program. He successfully completed the five-month program and soon found employment at a local restaurant. But in the weeks that followed, he quickly realized he wasn’t getting enough hours to meet his monthly rent. John feared that if he couldn’t come up with the money for his landlord by the end of the month he would be homeless.

John came back to The Mission in distress and was quickly directed to a Housing Outreach Case Manager. There, he learned that he could contact Ontario Works to inquire about some short-term financial support. The Housing Outreach worker made the call with John to help him connect with the right person and set up a meeting for the next day.

Fortunately, Ontario Works was able to help John cover his rental shortfall and provide him with some financial aid until he could find full time employment. The Mission’s Housing Outreach worker then followed up with John to talk about strategies to get full time work, and not long after he was able to find a better job.

John is getting back on track, but our Housing Outreach worker still meets with him on a weekly basis to ensure that he is able to maintain his housing, and also to continue working on creating goals for his future.

John and many others know they can depend on The Ottawa Mission for much needed support on their journey.

Last year, Ben was a young man who wasn’t sure what the future held. At the age of 21, he was working as a dishwasher, but a serious hearing loss and a battle with depression were holding him back from achieving his full potential. Then he learned about the Food Services Training Program at The Ottawa Mission.

Cooking, particularly baking, has long been one of Ben’s passions – partly inspired by his great-grandfather who was a well-known chef in Ottawa. Ben’s challenge was to gain the skills and the self-confidence he needed to succeed in his chosen profession.

During his five months of both on-the-job training and classroom education at The Mission, Ben has fine-tuned his cooking skills and learned how to operate all types of specialized restaurant equipment. More importantly, he has grown personally, and he credits his newfound strength to counselling along with the great support and encouragement he has received from Chef Ric and the kitchen staff at The Mission.

Ben is planning to pursue his cooking career – and his particular passion – by attending Algonquin College next fall to work towards his certificate in Baking and Pastry Arts. And the “icing on the cake”, so to speak, is that Ben is now working at a local catering company, and will continue to do so when he returns to school.

It is thanks to our generous donors that people facing personal challenges, like Ben, are able to receive support and valuable training – and the gift of hope that goes along with it – that makes such a difference in their lives.