Ottawa, ON – As Covid19 continues to affect our community, The Ottawa Mission gathered with community partners and supporters to update the community on its new food truck initiative and to express serious concern regarding worsening food insecurity as a major consequence of the pandemic.

The food truck project was launched at the beginning of September 2020, and the need for its services across the city of Ottawa has grown exponentially in less than three months. “Many people who came to our shelter for community meals have been negatively impacted by the pandemic as well as people who were just getting by but didn’t have to come to us for a meal. Many people also went hungry because they couldn’t come to our shelter because of disability, lack of money for bus fare, or other reasons. We started the food truck program to bring meals to people where they live to serve even more people in need,” stated Chef Ric Allen-Watson, Director of the Food Services for The Ottawa Mission.

The food truck program began with five stops delivering about 100 meals at each stop. Now the truck has 13 locations rotating throughout Ottawa each week and delivers over 2,000 meals per week. Since the launch of the program, almost 14,000 meals have been served through the program.

Last year, The Ottawa Mission served over 1,400 meals every day and a total of over 520,000 meals. The addition of the food truck has pushed its daily average number of meals served to more than 2,000, and will push its yearly total meal count to well over 600,000. The Mission is exploring options to expand its food truck program through purchasing a second vehicle to reach even more people in need by broadening its network of community partners.

“We’re incredibly grateful to our partners and sponsors for their generous support. We couldn’t do this without their help. While we’re grateful, we’re also very worried about the increasing need we see each day. I’ve personally seen people who use our meal program who are so hungry they rip open the bag as soon as they receive it. We need solutions to food insecurity in our community,” Allen-Watson added.

Jim Foster, Owner of the Pelican Seafood Market and Grill, donated the food truck to The Ottawa Mission for at least one year to help meet the need for healthy food. “Our food truck wasn’t parked downtown during lunchtime since people have been working from home due to Covid19. We wanted to put it to good use and so reached out to Chef Ric and the rest is history. It’s one of the best things we’ve ever done.”

Pastor Mathew Feeley of the Ottawa East Seventh-Day Adventist Food Bank, one of the community partners of the food truck project, also noted the impact of Covid19. “Overbrook has many people who live in poverty and with hunger, which has now been made worse by Covid19. Our food bank has been in operation since April 2020. Over 100 people receive packages of food for families of two to six people. We’ve seen the number of people who access our food bank grow from 20 people since we established it in April to 120 people now in November. Many men, women and children depend on us to ensure that they don’t go hungry. We’re pleased to do our part, while seeing the need for nutritious food increase each and every day. We’re extremely grateful to partner with the Ottawa Mission with their food truck ministry.”

Ralwson King, Councilor for Rideau-Rockcliffe, noted the impact of poverty, food insecurity and Covid19 on his ward. “While Ottawa is a prosperous city, it contains deep pockets of poverty, food insecurity, marginalization, and now with Covid19, serious health issues. Of the 107 ridings in Ontario, Ottawa-Vanier, which includes this area, tops the list for food bank use. While 12% of Ottawa residents overall live on low incomes, over 30% of residents in this ward have low incomes. Half of the children in this ward live in poverty and many live with food insecurity. Overbrook-McArthur also has among the highest rates of Covid19 infection in our city.”

King also emphasized the need for policy solutions to address food insecurity. “We need a community-driven poverty reduction strategy for the City of Ottawa that includes ways to ensure that we’re making progress on providing healthy food for all our citizens. To do this, we need to have a food security coordinator at the city to lead this effort since we have a lot of initiatives but no coordination and no leadership from the city. We need measurable, costed initiatives and clear timelines to lift people out of poverty and ensure that they can afford healthy food.”

Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley noted the connection between housing and food insecurity. “Hunger and homelessness are linked. A main cause of food bank and meal service use is a lack of affordable housing. People use these services when they have to spend more than they can afford on housing. In January, City Council unanimously declared a homelessness emergency in January. Since March, homelessness has worsened further due to COVID19 and the continuing lack of affordable housing. As Covid19 drags on, we see ever-increasing levels of need for both shelter and nutritious food.”

“In 2019, Nanos Research confirmed that people in Ottawa thought that homelessness should be the number one priority of City Council. However, the 2021 draft budget for Ottawa contains no municipal increase for affordable housing. The Mission will continue to do our part in collaboration with our partners and supporters to ensure that people don’t go hungry. But we need governments to do their part as well, both on food security and also on homelessness,” Tilley concluded.

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
T – 613.234.1144 x 305
C – 613-712-3092
E-mail: aleo@ottawamission.com

Ottawa, ON – As we head into the holiday session, planning is well underway for The Ottawa Mission’s annual Christmas Dinner, which will take place on Sunday, December 20th.

Covid19 protocols to keep shelter guests, community members, employees and volunteers safe while continuing to deliver essential support remain in place at the shelter. Accordingly, the Christmas meal for shelter guests will begin at 11:00 am in the Mission dining room. The Christmas meal for community members who would otherwise go hungry will be available at the garage entrance beginning at 12:45 pm. To continue to support vulnerable community members as much as possible, The Mission will also continue to provide two additional meals for community members to take with them.

In 2019–2020, The Ottawa Mission served 520,373 meals to shelter residents and those in need in the community. Because of Covid19, food insecurity in our community has grown much worse. This is why the shelter has introduced its new food truck service, which has grown to providing 2,000 meals per week in locations throughout the city. The week before December 20, at food truck stops, The Mission will serve a full Christmas dinner to anyone who requests one. Because of the addition of the food truck meals, The Mission estimates that it will serve 3,500–4,000 holiday meals this year, significantly up from the 2,000–3,000 meal totals in previous years.

“It will take between 3000-3500 pounds of turkey, or about 140 large turkeys, to feed everyone who comes to our special Thanksgiving dinner,” says Chef Ric Watson, Director of Food Services at The Mission. “Our kitchen volunteers and staff are working very hard to ensure that ensure everyone will have a delicious turkey dinner by preparing for this very special event in advance.”

Also on the menu will be: savory stuffing (70 pans); mashed potato (750lbs); glazed carrots (600lbs); vegetarian quiche (150 portions); fresh baked rolls (3,000–4,000 dozen); giblet gravy (65 gallons); vegetarian quiches (400); and bottled water and juice (1,500-2000 units; beverages will not be served at the food truck).

Frozen turkey donations can be dropped off between 7 am – 5 pm at the garage entrance to The Ottawa Mission at the corner of Waller and Besserer. Please ring the bell and a staff person will arrive to receive your donation.

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 2019-2020, The Ottawa Mission provided emergency shelter to an average of 197 men every night and served an average of 1,422 meals every day. The Ottawa Mission also provides health services, mental health and addiction treatment programs, hospice care, dental services, housing services, educational support, job training, spiritual care, and men’s clothing to thousands in need in our community. In September 2020, The Ottawa Mission marked the one millionth hour that the shelter has been in existence since its founding in 1906. In 2019, the Mission became a housing-focused shelter reflective of its commitment to a home for everyone as a human right with the launch of a new housing department.

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
T 613.234.1144 x 305
E-mail: aleo@ottawamission.com

November 2, 2020

Dear Members of City Council

Re: City of Ottawa Budget 2021

In 2013, the City of Ottawa adopted its 10-year housing and homelessness plan. Unfortunately, over the life of the Plan, homelessness has worsened in our community, not improved.

In 2019, homelessness in Ottawa was epidemic: over 8,000 people were in emergency shelters, over 12,000 people were on the waitlist for affordable housing, and almost 100 people were sleeping outside. That’s why Ottawa City Council unanimously declared a homelessness emergency and crisis in January 2020.

Since that time, the situation concerning homelessness has worsened due to COVID19, the continuing lack of affordable housing, and other factors. Every night, 1900 individuals are sleeping in a shelter bed, and the number of people sleeping outside this year has doubled since March.

We appreciate that of the $201M spent on housing in Ottawa, over $107M comes from the city, with the provincial and federal governments contributing $66.7M and $26.7M respectively. We also appreciate the commitment of $15 million in the annual budgets of 2019 and 2020 to new affordable housing.

Unfortunately, despite municipal investments in housing, from 2011-16, units in Ottawa renting under $750/month declined by 7,700 units, but only 1,033 new such units were added. As such, for every new affordable unit built in Ottawa, seven existing lower rent units were lost. Since 2017 new rental construction has increased substantially, however rents for these units are over 170% of the average level.

In June 2020, the City released its refreshed 10-Year Plan concerning homelessness as well as updated shelter data. In contrast to previous alarming increases in shelter users and the centralized wait list for affordable housing, increases this past year were much smaller, and there were declines in shelter users across categories except families. Having said this, there are areas of concern:

• Shelter nights increased by 13.5% and the number of families in off-site motels increased by 37.5%;
• Shelter length of stay has increased by 12.2%, with increases in youth above age 17, older people, newcomers, and Indigenous women; and
• There were significant increases in chronic and episodic homelessness across almost all populations.

Now, over eight months into Covid19, the pandemic has imposed a significant burden on our citizens, including financial pressures, compromised wellbeing, and increased risk of homelessness. According to recent Nanos Research polls for The Ottawa Mission and the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness:

• Over one-third of Ottawans indicated that Covid19 has negatively impacted their personal finances.
• Nearly one in five Ottawans stated that COVID19 has increased the risk of homelessness for those they care about. Just under one in 10 stated that Covid19 has increased their personal risk of homelessness.
• Canadians view homelessness as an urgent issue: one in five believe it is urgent to work to end homelessness in Canada. And due to COVID19, nearly one in five Canadians reported being worried or somewhat worried about paying their housing costs. Astonishingly, 36% of Canadians report having been homeless themselves or knowing someone who has been homeless.

At the provincial level, the prohibition on evictions due to Covid19 has been rolled back and it is legal in Ontario to once again evict tenants who through no fault of their own have been unable to pay rent. In Ottawa, there are 36,000 households who spend more than 30% of their income on rent, the threshold for affordable housing. Because they spend more than what’s affordable, they’re already at risk of losing their housing. Lifting the ban on evictions despite the continuance of Covid19 heightens that risk and draws that line between those who are homeless and those who are not even thinner.

Prior to the establishment of the Jim Durrell Centre as an overflow shelter for homeless men earlier this year, The Ottawa Mission had been at over 100% capacity for emergency shelter beds for the past three fiscal years, worsening with each passing year. That meant that we laid down mats on our chapel floor each night to accommodate those who needed shelter. The overflow centre eased this situation and enabled us to enhance social distancing measures within our shelter to further minimize the risk of Covid19 while continuing to deliver desperately needed services. We appreciate the opportunity to partner with the City to address this issue and enhance the opportunity to keep our shelter guests safe.

However, the need for emergency shelter beds is steadily increasing here, and we’re concerned in advance of colder temperatures since occupancy at The Mission usually increases by 10% or more during the winter.

At the federal level, the new Rapid Housing Initiative announced in October aims to provide up to 3,000 new affordable housing units within 12 months. Under this initiative, Ottawa will be allocated $31.9 million toward reducing chronic homelessness in our community.

In 2019, Nanos Research confirmed that people in our community thought that homelessness should be the number one priority of Ottawa City Council. The Ottawa Mission understands and appreciates that housing has to be joint responsibility of the City of Ottawa and the provincial and federal governments. This is why we continue to advocate at each level of government to work together toward solutions regarding our urgent and overwhelming need for affordable and appropriate housing, especially for vulnerable populations.

Accordingly, we advocate that the City of Ottawa:

• Increase its annual allocation dedicated to new affordable housing to $20 million.
• Accelerate plans within the refreshed 10-Year Plan to move forward with an inclusionary zoning bylaw to ensure that new developments include affordable housing units.
• Write to Premier Doug Ford and Minister Steve Clark to request that the provincial government immediately restrict all residential rental evictions, except in case of threats to public safety, and maintain this moratorium on evictions until the COVID-19 pandemic is effectively contained.
• Bring forward proposals for submission under the new federal Rapid Housing Initiative.

Many cities across Canada, such as Calgary, Medicine Hat, Chatham-Kent, ON, Dufferin County, Guelph-Wellington, Moncton and others have seen declines in homelessness through adopting innovations in their housing strategies.

Ottawa City Council showed tremendous leadership as the first city council in our country to declare an emergency concerning homelessness. I urge you to build on this leadership position by moving forward with the actions above to meet the needs of our citizens for appropriate and affordable housing to call their own.

Sincerely,

Peter Tilley

Chief Executive Officer

The Ottawa Mission

Public opinion poll and shelter user data illustrate fine line between who is homeless and who is not

Ottawa, ON – As Ottawa enters the second wave of the continuing Covid19 pandemic, The Ottawa Mission has released a public opinion poll by Nanos Research which shows the impact of the pandemic on residents’ finances, mental health and perceived risk of homelessness.

“Last year, homelessness was at a level our community had never seen, which is why Ottawa City Council unanimously declared a homelessness emergency in January this year. Now, seven months into Covid19, this poll shows the burden that the pandemic has imposed on our citizens, including financial pressures, compromised wellbeing, and concerns about the increased risk of homelessness. With winter approaching and the lifting of prohibitions on evictions due to Covid19, we need a plan now to ensure that homelessness in our city doesn’t get even worse,” stated Special Liaison for Housing and Homelessness Councillor Catherine McKenney, who moderated today’s press conference.

President of Nanos Research Nik Nanos outlined the stark findings of the poll. “Over one-third of respondents indicated that Covid19 has had a negative (18%) or somewhat negative impact (18%) on their personal finances, most frequently saying it’s due to lost income or employment. Just under one in five said that the pandemic has increased (6%) or somewhat increased (11%) the risk of homelessness for those they care about. Just under one in ten said that the pandemic has increased or somewhat increased their personal risk of homelessness.”

In November 2019, Nanos Research reported that almost 50% of Ottawa residents indicated someone they cared about faced a risk of being homeless, and homelessness was the number one issue of concern to them at the municipal level. In August 2020, in a national poll for the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, Nanos Research reported that a strong majority (72%) thought it is urgent to work to end homelessness in Canada, with just over one in seven Canadians worried (5%) or somewhat worried (11%) about paying their housing costs.

According to the new Nanos poll for The Ottawa Mission, over one in ten people in Ottawa are receiving the Canadian Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) (6%) or someone in their household is (6%). A majority of these people are concerned (42%) or somewhat concerned (31%) about the CERB ending. Furthermore, one in two respondents are concerned (20%) or somewhat concerned (30%) about the possible negative impact of a second wave of Covid19 on their finances. Almost two-thirds of respondents would support (51%) or somewhat support (17%) a basic universal income program.

Also according to this new poll, the impact of the pandemic on respondents’ mental health has been significant, with a majority reporting a negative (17%) or somewhat negative impact (47%) due to quarantine and isolation, and mental health conditions such as anxiety, stress and depression.

“Clearly, the pandemic has had a significant impact on the people of Ottawa. This poses very serious questions about how to address these impacts as we enter the second wave of Covid19,” Nanos added.

Along with the new Nanos poll, The Ottawa Mission released a research report which analyzed the health conditions and living circumstances of 283 shelter guests who stayed at the shelter from 2015-2019. Forty-eight percent were deemed moderate acuity (or level of need) and 48% high acuity. Stephanie Rattelade, PhD, Data and Evaluation Manager for The Mission, presented the analysis, which showed that among these shelter guests:

• 76% reported a mental health challenge or cognitive impairment that impacted their daily functioning;
• 71% reported at least one chronic or serious health condition;
• 49% reported actively abusing substances or alcohol;
• 40% reported concurrent mental health and substance use challenges; and
• 51% reported an experience of trauma or abuse that directly impacted their homelessness.

Shelter guests also reported other aspects of their lives which were challenging, such as involvement in high-risk situations, difficulties with money management, and lack of meaningful activities in their lives.

“The levels of complex health needs of respondents were high compared to other studies of homeless populations. These results highlight the day-to-day challenges that some of the homeless men in our city experience,” noted Rattelade.

Prior to the establishment of the Jim Durrell Centre as an overflow shelter for homeless men, The Ottawa Mission had been at over 100% capacity for emergency shelter beds for the past three years, laying down mats on its chapel floor to accommodate those who needed shelter. The Centre ameliorated this situation and enabled the Mission to enhance social distancing measures within its shelter to minimize the risk of Covid19. However, the need for emergency shelter beds is steadily increasing at the shelter, which is spawning real concern in advance of colder temperatures since occupancy at The Mission usually increases by 10% or more during the winter months.

“There’s a fine line between who is homeless and who is not. Many of our shelter guests bear a very heavy burden of compromised health conditions, particularly mental health issues, and difficult life circumstances such as financial problems. Because of Covid19, we’re now seeing higher levels of mental health issues and financial stress in the community as a whole. As we enter the second wave of Covid19, I have real fears that these issues will get worse, with more people unable to maintain their housing or their mental health,” noted Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley.

“In 2019, it was confirmed that people in our community thought that homelessness should be the number one priority of Ottawa City Council. In 2020, we learned that two out of three people in Ottawa support a Universal Basic Income program, which would be a federal responsibility, to deal with financial impacts of Covid19.Given the magnitude of homelessness in Ottawa and the impact of Covid19, all levels of government must work together to address this problem now and ensure that even more of our citizens don’t fall into homelessness,” Tilley concluded.

An Analysis of Health Conditions and Support Needs of Shelter Guests at The Ottawa Mission, October 27, 2020 (PDF)

Oct. 27 Nanos Presentation (PDF)

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 2019-2020, The Ottawa Mission provided emergency shelter to an average of 197 men every night and served an average of 1,422 meals every day. The Ottawa Mission also provides health services, mental health and addiction treatment programs, hospice care, dental services, housing services, educational support, job training, spiritual care, and men’s clothing to thousands in need in our community. In September 2020, The Ottawa Mission marked the one millionth hour that the shelter has been in existence since its founding in 1906. In 2019, the Mission became a housing-focused shelter reflective of its commitment to a home for everyone as a human right with the launch of a new housing department.

About Nanos Research Methodology

Nanos conducted an RDD dual frame (land- and cell-lines) random telephone survey of 801 City of Ottawa residents, 18 years of age or older, between September 10 – 20. Participants were randomly recruited by telephone using live agents and administered a survey. The margin of error for this survey is ±3.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The research was commissioned by Ottawa Mission and was conducted by Nanos Research.

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Aileen Leo

Director of Communications

T 613.234.1144 x 305

C. 613-712-3092

E-mail: aleo@ottawamission.com

Ottawa, ON – During The Ottawa Mission’s annual Thanksgiving Dinner, which was held on October 12th, the shelter served 2946 meals. On any given day, the Ottawa Mission serves over 1420 meals to shelter residents and those in need in the community. During special meals such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, The Mission provides many more meals for those who would otherwise go hungry.

“It takes 2500 pounds of turkey to feed everyone during our special Thanksgiving dinner,” noted Chef Ric Watson, Director of Food Services at The Mission. Also on the menu was: savory stuffing (30 pans); mashed potato (450lbs); roasted vegetables (350lbs); vegetarian quiche (150 portions); fresh baked rolls (250 dozen); giblet gravy (50 gallons); pumpkin tarts with whipped cream (2500 portions); and bottled water and juice (2500 units).

Despite being a wealthy city, Ottawa has some of the highest rates of hidden hunger in the province. The riding of Rideau-Vanier where The Mission is located has the highest use of food banks in Ontario. As well, Ottawa South and Ottawa West-Nepean are among the 10 ridings with the most food bank users per capita.

Food insecurity contributes to poor mental health, diabetes and heart disease. Last year, The Mission served 520,373 meals to those who would otherwise go hungry, the highest number in the shelter’s history. Now, Covid19 has made hunger in our community much worse. This is one reason why The Mission recently launched its new and phenomenally successful food truck program, which delivers 1,200 meals per week at seven community partner locations across the city to ensure that those who cannot travel to the shelter due to disability, lack of funds for transportation, or other reasons do not go hungry.

“Poverty, homelessness and food insecurity are serious public health issues. We at the Ottawa Mission are doing our part to address hunger and keep people healthy through our meal program,” said Ottawa Mission Executive Director Peter Tilley. “Our kitchen volunteers and staff worked very hard to ensure that everyone had a delicious turkey dinner. And our donors and supporters have been profoundly generous in their support. A huge thank you to all,” Tilley 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 2019-2020, The Ottawa Mission provided emergency shelter to an average of 197 men every night and served an average of 1,422 meals every day. The Ottawa Mission also provides health services, mental health and addiction treatment programs, hospice care, dental services, housing services, educational support, job training, spiritual care, and men’s clothing to thousands in need in our community. In September 2020, The Ottawa Mission marked the one millionth hour that the shelter has been in existence since its founding in 1906. In 2019, the Mission became a housing-focused shelter reflective of its commitment to a home for everyone as a human right with the launch of a new housing department.

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
T 613.234.1144 x 305
C 613.712.3092
aleo@ottawamission.com

Our special report on this anniversary is available here.

Ottawa, ON – Today, representatives from The Ottawa Mission, Ottawa city council and the province marked the one millionth hours that the shelter has been in existence since its foundation in September 1906. The Mission also released a major report on its impact within the community during the past year, accomplishments that were achieved in the midst of both the Covid-19 pandemic and the homelessness emergency gripping Ottawa.

“The Ottawa Mission was founded less than 50 years after Confederation. At that time, Canada had a population of 6.5 million people. More than 50% of Canadians lived in rural areas. Neither women nor Indigenous peoples could vote. Average life expectancy was 50 years,” noted Councillor Catherine McKenney, City Council’s Special Liaison for Housing and Homelessness, who MC’ed the event.

Last year, the Ottawa Mission:

• Provided shelter for 1,755 unique individuals. Last year also marked the third straight year that the shelter has been at more than 100% capacity.
• Served an average of 1,422 meals per day, or an astonishing 520,373 meals per year.
• Supported an astounding 17,713 patient consults within its health clinic while also dealing with Covid19.
• Successfully housed 202 people last year, a particular challenge given restrictions imposed by Covid19.
• Graduated 104 and 123 students respectively from its educational and job training programs as well as Addiction and Trauma Services.

Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley noted the parallels between the profound hardship of the Great Depression and current situation due to Covid19 and lack of access to affordable housing. “In 1929, the Mission served just over 73,000 meals. By 1932, we had served over 425,000 meals, a sixfold increase. The shelter also accommodated an overflow of transient men searching for survival in truly desperate times. As during the Great Depression, this year, Covid19 has made our situation even more difficult, with so many people in our community falling on hard times. This, coupled with our emergency situation since then concerning homelessness, has been particularly difficult for us, but we’ve risen to this challenge.”

Chef Ric Allen-Watson also noted the parallels between long ago and today for The Ottawa Mission. “When I learned that the Ottawa Mission has served over 18.3 million meals over one million hours, I thought: Wow. I then thought: what would all of those people have done if the Mission wasn’t here?” He continued. “The pandemic has made community hunger much, much worse. Hungry community members now receive three meals at once through our garage entrance. I’ve personally seen people who are so hungry that they rip the bag of food open as soon as they get it. That’s why we continue with this service.”

Former Board of Directors President Paul Mckechnie noted the evolution of The Ottawa Mission emergency services to help those in need improve their lives. “My history here goes back a long way. My father was a board member here. He brought me here over 60 years ago, and I’ve been attached to the Mission ever since. it’s both remarkable and poignant to consider what has changed, and yet, what remains the same about The Ottawa Mission. When I see the growth in services and the broad range of services that the Mission offers, it’s both thrilling and humbling to watch it grow.”

Manager of Housing Services Marc Gallant noted the results of the first year of the Mission’s new Housing Department, a tangible demonstration of the Mission’s commitment to safe and affordable housing as a human right. “Before COVID-19, we had made great strides in finding homes for shelter guests and diverting people to alternate accommodation: housing placements were up 34% and those diverted were up by 61%. After the pandemic was declared, many external agencies curtailed or stopped their operations altogether, and requirements to stay home made it difficult to support clients in their housing searches. However, staff persevered and continued to offer support when and where they could. As a result, we placed 202 people into housing, a 4.7% increase over last year, and the number of individuals diverted away from the shelter to alternative accommodation increased to 168, or 37.7%. These impressive results under very difficult circumstances provide a positive outlook for the future on our work to ensure that everyone has a home.”

Councillor Mathieu Fleury noted The Mission’s results concerning homelessness. “I’m glad to see the success of the Mission’s Housing Department. These efforts need to continue to grow, with support from the City of Ottawa. In addition to our City’s housing and homelessness emergency, the effects of COVID19 have clearly demonstrated the gaps in services available to our most vulnerable. The Mission works hard every day to support those in need in our community.”

Mayor Jim Watson noted the recent partnership between the City of Ottawa and the shelter to keep people safe during the pandemic. “The City has been very pleased to work with the Mission’s staff and other homelessness service providers concerning both the Routhier self-isolation centre for Covid19 as well as the Jim Durrell Centre and the Dempsey Community Centre to support social distancing measures within the shelter system to ensure that shelter guests, employees, and volunteers remain safe.”

Jacques de Moissac representing MPP Lucille Collard noted the particular challenges facing the provincial riding of Rideau-Vanier. “The riding of Rideau-Vanier has unique challenges. Unfortunately, it has the highest usage of food banks in all of Ontario. MPP Collard is glad to know that the Ottawa Mission is here to meet the needs of our constituents for access to healthy food. To have served over 520,000 meals last year and over 18 million meals over these past million hours is truly amazing.

Councillor McKenney also noted the changes to those who have sought The Mission’s help over time. “As the oldest and largest homeless shelter in Ottawa, the Mission has changed remarkably to continue to meet the needs of our most vulnerable community members. As it has changed, those who turn to the shelter for help have changed as well: both men and women; those from racialized communities, including refugees and new immigrants; those who are First Nations, Inuit and Métis; those who belong to gender and sexual minorities; and those of different faiths, or of no faith. I congratulate the Ottawa Mission for continuing to deliver your essential services to our most vulnerable community members. This is especially important now given the twin challenges that our community continues to face from both a homelessness emergency, and also the Covid19 pandemic,” they 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
613-712-3092
E-mail: aleo@ottawamission.com

Ottawa, ON – As we head into the fall, planning is well underway for The Ottawa Mission’s annual Thanksgiving Dinner, which will take place on Monday October 12^th.

Covid19 protocols to keep shelter guests, community members, employees and volunteers safe while continuing to deliver essential support continue at the shelter. Accordingly, the meal for shelter guests will begin at 11:30 am in the Mission dining room. The Thanksgiving meal for community members who would otherwise go hungry will be available at the garage entrance beginning at 1:00 pm. To continue to support vulnerable community members as much as possible, The Mission will also continue to provide two additional meals for community members to take with them.

On any given day, The Ottawa Mission serves 1,358 meals to shelter residents and those in need in the community. During Thanksgiving, The Mission will provide 2,000 – 2,500 meals for this special occasion for those who would otherwise go hungry.

“It takes between 80-100 large turkeys, or about 2500 pounds of turkey, to feed everyone who comes to our special Thanksgiving dinner,” says Chef Ric Watson, Director of Food Services at The Mission. “Our kitchen volunteers and staff are working very hard to ensure that to ensure everyone will have a delicious turkey dinner by preparing for this very special event in advance.”

Also on the menu will be: savory stuffing (30 pans); mashed potato (450lbs); roasted vegetables (350lbs); vegetarian quiche (150 portions); fresh baked rolls (250 dozen); giblet gravy (50 gallons); pumpkin tarts with whipped cream (2500 portions); and bottled water and juice (2500 units).

Frozen turkey donations can be dropped off between 7 am – 5 pm at the garage entrance to The Ottawa Mission at the corner of Waller and Besserer. Please ring the bell and a staffperson will arrive to receive your donation.

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

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

Joint Statement
April 28, 2020

OTTAWA, ON – In January, Ottawa declared a homelessness emergency. Despite the city’s ten-year plan to end homelessness, homelessness has moved beyond a crisis to levels never seen before. Last year, almost 8,000 people stayed in emergency shelters, which have been operating at over 100% capacity for years.

While many factors lead people to become homeless, lack of affordable housing is key. While governments at every level have made investments in affordable housing, it’s simply not enough to meet this overwhelming need.

The homelessness emergency in Ottawa has been significantly amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. While all homelessness shelters have rapidly adapted to the challenges imposed by COVID-19, overcapacity issues make physical distancing especially challenging. If we do not act immediately to relieve overcapacity by finding safe spaces for people who are homeless, COVID-19 could spread throughout the shelter system.

The impact of COVID-19 has left many hotels and motels empty throughout our city.  Purchasing them would reduce overcapacity issues within the shelter system and reduce the risk of COVID-19 amongst the homeless population.

But the City can’t do this alone. The ability of the city of Ottawa to raise funds is limited, and Covid-19 has significantly impacted the city’s finances. Without immediate additional federal funding to protect those who are homeless, we could experience a COVID-19 outbreak within the shelter system that has the potential to overwhelm our local healthcare system.

We must also plan for the long term. We can protect the most vulnerable people in our community from the spread of COVID-19 and also to get desperately needed affordable housing stock in Ottawa by converting these hotels to permanent affordable housing stock.

We have seen the tragic consequences of this virus in long-term care facilities.  Governments must work together to act quickly to immediately procure additional space for people experiencing homelessness to reduce the risk of COVID-19 while also ensuring that every person in our community has a safe place to stay, both now and for the future.

To show your support, please visit https://www.housingemergencyottawa.ca to send a letter to your elected officials. To date, over 900 letters have been sent.

From 1-4PM on Wednesday April 29th we are encouraging everyone who supports the campaign to post one reason why they support the campaign on Twitter and on Facebook with the hashtag #hotels2homes 

FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Kaite Burkholder-Harris
Executive Director
Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa
T: 343-552-0202
kaite@endhomelessnessottawa.ca

Amber Bramer
Manager, Marketing and Communications
Shepherds of Good Hope
Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation
T: 613 789 8210 x. 223
C: 613 878 3393
abramer@sghottawa.com

Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
Ottawa Mission
T 613.234.1144 x 305
C: 613-712-3092
E-mail: aleo@ottawamission.com

Glenn van Gulik
Area Director, Public Relations (East Region)
Divisional Director, Emergency Disaster Services
Ontario Central East Division
The Salvation Army, Public Relations Department
P: 613-233-8428 x226
C: 613-868-5560
Glenn_van_Gulik@can.salvationarmy.org

Jessie-Lee Wallace, CFRE
Resource Development Manager
Cornerstone Housing for Women
T: (613) 986-6708
jessie-lee.wallace@cornerstonewomen.ca

Wendy Muckle
CEO
Ottawa Inner City Health
T: 613 562-4500
C: 613-852-0128
wmuckle@ottawainnercityhealth.ca

Ottawa, ON – Monday 23, 2020 – As the COVID-19 situation continues to unfold in Ottawa, Ottawa Inner City Health, Ottawa’s emergency shelter providers and the City of Ottawa have come together to create a centre to support self-isolation for people who live in emergency shelters or on the streets. This centre will support the safety and protection of these community members as well as the public at large.

“The health of people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness is often compromised, which may leave them more vulnerable to COVID-19,” stated Wendy Muckle, CEO of Ottawa Inner City Health. “So there is serious concern among our organizations that COVID-19 could spread quickly among those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness since shelter residents are not able to self-isolate given their environment.”

“We’ve kept this top of mind as we’ve adjusted our operations to keep shelter residents safe while continuing to provide service to the most vulnerable in our community,” noted Peter Tilley, CEO of the Ottawa Mission. “So far there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 within the shelter system in Ottawa, which is good news. ”

The self-isolation centre will be located at the Routhier Community Centre located in Lowertown. The facility is fully accessible and will have security and a staff which include peers, personal support workers, nurses and physicians. It is part of the larger emergency response system to the COVID-19 pandemic and is fully integrated with Ottawa’s hospitals, paramedics and the community assessment centre process.

To be eligible to access the centre, applicants must be 19 years of age or older, homeless or at risk of being homeless, or identifying as part of the homeless community, and able to care for themselves in their current situation. Potential applicants will be admitted on the basis of assessment of need through a number of avenues, including the assessment van, the COVID-19 assessment centre at Brewer Park, in hospital, jail or corrections, and through healthcare providers associated with Ottawa Inner City Health and Ottawa Paramedic Services.

Deirdre Freiheit, CEO of the Shepherds of Good Hope, noted the significant impact of COVID-19 on those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness in Ottawa. “If you’re homeless, even at the best of times, there are very few places to go and be welcomed. Now with everything closed, the emergency situation regarding homelessness in our community is even more difficult.” Kia Rainbow, Executive Director of Cornerstone Housing for Women, noted how COVID-19 impacts women experiencing homelessness. “Women are at even greater risk of violence when they’re isolated from the community; their options to seek help are very limited.”

Marc Provost, Executive Director of the Salvation Army, noted the importance of community outreach to access vulnerable people who may need the new centre. “Potential applicants may arrive at the centre on foot, in the Salvation Army outreach van, with Ottawa police, or by other means. We’re proud to do our part to ensure their protection and protection of the community as a whole.”

“The Routhier Centre for self-isolation is a welcome addition to the COVID-19 response in Ottawa. It will support keeping those who are homeless and ill out of hospitals as well as homeless shelters, both of which are already working at overcapacity,” Ms. Muckle concluded. FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

Kate Eggins
Director, Communications and Engagement
The Ottawa Hospital
T: 613-798-5555, x. 74511
keggins@toh.ca

Amber Bramer
Manager, Marketing and Communications
Shepherds of Good Hope Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation
T: 613 789 8210 x. 223
C: 613 878 3393
abramer@sghottawa.com

Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
The Ottawa Mission
T 613.234.1144 x 305
C. 613-712-3092
E-mail: aleo@ottawamission.com

Glenn van Gulik
Area Director, Public Relations (East Region) Divisional Director, Emergency Disaster Services Ontario Central East Division
The Salvation Army, Public Relations Department
P: 613-233-8428 x226
C: 613-868-5560
Glenn_van_Gulik@can.salvationarmy.org

Jessie-Lee Wallace
CFRE Resource Development Manager Cornerstone Housing for Women
T: (613) 986-6708
jessie-lee.wallace@cornerstonewomen.ca

Liz Bernstein
Lowertown Community Association
T: (613) 262-1969