“From Despair to Hope”: Shelagh and David Williams

Acrylic on canvas, 24 x 12 in - 2022

Shelagh and David supported The Mission over decades and their incredible generosity touched almost every Mission program, including the David and Shelagh Williams Group Counselling Room at The Mission’s LifeHouse live-in addiction treatment program.

Shelagh and David met at Queens University while studying sciences at the graduate level. David went on a career with Health Canada, while Shelagh taught science in high school before switching to library sciences.

In addition to their passion for helping Ottawa’s most vulnerable, David and Shelagh shared a love of travel and the arts, attending operas, plays and classical music events in North America and internationally.

Sadly, Shelagh passed away from cancer in 2020. David has established a fund at The Mission in her honour. As he notes, “The Mission’s programs change people’s lives from despair to hope.”

On behalf of those who depend on The Mission, thank you for your kindness Shelagh and David.