A Message from the Executive Director
Food, clothing and shelter. These life-sustaining services have been a part of The Ottawa Mission since it first opened its doors in 1906, and continue to this day.
Beyond this, however, The Mission has grown and adapted over the years to meet the ever-changing needs of homeless and hurting people in our community. That’s why we say today that we are much more than a shelter.
We serve an average of 1,297 meals every day which in itself is quite an achievement. And, at our upcoming Easter celebration on Monday, April 6 th , that number will increase to more than 2,500.
Many of the people who come to our special meals are staying in a shelter; some are in our addiction treatment programs; others may have their own apartment, but are ‘at risk’ of homelessness and need our help from time to time when they have nowhere else to turn. Others are simply hungry and alone. Whatever the reason, The Mission always offers a warm welcome and a hot meal.
In many cases, those meals are the beginning of a new journey, as people quickly learn that The Mission has much more to offer beyond food, clothing and shelter. The help often extends to better health care through our medical clinic, educational support in our learning center, or new hope through addiction treatment or job training.
What we hope you discover in this report is that, with your help, we are having a real impact on the lives of people who feel forgotten. And what begins as a meal can indeed lead to lives changed for the better.
Thank you for your support, and God bless.