Southbank Cares!

The team at Southbank is really committed to serving the community and for many years this has included efforts to assist the men and women served by Shepherds of Good Hope. So when Stan Noble came into my office I knew that it was going to be good news for the clients. Mr. Noble told me that the staff at Southbank has being doing office fundraisers all year long and that they were excited to be able to present us with nearly $3000 to help provide for Ottawa's most vulnerable men and women. A huge thank you to everyone at Southbank for helping to change hundreds of lives! What a wonderful way to end the year.

MaxSys

Today we had a surprise visit from Robert Kearney from MaxSys to spread some holiday cheer and present us with a cheque to help those we serve this holiday season!

Always great to have such thoughtful neighbours pop in!

Bringing People Together at Christmas

I have some thoughts that I would like to share with you about the organization that I am proud to work for.


Shepherds of Good Hope over the years has evolved into many things to many people.  We offer refuge from life on the street.  We provide nourishment and warm clothing when both are desperately needed.  Just as important, we bring estranged families together again linking the past to the present and we are the caring ears listening with compassion and offering assistance at the lowest points in many people’s lives.

 

Shepherds of Good Hope has always been a sanctuary for the lost and lonely, the outcasts amongst us and those afflicted by mental illness or addictions.




At Christmas, many more individuals and families looking for help come through our doors. The need for food is steadily increasing in this city. There are currently over 400 families every week accessing our grocery program. 

Our Soup Kitchen is constantly churning out meals to meet the ever increasing demand.  In one month, over 3000 breakfasts are prepared for those living in our shelters; 10,500 lunches are prepared for anyone coming  in off the street wishing a noon time meal; 3,750 dinners are made and handed out to the men and women living in our shelters and 9000 people stop in for hot soup and sandwiches at our Evening Drop-in.
We provide a beacon of light in the darkness of misery for over 1600 people a day.

Won’t you consider a gift to help make Christmas brighter for all of the many that come through our doors every day?

 

Socks From Santa

I'd like to introduce you to a very thoughtful kid, Nick from Astolot Private School!

Back in August, his mom, Marjory, contacted us and said that Nick had wanted to start a collection with his schoolmates for Shepherds of Good Hope to collect socks (which is always a huge need here).  His original goal was to collect 100 pairs of socks.  By the time December rolled around they had managed to collect 795 pairs of socks for men, women and children! There are even more pairs coming to them.

Nick stopped by yesterday to deliver all 795 pairs and I presented him with a certificate for his efforts.

Nick's goal for next year as he enters Glebe High School is 1,000 pairs of socks!

What an incredibly thoughtful kid to think of others in need in his community!  We are extremely grateful for people like Nick, his family, their school and anyone that participated in the collection! Thank you!

Export Development Canada

On Friday December 12^th we had a special group of volunteers from EDC. This wonderful volunteers came to help spread the holiday cheer by making a special meal for the women who live in Brigid’s Place, a Shepherds of Good Hope supportive living facility for the most street entrenched and hardest-to-serve women in the city of Ottawa due to addiction issues, mental health and factors relating to past trauma. All of the 11 women who are currently staying at Brigid’s have experienced exceptionally difficult lives and they were so grateful to the volunteers for taking the time to make them such a special meal. 

  

 

The volunteers had a great time volunteering together but the joy they brought to our ladies is what really marks the holiday spirit. 

If you would like to volunteer, or bring in a group to volunteer, please click HERE.

Anchor ClimateCare

A big THANK YOU to Anchor ClimateCare for thinking of those we serve this holiday season!

The gang at Anchor have decided to make their own fun version of the song "Let It Snow" and want to release a video of themselves singing the song, with proceeds going to Shepherds of Good Hope.

That is such a great and fun idea! We love it.  For every donation that Anchor raises for Shepherds of Good Hope, they will match it up to $500, for a total donation of $1000!

Here's their version of the song:

 To make a donation to their cause, please click HERE

If your workplace would like to raise money for those less fortunate, please contact Lauren at lskippen@shepherdsofgoodhope.com or 613-789-8210 and she will be happy to set up a donation page for you.

Shoebox Project for Shelters

Today Christmas came early for the women in our care!  Shoebox Project for Shelters is a group of Ottawa women that get together and make gifts for women in the shelter system.  This is a wonderful way to show that they are special and in our thoughts.

76 beautifully wrapped gifts will go to Women's Hope Outreach and Women's Special Care Unit.  To learn more about our programs, please visit our website.

On Christmas Day, everyone staying in our programs will receive a special gift.  If you would like to contribute financially to providing a shoebox for someone in our care, please CLICK HERE.

If you want to build boxes yourself, please contact me at asilverman@shepherdsofgoodhope.com

Members of Parliament Guest Servers

Today we had members of Parliament and the Parliamentary Senate serving lunch in the soup kitchen. Senators Asha Seth, Jim Munson, Senator Tobias Enverga and MP Joe Daniel took time out of their busy schedules to come and assist with the noon meal.

In the spirit of the holiday season, Senator Asha Seth generously sponsored the lunch was able to meet and speak with the most vulnerable men and women amongst us.

There was close to 500 people in our lunch line today for the wonderful meal that was served. Clients were absolutely thrilled to receive large chicken breasts and chocolates for dessert. Some of the guests were even overheard saying it was the best meal they ever had!

We are so grateful to Senators Seth, Munson, Enverga and MP Daniel for their compassion and dedication to the homeless and impoverished in our community.

Festival Green Team

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting John Currie and his gang from the Green Team from the RBC Bluesfest.  They are a group of more than 300 volunteers that makes sure the festival grounds at Bluesfest are kept clean.  This year they decided to crush, collect and count beverage cans from the festival and return them for money for charity.

They divided the proceeds among six charities including Shepherds of Good Hope and gave us a cheque of over $1200! That is pretty amazing that it came from recycled cans!

Thank you to the Green Team, your efforts will ensure an extra special holiday season for those in need!

Ladies Who Lunch

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to all of the ladies that attended the Ladies Who Lunch event yesterday at the Ottawa Convention Centre. There were 300 women that joined together for good food, laughs, Christmas cheer and helping those less fortunate than themselves.

 

 

In raising funds for #GiftofHope, the women managed to raise $5100 towards our Christmas Hamper Program! The Christmas Hamper Program helps over 1100 families per year provide a Christmas meal as well as extras such as children's toys during the holiday season.  What an amazing gift to those that have so little but need so much!

 

If you would like to contribute to the #GiftOfHope, please:

 

#GiftOfHope

Shepherds of Good Hope will be the recipient of Ladies Who Lunch Holiday Event at the Ottawa Convention Centre at 55 Colonel By Drive on November 12^th at noon.  The Ladies will be purchasing items to fill a Christmas Hamper at each table with an entire Christmas Meal and all of the trimmings. All items will go towards the 30^th Annual Christmas Hamper Program at Shepherds of Good Hope. We are calling the event #GiftOfHope

 

 

Today I had the pleasure of being on Daytime Ottawa to discuss the Christmas Hamper Program as well as everything else we do for the community in Ottawa.  Please check out the show tonight at 5PM and 11PM on Rogers (ch. 22) or if you have a MyRogers account,  you can watch online HERE.

 

 

If you would like to contribute to the #GiftOfHope:

 

 

Fun at the Pumpkin Patch!

Yesterday the gang from the Enhanced Support Program in the shelter at 256 King Edward took some time out for a fall tradition.  They headed out to Miller's Farm to pick out some pumpkins to carve for Halloween!

Looks like they had a fantastic time!

To see the rest of the photos, please visit our Facebook Page

To learn more about the Programs and Services we offer, CLICK HERE

Beth Shalom

On Sunday a large and enthusiastic group of volunteers from Congregation Beth Shalom came to help out in the soup kitchen. We were extremely grateful for all their help as the kitchen was particularly busy with hungry clients trying to warm up from the cold. From the time the doors opened till everyone was served the group hustled around with constant smiles. A big thank you to everyone in the group.

 

Thanks for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is always a busy time at all of the Shepherds of Good Hope locations but especially the soup kitchen, when we work extra hard to ensure that no one spends the holiday alone and everyone has a wonderful meal to eat.

This year was no exception as over 450 people came for the Thanksgiving lunch. We were blessed both by not running out of Turkey but also because of all the amazing volunteers who gave up time with their families to come serve those who have no where else to go.

The mood was light, the entertainment was loud and a warm community atmosphere hung over the room. Thank you so much to all the volunteers and donors who helped to make it possible and a special thank you to City Councillor Mathieu Fleury  who took time away from campaigning to come bring holiday greetings to all the clients.