OREIO delivers much needed items

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending an event hosted by the Ottawa Real Estate Investors Organization. This was the third time this month I had a chance to be with them.

Last week, we were on CTV Morning Live to talk about their food and clothing drive this winter. OREIO is a strong believer in Shepherds of Good Hope. They know a lot of people like to help the homeless in the months leading up to Christmas. They wanted to ensure there was no drop-off once the blah months came along.

So last night they held an event where I had a chance to address the crowd to talk about how Shepherds of Good Hope helps some of the most vulnerable men and women in Ottawa.

It was a good thing I took the van with me. I was impressed with how much they collected in such a short period of time.

Thank you so much to Victor Menasce, Managing Partner of US Real Estate Partners, for his work in making all of this happen.

On behalf of everyone at Shepherds of Good Hope, we appreciate the hard work and the fundraising and we look forward to more donations over the coming weeks.

New Year's resolutions

We're almost two weeks into 2016 and you've either already dropped your New Year's resolutions or you're on your way to forming some new habits.

I hope one of those habits is to become more involved in charitable giving. We have a lot to be thankful for in the nation's capital. But there are people who are hurting every day. They have great potential but they are struggling at this point in their lives.

We see them every day. They are some of Ottawa's most vulnerable men and women. They rely on us for food, shelter and clothing. Over the years, Shepherds of Good Hope has implemented many innovative programs and developed others with partners. The goal of each and every one is to address the specific needs of the homeless population so that we can find housing more quickly for them.

So how can you help with a New Year's resolution? Here are some ideas. I'd love to hear some of yours.

Coffee drinkers: Skip one coffee a week. At the end of the month, you have $10 that you can donate. Yes, your monthly donation can be $10 a month.

Make it a team effort: A lot of people will join fundraising campaigns at their workplace. The most common type of fundraiser is a casual dress day on Fridays. Workers pay $1 or $2 to wear jeans on a Friday. Depending on the size of your workplace, you might have hundreds of dollars to donate at the end of the month.

Make it a family affair: Teaching your kids the importance of helping those less fortunate is important and sets them up to be charitable in the future. Go through your closets and donate clothes that you know you're not going to wear any more. Collect change in a jar and donate it monthly.

Volunteer: There are many ways to give. As a fundraiser, of course, I'm a big supporter of financial donations. We make your dollar do a lot here at Shepherds of Good Hope. But volunteering is also very important to us. We have more than 400 volunteers helping us deliver programs and services, We couldn't do what we without them. As a volunteer, you can see the impact you are having on people.

Take a tour: I've always said that taking a tour of our facilities is the best way to see first hand the impact your donation has on so many people. Once people see the work we do, that we are more than a soup kitchen, many are inspired to give.

If you would like to talk more about how you can help Ottawa's homeless population, please don't hesitate to contact me. Phone: 613-789-8210, ext. 247. Email: asilverman@shepherdsofgoodhope.com

To make a donation, click here.
For volunteer opportunities, click here.

Kelly Funeral Homes does it again

There are lots of things we take for granted every day.

For example, when we wash our hands, we don't think twice about whether there is some soap near the taps. You wouldn't think of showering without body wash or shampoo. Part of your night time routine is probably reaching for that tube of toothpaste.

For the men and women who live in a shelter, though, those things aren't just something you carry around with you every day. You don't get to pick your favourite brand of toothpaste.

Whether it's deodorant, razors or toilet paper, there are items we use every day that we don't think a lot about, expect for maybe when we have to pay for them at the cash register. People who live in the shelter need those items every day, too,

That's why it's fantastic when companies like Kelly Funeral Homes go above and beyond to collect truck-loads of toiletries for us. With their drive, they are providing Ottawa's homeless men and women with much needed every day items.

Thank you so much, Kelly Funeral Homes, for thinking of us again this year.

IODE Walter Baker delivers funding

I had the pleasure this morning of welcoming a special group of ladies from the IODE Walter Baker Chapter. In November, they held their annual fundraiser dinner, fashion show and silent auction Couture for a Cause.

This year they selected the Shepherds of Good Hope women's special care unit as their charity to support. The women's special care unit is a 16-bed unit at Shepherds of Good Hope for women who are homeless and dealing with complex health issues and/or addiction challenges. Care includes counselling, support and life skills training.

The IODE Walter Baker Chapter raised $7,500 which will help us refurbish and redecorate the common lounge. We're also looking at purchasing some medical privacy screens.

Thank you to everyone! I was at the fall fundraiser and it was a fun time.

Remembering the homeless in January

A lot of people like to donate leading up to Christmas. It's wonderful and I'm always blown away by the generosity of people in Ottawa.

Then the cold, harsh winter sets in. We get the January and February blahs. We're bundled up, we're busy with our lives and it's understandable that we have other things on our mind.

But for the homeless men and women in Ottawa, the need is still there.

The Ottawa Real Estate Investors Organization decided to do something about it. They have purposely scheduled their food and clothing drive for January and February. They want to remind people that Ottawa's homeless population needs help 365 days a year.

Thank you so much to Victor Menasce, Managing Partner of US Real Estate Partners, for his work in organizing this drive.

On Wednesday morning, you might have seen Victor and me on CTV Morning Live. Thank you to CTV Morning Live for the coverage.

Cold weather and the homeless

Well, today certainly feels like winter. For those people who like winter and were wondering where it went, wonder no more.

Although milder temperatures are expected tomorrow, that doesn't mean things get easier for people who live on the street.

The cold temperatures are just one thing about winter they have to deal with. At Shepherds of Good Hope, our front-line staff is trained on how to recognize the signs of frostbite and how to deal with it. On very cold days, especially on days when a cold weather or frostbite alert is issued by the city, we let people stay in the shelter. We have a couple of lounges and our clients can hang out and chat with others or watch TV.

But even when it's minus 1, like it's predicted for tomorrow, winter is still difficult for many people living on the street. Think about it. How do you think you would feel if you spent the majority of your day outside in minus 1 temperatures? Trust me, at the end of the day you would feel pretty cold.

The other factor you would have to deal with is the wetness. If it's cold, you're dealing with the snow that can leave your socks wet. In milder temperatures, there's the slush to contend with, which is even a bigger obstacle to staying dry.

That's why we always have a box of socks in the soup kitchen. If someone needs a warm, and dry, pair of socks, we have them thanks to people who donate.

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If you would like more information on how we serve the homeless population of Ottawa or take a tour, please contact me at 613-789-8210, ext. 247 or by email at asilverman@shepherdsofgoodhope.com.

Students make cards to raise money

Last week I got to meet with two special young people. Gabrielle is in the centre and Graceon the right.

Gabrielle had an idea that was inspired after seeing WE Day in her classroom. She and her sister decided they wanted to do something to help the homeless men and women in Ottawa. Gabrielle and her sister made seven different styles of Christmas cards and then sold them to their family members, friends and teachers. Last week they donated $236 to Shepherds of Good Hope and more than 30 pairs of socks.

I'm always touched by young children who are motivated to help people who are less fortunate. It speaks so well to what type of future leaders we're going to have in this world.

Thank you Gabrielle and Grace. I hope you have a great 2016 and I hope to see you again.