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.

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.

Canadian Police College fundraiser

I've blogged often over the year about workplaces that hold fundraisers along with having some fun. The latest example is the Canadian Police College. By holding a jeans day and "charging" people for it, they managed to raise several hundred dollars for Shepherds of Good Hope.

A jeans day is probably one of the more popular fundraisers that workplaces have. I've also seen schools do it but with a twist. Since students wear jeans most days, they charge students a loonie to wear their hat or to dress up goofy on one day a week, usually a Friday. One class even had a pajamas day. That's a little more difficult to do in a workplace, especially if a lot of your staff is having to deal with the public.

But these types of campaigns are very simple to run. And over time, you'd be surprised with how much you can raise in a short period of time.

Thank you to Ross, left, and Jeff from the Canadian Police College for their donation to Shepherds of Good Hope.

Checking out a charity at the check-out

You've all seen them. Donation cans at the checkout counter. Or just as you're getting ready to pay, the cashier asks if you would like to donate $2 to a charity.

There has been some debate on how effective these strategies are to raising money. Some people argue that it's become all too common for stores to be supporting one cause or another and that shoppers are getting tired of always being asked.

So as a fundraising expert, I found it interesting to read about a recent study in New York conducted by Good Scout Group. They surveyed a little more than 3,000 Americans. The findings? Most people enjoy donating to a charitable cause at the cash register. The survey found that 71 percent of respondents have donated this way at least once. As important as donations are, there's another benefit to checkout donations. Awareness. Almost half of the people questioned said they remembered the last charity they supported at a checkout.

I still believe, though, that any person who wants to become a regular giver to charity is better off finding a charity they can invest in over the longterm. Take Shepherds of Good Hope, for example.

By becoming a monthly donor, you provide stability and predictability for us. Over time, you'll start to see the impact your donation has on Ottawa's homeless population. We're also big believers in showing people firsthand how their donations help others. It's why we always say yes when someone wants a tour of the soup kitchen, our food and grocery program, and the shelter. You also get a tax receipt.

There's nothing wrong with adding a couple of bucks to your bill at the checkout for a charity. Some of you have no doubt seen the Souper Jazz donation cans at different retail locations in the city. We appreciate all the fundraising Souper Jazz does for us with those donation cans.

But if you want to develop a relationship with the charity of your choice, then becoming a monthly donor is the better route. For example, let's say you donate $2 once a week at the checkout. That's $8 a month. Did you know that when you become a monthly donor you can donate that same $8 every month to Shepherds of Good Hope? Monthly donations are possible for everyone. We've built our donation page so that you can pick the amount you're comfortable with. Take a look.

If you have any questions about what we do at Shepherds of Good Hope or how you can help us on a regular basis, please don't hesitate to contact me at 613-789-8210, ext. 247 or by email at asilverman@shepherdsofgoodhope.com.

I'm getting to know a lot of people at MaxSys. Every month, someone from their office drops by to donate the proceeds of their jeans day. This week it was Stephanie Csizmadi. This is the third month in a row company representatives have popped in and we love seeing you every time. Keep up the great fundraising work.

I've used MaxSys before as an example of how easy it is for your office or department to raise funds for some of Ottawa's most vulnerable people. At MaxSys, each division across Canada is invited to participate in jeans day. To wear jeans to the office, you have to contribute $5 to that division's charity fund. Company President Bryan Brulotte then matches the donation. See how easy that is? And it does so much good to help the clients at Shepherds of Good Hope.

Thank you, Ottawa

It never ceases to amaze me how generous people can be.

Less than two days ago, we started a social media campaign to raise funds to repair our cube van. This is the truck we use to pick up all the food donations from our donors and partners. It's the food we use to feed the 1,600 men and women who rely on our services every day. We also use the truck to deliver food to our other facilities around the city. Having a reliable truck is important.

We decided to reach out to people through social media, mainly Facebook and Twitter. There are a lot of people who engage with us that way and we thought this campaign was something they could get involved in. We started by asking 600 people to donate $10 each. The CBC picked up on it and gave it an additional boost.

Everyone got involved in a big way. It didn't even take two days for us to far exceed our $6,000 goal. I was so touched by the number of people who donated. People took time to call and talk to us. Many of you donated online and left comments about the work we do. Thank you to everyone for those kind words.

Thanks to your generosity, our truck is going to be on the road in days. I want to leave you with one more thought. Today, you did more than just fix a truck. You showed once again you believe in the work we do for the homeless population in Ottawa. You helped ensure we can continue to do our job to feed people, to provide them with three healthy meals a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Yes, you helped fix a truck, but by fixing that truck, you helped the men and women we serve.

Dancing for a good cause

On Saturday I had the honour to attend a dance repertoire of Bharat Natyam. The event, presented by Jeevam Jyoti Productions, was held at the Kailash Mittal Theatre at Carleton University. The dance company is from California and they are travelling to different cities.

It was a wonderful evening and Keshav Goel, one of the young people involved in the event, raised $3,7450 for Shepherds of Good Hope. Thank you so much. We appreciate all the hard work everyone put in to ensure the event was a success.

Before the dance began, I had a chance to talk to the audience about the work we do at Shepherds of Good Hope. I spoke briefly to the audience after showing them a video about our organization. I also had the chance to award some certificates to people who regularly volunteer at Shepherds of Good Hope. We rely on hundreds of volunteers to help us provide services to some of the most in-need men and women in Ottawa.

Finally, thank you to Ottawa Centre MPP Yasir Naqvi for his last-minute sweetening of the fundraising pot. It was great to see the MPP there and to have his support.

Dragon Boat Festival raises funds for charity

It was another great year for the Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival. And that means five great local charities are going to get some significant funds to help their clients.

I want to thank the organizers for selecting Shepherds of Good Hope as one of the five charities. This is our second year as part of the festival. Our volunteers were out there Friday night and the weekend to serve food at the VIP area. We were also taking lots of photos Friday night when the event kicked off.

Events like the Dragon Boat Festival are a great way to have fun and to participate for a good cause. It's a free event and after the races were finished, throngs of people sat on the grassy hill to the left of the stage to take in the great bands each night.

Congratulations to everyone!

Less Than A Week Away!

A Taste for Hope is less than week away!  It promises to be the event of the season and we would love for you to be there! 

Superb chefs serving sumptuous, specialty dishes will delight your palate and a selection of fine wines, local beers and exciting, new cocktail temptations will be sure to make this elegant evening memorable. Don’t forget to take part in the thrill of both silent and live auctions with one-of-kind auction items.

All proceeds from this event will support the over 1600 men and women who come through Shepherds of Good Hope doors every day.

A Taste for Hope

Jean Pigott Hall, Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West (Ottawa) Wednesday, March 25, 6pm to 9 pm

$150.00 Each ticket will receive a $100.00 tax receipt.

Get Your Tickets Here

With more than 18 chefs, including:

Jonathan Korecki

Sidedoor & Restaurant 18

Jonathan - or Chef Jonny - was born into a family of food and farmers, spending his youth with his hands in the earth producing vegetables and an arms distance from an apron pickling, preserving and jamming.  After cooking through the country from his hometown of Caledon, Ont. to Vancouver he enlisted to Le Cordon Bleu Ottawa where he studied classical french cuisine.  Working in the acclaimed Henry Burger, then apprenticing under Susur Lee in Toronto he became familiar with Asian flavours and combinations. This brought together his first executive chef position opening the acclaimed Sidedoor in Ottawa’s byward market. After honing his skills as a chef he took the executive chef position of CAA 4 diamond Restaurant 18 as well.

Who Else Will Be There?

There will also be some fabulous auction items!  We have something for everyone!

• Golf Packages
• Airline Tickets
• Train Tickets
• Restaurant Certificates
• Jewellery
• Autographed Sens Jersey
• Artwork
• Spa Packages

And Much More!

Don't miss out on this wonderful event that you'll be talking about all year! 

Get Your Tickets Here!

Get More Info Here!

Upcoming TV Segments

This week is very exciting!  I get to go on television to talk about the amazing chefs that will be serving our guests at our 3rd Annual A Taste for Hope!

Over 1600 people come through our doors everyday to access our programs throughout the city.  By putting on this signature event, we raise money to cover the costs of running these essential programs.  The chefs that serve tasty creative dishes at A Taste for Hope do it all out of great generosity and have kindly provided their services at no cost.

Tomorrow I will be on CTV Morning Live with Chef Danny Mongeon.  Danny is the former owner of Hooch Bourbon House and has recently gone on to start Share Freehouse that is opening this April.

Catch the show Wednesday, March 18 @ 9:15am on CTV

 

I was on Daytime Ottawa this morning with Sarah from Sarah J's Cupcakes this morning.  It was such a fun segment and after we all had a group hug!

I get to go back again on Friday - this time with Chef Jason Laurin of Essence Catering.  It will be Jason's first time at A Taste for Hope and we are very excited to have him on board.

Check it out Friday, March 20 @ 11:00am on Rogers Television

Haven't got tickets to the event yet? GET THEM HERE!

Want to see who else is going to be there? CLICK HERE!

Try Something New!

There isn’t much time left to get tickets for Shepherds of Good Hope 3rd annual A Taste for Hope! This glamorous affair promises to excite your taste buds from the sumptuous offerings from some of Ottawa’s finest chefs. 

This year we have an additional treat – two brand new restaurants, North & Navy and Share Freehouse will be on board for your delight serving up their specialty dishes!

North of 7 distillery will also have their full line of products on hand for your enjoyment.
That is not all.  Wait until you see the great items at the silent auction table and take part in the exciting live auction!

Enjoy an evening like no other while helping support the great work at Shepherds of Good Hope and by showing our clients that they have not been forgotten.

Jean Pigott Hall, Ottawa City Hall, 110 Laurier Avenue West (Ottawa) Wednesday, March 25, 6pm to 9 pm

$150.00 Each ticket will receive a $100.00 tax receipt.

Get Your Tickets Here

 

Featuring Amazing Newcomers:

North & Navy

 
Located in an iconic culinary building on Nepean Street, Chef Adam Vetterol and his business partner, Chris Schlesak have just opened one of the most unique Italian inspired restaurants to appear on Ottawa's food scene.  

The restaurant space has been transformed into a comfortable, casually elegant space, perfect for sharing time and food with friends.  A new window into the kitchen allows diners to connect with the culinary team and the service staff, led by Schlesak, is outstanding.

The food is very unique.  Influenced by other south-eastern european traditions, Vetterol's expression of Northern Italian family meals is comforting and powerful.  

North of 7 Distillery

 

How did two Ontario boys, Greg Lipin and Jody Miall, develop a love and appreciation of small-batch bourbon, so much so that they conspired to open a first of its kind micro distillery in Ottawa?The connection seems incongruous, but in truth it was their love of rock climbing. Both are long time, avid rock climbers who regularly travel down into the hollers of Kentucky on climbing trips.  It was there they developed an appreciation for the ‘brown spirits.’  This love led to the touring of distilleries in the region, and the purchasing and enjoying of many different types of bourbon and other american whiskies.

In the true artisan spirit, every level of production is handled in-house, including mashing and fermentation, distilling, barrel aging, bottling, and packaging.

Their unique line of hand-crafted spirits includes whisky, rum, gin, and vodka.
 

Our Friend Chef Danny Mongeon is Opening a New Restaurant!

Share Freehouse

Born and raised in Ottawa, Chef Danny Mongeon began cooking at the age of thirteen for Neil Tully, executive chef of Friday's Roast Beef House. Neil took Danny under his wing and began to teach him the ways of the kitchen.
This experience proved to be very educational and rewarding. Danny felt his vocation was a career in cooking.

After working under some of Ottawa's greatest Chefs, Danny helped open Brut Cantina Sociale in downtown Hull.  The restaurant was an instant hit and helped Mongeon gain the confidence to open his own restaurant.  Soon, Hooch was conceptualized.  Mongeon's take on southern cuisine, seafood and raw plates stunned diners when the doors opened.  His creative menu changed frequently and was paired with craft cocktails and small batch bourbon whiskey.

"I really can relate to this important cause, said Chef Mongeon.  There was a time in my youth when I witnessed the good things the Shepherds of Good Hope do.  I'm proud to help them raise money to continue their work."

Danny will be opening a new restaurant in April called Share Freehouse.  Watch for news about how he turns Ottawa dining on it's ear again.

Get Your Tickets Here!

Get More Info Here!

 

 

 

Mitzvah Day 2015

Mitzvah Day is a day when a group of people get together and volunteer and perform good deeds in the community. 
David Smith from Creative Kosher Catering and his staff decided that they wanted to come down to our soup kitchen and serve an amazing dinner to those in our care.  All the clients in the shelter as well as residents from our downtown supportive living programs were served a delicious meal of smoked meat, potatoes, salad and dessert.  We are incredibly grateful to David and his staff for sharing their passion of food with this city's most vulnerable population.

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?

 

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

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:

 

 

Brighter Tomorrows

I just got back from a press conference in our Community Room at 256 King Edward Ave.  Our building there has 7 innovative programs that serve the needs of our clients and on average, 270 individuals spend the night in the programs.

I am thrilled that Hydro Ottawa and Ottawa United Way have generously given us a grant from the Brighter Tomorrows Fund to replace our lights with LED light fixtures.  This grant was for more than $42,000 and we couldn't be more grateful. 

This will reduce our electricity bills in the building by 66% as well as increase safety, comfort and moods of all that stay in our programs.  This will most notably help clients who are prone to sensitivity issues such as mental illness and epilepsy.

Shepherds of Good Hope CEO, Deirdre Freiheit




Hydro Ottawa, Bryce Conrad



United Way, Carole Gagnon