By Deirdre Freiheit
Like Ottawa itself, the roots of Shepherds of Good Hope were established in Lowertown.
Almost two hundred years after Bytown and the ByWard Market were founded, Ottawa’s boundaries have grown, making it geographically larger than Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, combined.
With all that growth, Lowertown and the Market continue to be a place for tourists and residents to shop, dine, and stroll.
Like every major city, the downtown attracts a diverse range of people. For those who are experiencing mental health challenges or substance use disorders, or who may find themselves short of making ends meet, being downtown is often a matter of survival.
Since its humble beginnings in 1983 in the basement of St. Brigid’s Church, Shepherds of Good Hope (SGH) staff, volunteers and partner agencies have fed the hungry, offered mental and physical health-care services and temporary shelter services as well as housing thousands without a home.
Today the SGH community extends well beyond the ByWard Market, reaching all corners of Ottawa. The innovative services and permanent supportive housing we provide are gaining attention from donors, partners and supporters from around the world. Communities across Canada, as well as in the UK and Australia, have come to learn about our harm-reduction services in order to replicate them in their communities.
This support came sharply into focus during the Freedom Convoy protests earlier this year. An outpouring of compassion for those experiencing homelessness resulted in more than 13,000 people donating over $750,000 in just a few days.
This unprecedented show of support helped us to increase housing options for those who don’t have a home. Early in 2023, our newest residence in Carlington will provide permanent housing to 57 people who are currently experiencing homelessness.
This new residence is close to The Oaks, one of our supportive housing residences, that offers an innovative Managed Alcohol Program in partnership with Ottawa Inner City Health and the City of Ottawa. It is the model for many similar programs around the world.
From Richcraft Hope Residence in the east end to St. Andrew Residence in Lowertown, to The Oaks in Carlington and Hope Living in Kanata, SGH is permanently housing 234 people of all genders who have exited homelessness. We also have 105 units currently under construction.
We believe in offering choice with respect to location. Many people want to live outside the downtown core.
In Kanata, Hope Living is home to one hundred people who are elderly and often living with complex mental health challenges.
Richcraft Hope Residence in Rideau Rockcliffe offers low barrier housing for individuals who would have difficulty accessing housing due to their substance use disorders, mental health challenges and trauma.
Individuals at St. Andrew Residence are more independent but still require some supports on site.
The Ontario Ministry of Health has recognized SGH’s ability to run successful housing programs. This resulted in our being asked to manage the Community Homes for Opportunity (CHO) program in our region. CHO is a recovery-based person-centered program providing supportive housing that is safe and affordable. It aims to empower residents with serious mental illness to be independent, integrated into the community, and active participants in their own wellness plans. This program consists of six homes, supporting eighty-one residents.
As SGH prepares to celebrate it’s 40th Anniversary in February 2023, we will remember the volunteers at St Brigid’s Church who decided to make a positive difference in the lives of those experiencing hunger and homelessness.
Just like the founders of Bytown, the founders of SGH may not have envisioned Ottawa with a diverse population of almost 1.5 million including a significant number of unhoused people who need considerable supports just to survive.
They could not have foreseen a global pandemic and other factors forcing society to look out for neighbours both a world away, and down the road from home.
SGH will always respect our roots. We will be there for those needing meals, a place to stay, supports for their complex needs and, most importantly, a path to a home to call their own.
Deirdre Freiheit is President and CEO, Shepherds of Good Hope.