What We Do
In a word, we care for people. In a variety of means, methods and venues, we reach out to touch, care for, encourage and help people who are experiencing poverty and homelessness. You don’t have to be or do anything to qualify for help, we indiscriminately offer services to anyone willing to receive it, without prejudice or distinction.
We have over 90 active volunteers from a wide range of backgrounds that are committed to alleviating the distress of those who call the streets their home. Here is one of the highest levels of care: trained volunteers who are making a difference in people’s lives!
Drop In Services
Tuesdays, 10:00am – 3:00 pm, Dominion-Chalmers United Church, 355 Cooper St., Ottawa
Wednesdays & Thursdays 10:00am -12:00pm: OIM Office, 300-384 Bank Street, Ottawa
Street Outreach: OIM leads the City in the number of Street Outreach Teams that walk through the Market, Bank Street, Elgin Street and the downtown core to connect with our street friends. Teams of two (or three) volunteers are on the streets from 7:00 – 9:00 pm each weeknight. Additional teams walk the streets during the day on Wednesdays and Fridays, from 1pm to 3pm, and Thursdays from 10am to 2pm.
Outreach to Street-Engaged Youth: Street Outreach to young people (15-25 years of age) is targetted on Monday and Friday afternoons, and also late night Mondays 9:00 pm – midnight and Wednesday evenings 7:00-9:00 pm. “Passion 4 Youth” art group meets on Thursday evenings from 6:00 – 9:00pm.
Volunteer Training: Our Urban Intervention Training occurs three times per year, January, April and September. Here volunteers are ‘fast tracked’ to understand street culture, safety, boundaries, addictions and more, before joining experienced volunteers in on-the-job training.
Engaging the larger Community: We provide speakers for church and community groups, youth groups and others in order to help people understand the dynamics of poverty and homelessness in the National Capital Region.
This includes partnering with other agencies in Ottawa’s downtown. For a list of agencies, please refer to OIM’s Help Pamphlet:
Help Pamphlet 2010 (PDF)
Statistics 2010
| Volunteer Hours | 2010 |
| 1. Volunteer Hours | 7279 |
| 2. Workskill Hours | 778 |
| 3. Board Member Hours | 285 |
| Volunteer Hour breakdown | 2010 |
| 1. Office Volunteers | 1530 |
| 2. Outreach | 1676 |
| 3. Drop In | 3245 |
| 4. …..Foot Care (drop-in) | 316 |
| 5. …..Hair Care (drop-in) | 138 |
| 6. …..Touch Care (drop-in) | 245 |
| 7. …..Chiropractic Care (drop-in) | 20 |
| 8. Special Events | 827 |
| Street Friend Contact | 2010 |
| 1. Office | 808 |
| 2. Outreach | 4271 |
| 3. Drop In | 4845 |
| 4. …..Foot Care (drop-in) | 419 |
| 5. …..Hair Care (drop-in) | 277 |
| 6. …..Touch Care (drop-in) | 335 |
| 7. …..Chiropractic Care (drop-in) | 131 |
| 8. Special Events | 698 |
| Total | 11,072 |