Restoring Hope is a registered charity that has served the Ottawa community since 2012. Our mission is to loveand serve youth and young adults, ages 16 to 24, who are experiencing homelessness, marginalization, and/orexploitation.

We provide an emergency overnight shelter, an evening drop-in program, warm meals and snacks, breakfast, “to-go” lunches, essential supplies, counselling, and individualized support.

It is important that every young person accessing Restoring Hope knows that they are cared for and supportedas they work toward improving their quality of life. We work closely with community partners to help youth takethe next steps toward housing, employment, education, improved health and well-being, and greater stability.

All youth are welcome in our programs, regardless of religious belief, race, gender identity, or sexual orientation. We provide a respectful, temporary, safe environment that is free from judgement.

As a low-barrier organization, we welcome youth who may have lost their identification, or who are experiencing mental or physical distress and might otherwise face barriers to accessing other shelters and support.

Our work is guided by three core values:

• Unconditional Love – We choose to love and accept people where they are, without expecting anythingin return, with the hope that they will come to recognize their own worth and value.

• Compassionate Care – We believe that individuals experiencing trauma, hardship, or hurt benefit from compassionate, individualized care that responds to their unique circumstances and needs.

• Collaborative Community – We believe in the power of partnerships and collaboration with other community-based organizations to provide young people with the range of supports they need to move forward.

Our Impact

Restoring Hope makes a significant contribution to the Ottawa community and to the lives of young people experiencing homelessness. Our impact begins the moment a young person walks through our door. We first address their immediate and basic needs by providing a safe place to sleep, a warm meal, emergency supplies, and a welcoming environment. Our program staff then work to build trusting relationships by listening to each young person’s concerns, responding to crises, and providing individualized support and counselling. When youth are ready to take their next steps, we help connect them with mental health and substance-use health services, housing programs, food resources, employment counselling, educational opportunities, and  other community-based supports.

This combination of immediate shelter, compassionate support, and connections to longer-term services provides young people with encouragement, and helps them develop the confidence, personal strengths, relationships, and supports they need to move toward greater stability.

In 2025, Restoring Hope delivered the following supports:

• 3,859 warm meals and emergency supplies provided

• 3,947 safe nights of sleep provided

• 2,650 “to-go” lunches served

• 247 youth connected to other community resources• 55 already-housed youth supported with food, housing assistance, and other resources

• 15 parents and guardians supported in finding resources for their youth

• 127 instances in which we assisted Ottawa Police and parents/guardians in efforts to locate a missingyouth

• 34 youth supported in returning home or transitioning to a group home

• 55 referrals accepted from other community agencies

Thank you for considering Restoring Hope!