About Us

Shepherds of Good Hope is the largest not-for-profit organization dedicated to fostering hope and reducing harm in Ottawa by supporting the city's homeless and most vulnerable. With specialized services, programs and partnerships, Shepherds of Good Hope offers innovative solutions to address problems and emerging needs on the ground. We believe that every person deserves access to the resources and opportunities to improve their life, at their own pace. It was founded 35 years ago, and today, houses over 200 individuals in supportive housing facilities and shelters over 2,000 people each year. From shelters, to supportive living to transitional housing, Shepherds of Good Hope is an example of excellence in client service delivery.

Our Programs and Services

• Supportive Housing (Provides permanent homes with on-site, around-the-clock support for 200+ residents in our supportive housing facilities.)
• The Oaks (55-room facility, located across two buildings, housing our Managed Alcohol Program and an aging-at-home program)
• Hope Living (93-bed facility in Kanata provides housing for seniors and people who live with complex mental health challenges)
• St. Andrews Residence (35-unit urban apartment-style facility designed for individuals who live with concurrent mental health challenges and addictions)
• Brigid’s Place (11-unit low-barrier facility located downtown and focused on housing women who have experienced life on the streets)
• Emergency Shelter (Helps people of all genders break the cycle of life on the street)
• Women’s Shelter (54-bed shelter supporting homeless women and gender-diverse adults, with a goal of helping them attain permanent housing)
• Men’s Shelter (90-bed shelter supporting homeless men and gender-diverse adults, with a goal of helping them attain permanent housing)
• Managed Alcohol Program (24-bed innovative harm-reduction program for alcohol-dependent, chronically-homeless individuals)
• Women’s Special Care Unit (16-bed unit offering specialized services to women with complex physical and mental health and/or addiction issues)
• Transitional Emergency Shelter Program (49 bed program supporting chronically homeless individuals with complex needs)
• Rapid Housing and Employment Program (RHEP) (helps casually unemployed or underemployed homeless individuals quickly return to sustainable housing and full employment)
• Community Support Services
• Soup Kitchen (Open 365 days per year and serves 800 meals per day over three meals)
• Clothing Program (Open twice per week, throughout the year, provides clothing, footwear, and accessories to people in need)
• Grocery Program (Provides households in need with emergency food supplies. Helps more than 21,000 people every year)
• Evening Drop-In (Welcomes around 200 people each night for social activities)
• Good Day Workshop (Social enterprise providing work experience and skills training for people dealing with disabilities)
• Women and Gender Diverse Services (Our services are not just for men and women — they are for all, without judgement)