2022/2023
Annual Report
Message From the President of Our Board and Our Executive Director
This past year was very eventful, with many highlights to share. NROCRC has seen growth in several areas such as our capacity to deliver programs, enhance innovative approaches to services, and new partnerships that increased our ability to address immediate and ongoing community priorities.
We have grown our physical footprint by obtaining the unit adjacent to our office that has allowed us to deliver more onsite programming and host community events. While it has been advantageous to deliver larger group programs at partner locations in the neighbourhoods we serve in Nepean, Rideau and Osgoode, our new onsite Program Room provides us with additional space to engage and support communities with critical programming at convenient times, in a location we can easily oversee. We have already made good use of this space to provide supports such as our Milk & Eggs and EarlyON Programs for pregnant women and parents/caregivers with babies and young children; seniors drop-in and computer training programs; meetings for women’s newcomer groups; and the Good Food Box initiative to access affordable and nutritious food. A more in-depth look at the programs and services we offered this past year is outlined throughout this report.
We continued to place importance on coordinating partnerships and supporting collaborations across our vast catchment area. We further developed partnerships with organizations like the Ottawa Chinese Community Service Centre and the East African Parents Association, both of which are now working out of our office to support diverse ethno-cultural groups in various languages. Working with such partners enables NROCRC to help newcomers by increasing their ability to access resources that support basic needs, mental health, and settlement issues more effectively. We have also increased collaborations with partners in our rural catchment, including the Rural Ottawa Youth Mental Health Collective, for which NROCRC acts as a backbone organization, providing administrative and financial oversight and staff expertise, to improve mental health among youth in rural areas across Ottawa. We have also enhanced the services we offer to our rural partners to support older adults and their caregivers.
While we continued to provide consistent, quality programs and services to people of all ages and needs, we were also able to leap into action when the powerful Derecho storm of early 2022 caused extensive damage to properties and widespread power outages across the region. Ward 9 Knoxdale-Merivale, in our catchment, was one of the hardest hit areas in the city. Many of our staff and volunteers spent countless hours supporting residents who went without power and water for 10+ days. We coordinated with such partners as the City of Ottawa, Ottawa Public Health, the Ottawa Food Bank and their dedicated networks, to support wellness checks and provide meals to residents in need. It was a remarkable example of NROCRC’s agility and ability to leverage these vital community relationships.
The events of this past year were memorable for many reasons, including the hosting of our Shine a Light on Our Community Fundraising Gala in person for the first time since the pandemic. It was an exciting celebration of NROCRC’s valued work and positive impact on our communities to the many people who appreciate and contribute to our programs and services. We are truly grateful to all the funders, donors, sponsors, partners, volunteers and our Board of Directors who continue to uplift our organization and communities in need. These last few years have been some of the most challenging we have faced as a community organization, but we have much to be thankful for as we grow stronger out of each adversity and continue to move forward with a positive outlook for the future.
Anita James
Executive Director
Tushar Shakya
Interim Board President
2022/2023 Highlights
People Served by Our Programs
Number of unique clients who participated in each program
Food Security
Baby Cupboard
Community Development
Seniors Programming
Caring and Sharing
Income Tax Clinic for Seniors
Summer Camps
EarlyON
Milk & Eggs
Elder Abuse Program
Ontario Electricity Support Program
Tools 4 School
Intake, Information and Referral
Counselling – Youth and Adult
Senior’s Peer Mentoring
Misc. Sports & Recreation
Intergenerational Programming
Outreach
COVID-19 Test Kit Giveaways and Outreach
Ethio-Eritrean Canadian Women’s Network
Kids Up Front Partnership
NROCRC’s Programs and Services
NROCRC’s work reflects our vision and mission by removing barriers and providing support to people most in need in order to improve the health and well-being of our communities. All of our programming is offered at no cost to the residents of our communities, allowing for equitable access to all, and removing the economic barriers that might otherwise be imposed elsewhere. We continued to provide flexible in-person and virtual programming, reflecting the ongoing needs of our communities throughout 2022/2023, and have enjoyed the opportunity to interact again more often with our community members in person.
Children and Youth Programs
Our programming for children and youth included the After School Program, summer camps, the EarlyON program, Tools 4 School, the Rural Ottawa Youth Mental Health Collective partnership, and much more.
View highlights of our children and youth programs and services in 2022/2023
- The Tools 4 School program began in 2008 as a small project that provided free backpacks and basic school supplies to children and youth in need. The program has continued to grow each year, as have the partnerships that support this initiative. Our collaboration with The Caring and Sharing Exchange has also expanded, allowing us to collectively serve 670 students from kindergarten through grade 12 this past year, at an approximate cost of $20,000. We wish to thank all the sponsors and donors who make this important program possible each year.
- NROCRC’s EarlyON programming aims to engage residents in opportunities to interact with their children aged 0-6 in an enriched and flexible learning environment. This program also provides an opportunity to inform parents and caregivers of available early year services and resources.
- The After School Program is funded through the province of Ontario, with the goal of providing children and youth with academic support and physical activity programming between the hours of 3:00 – 6:00 p.m. Last year, we provided this weekly program at two locations in our catchment area throughout the school year, transitioning back to an in-person program after only being able to offer it virtually during the pandemic.
- NROCRC was fortunate to receive funding from Employment and Social Development Canada to hire four summer students to support the delivery of free summer camps in four high-needs neighbourhoods in our catchment area. The camps rotated on a weekly basis to ensure that each neighbourhood was able to access this vital program, helping families in need during the summer months.
- The Rural Ottawa Youth Mental Health Collective (ROYMHC) is a collective-impact initiative between 12 partner organizations that share a vested interest in promoting the mental health of youth aged 12 – 24 years living in rural Ottawa. This past year, ROYMHC worked to strengthen the capacity of mentors working with rural youth in Ottawa. As the backbone agency, NROCRC provided crucial support in terms of administrative and financial oversight, consultation, counselling, and human resource management. The ROYMHC is constantly evolving and advocating for increased investment in the mental health of rural Ottawa youth. NROCRC will remain a crucial partner in this project over the years to come.
Adult and Family Programs
Our programs for adults and families are aimed at women, families, and newcomer populations in multiple neighbourhoods, and include food security initiatives, emergency diaper and formula support, sports and recreational activities, the Milk & Eggs Program, community development, Ontario Electricity Support Program application assistance, and more.
View highlights of our adult and family programs and services in 2022/2023
- The Milk and Eggs Program at NROCRC is designed for pregnant women and mothers of infants and young children, many of whom are newcomers and high-risk women. The program offers workshops and resources focused on nutrition and healthy eating habits linked to overall health, and is delivered by community dietitians, nutritionists, and parenting coaches. Some of the well-attended workshops this past year were related to how nutrition and food impacts stress and mental health; diabetes prevention/screening and addressing the “hidden sugars” consumed by young children; and healthy eating choices based on Canada’s Food Guide and the reading of food labels.
- NROCRC provides access to healthy and nutritious food by facilitating the delivery and pickup at our centre of discounted fresh produce through the Ottawa Good Food Box program. This past year, we continued to request and receive donations to support those members of our community who were unable to pay for this service.
- Community members with babies aged 0-6 months needing help to purchase baby formula continued to access occasional emergency assistance at NROCRC. Additionally, NROCRC always keeps a supply of diapers for emergency access by families with babies and toddlers younger than 3 years. NROCRC relies on the support of our community to assist with donations of these items.
- With the support of partners like the Community Development Framework initiative and various funders, NROCRC collaborates with community associations and groups, resident leaders, and other organizations to provide quality community-based events, programs, and workshops. These activities are aimed at increasing the capacity of resident leaders and engaging members of the community in fun, informative and active ways. Some examples include women’s crafting groups; the Parkwood Hills Halloween Fun Day; the Rural Resident’s Intergenerational Event; community-based paint nights; the Tanglewood Holiday Party and Craft Show; various winter carnivals; Creating the Change we Want training for civic engagement; the Active Women Initiative; COVID-19 rapid test giveaways in various neighbourhoods, and so much more.
- The Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP) is an Ontario Energy Board Program that helps reduce electricity bills for individuals and families who meet the eligibility criteria. Those who are approved receive a monthly credit on their electricity bill. NROCRC works directly with community residents who require support in completing the application, providing assistance to 211 clients with the process this past year.
Seniors Programs
NROCRC’s seniors programming aims to reduce the social isolation often experienced by older adults in our communities by creating opportunities for seniors to enjoy time together, gain knowledge and new skills, and share experiences.
View highlights of our supports to seniors in 2022/2023
- The Young at Heart Program is a monthly gathering for seniors which is facilitated by senior community members to engage in fun activities together and hear from a diverse range of guest speakers on topics of interest.
- In the summer of 2022, some of our seniors programming moved into our new Program Room at NROCRC once per week, allowing for in-person activities, along with a second day of virtual programs each week. Seniors engaged in such activities as yoga, interactive games, puzzles, learning opportunities, enjoying community fellowship and conversation. This mix of in-person and virtual programming has been beneficial for seniors as, while some of those who are isolated enjoy meeting face-to-face, others may experience challenges (e.g., physical mobility constraints, transportation, etc.) that make virtual activities more accessible.
- For the 2022 tax year, NROCRC was able to file 169 income tax returns for seniors and those on ODSP. We would like to recognize the contributions of our volunteers and students who provided 300+ hours supporting the operations of our income tax clinics. Many volunteers assumed the roles of coordination, on-site supervision, tax filing and registration.
- NROCRC’s Elder Abuse Response and Referral Service (EARRS) offered assessment, referrals and case management to seniors experiencing abuse, providing the only city-wide support of this nature. Unfortunately, we recently lost financial support for this program and our work in this area was forced to cease in early 2023. We continue to seek new funding to support this program on a long-term basis, and are eager to provide this critical assistance to vulnerable seniors again in the future.
Counselling Services
With mental health supports being a priority for our communities, we were able to offer in-person and virtual short-term counselling to individuals, adults, couples, and youth aged 12 to 17 residing in our catchment area. As part of this team, the Intake Worker is often the first point of contact for people seeking a wide array of resources and referrals, as well as to help in navigating systems of support.
View highlights of our Counselling Services in 2022/2023
- One of our counsellors worked with NROCRC partner Rural Ottawa South Support Services, to facilitate some sessions of a Caregiver’s Group whose loved ones are incapacitated by dementia or chronic illness. Topics that were addressed included stress and anger management, healthy boundaries as a family caregiver, as well as self-advocacy and self-care.
- We continued to offer our rural youth counselling services in partnership with the Osgoode Youth Association (O-YA), providing one-on-one, in-person and virtual counselling sessions, mental health education and information sessions for youth and their caregivers, and collaboration with community organizations/groups to enhance youth mental health supports across rural communities in Ottawa.
- Some of the common topics that arose through one-on-one counselling sessions with youth were friendship concerns, stress and anxiety, bullying, lack of motivation, and sleep issues, among many more.
- Our rural youth counsellor also partnered with the Rural Ottawa Youth Mental Health Collective to offer six mental health related workshops, with many participants ranging from age 13-32. Topics for the workshops included stress management, what anxiety is and how to deal with it, self-care, and impulse control.
- Our Intake Worker supported 582 unique clients last year, with 454 of these clients seeking this support from NROCRC for the first time. Some of the priority areas that clients were seeking help for included food security support, financial assistance (for rent, hydro/gas/water), housing, mental health counselling, general information for newcomers, and referrals were provided for a variety of resources.
- Last year, we also continued our valuable partnerships with Jewish Family Services of Ottawa to offer a weekly walk-in counselling clinic at NROCRC for residents to access both in-person and virtual services in various languages, such as Arabic and Somali, as well as with the Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre to provide Violence Against Women (VAW) counselling services in both official languages.
Volunteer of the Year
Brenda Abramson
Brenda Abramson joined NROCRC in 2021 to assist with the coordination and implementation of our income tax program. She returned the following year to assume the role of Community Volunteer Income Tax Program coordinator. This volunteer coordinator role requires a considerable amount of time to plan and implement all the steps required to deliver a successful program, including registration of those seeking the service, as well as scheduling, training and onsite supervision of several volunteer income tax filers. This role requires many hours of support during a short, intense timeframe, so NROCRC has been especially fortunate and incredibly grateful for Brenda’s dedication to helping our organization to serve so many clients in need over this past year.
2022/2023
Financial Report
Our detailed financial statements are available here:
Where our Funding Comes From
Champions of the Year
John and Sabby have been great supporters of NROCRC and collaborated on our Intergenerational Project that focused on bringing youth and seniors together to raise awareness and mutual understanding, and provided opportunities to discuss issues of importance. The project was very well-received, due in large part to the commitment and perseverance of both John and Sabby, who dedicated significant time to advocating, planning and outreaching to seniors, working on scripts and supporting videos, and making themselves available as participants in the project.
NROCRC would like to recognize John and Sabby for their ongoing support of our organization; their advocacy work on behalf of older adults; and their contribution to raising awareness of NROCRC’s work in the community.
John Johnson
John Johnson retired from practicing law in 2015, only to continue applying his wealth of knowledge in a volunteer capacity for a variety of organizations. He has served as a board member for The Council on Aging of Ottawa, the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, as well as chairing various committees. He became increasingly committed to the protection of our country’s older citizens during this time, leading him to co-author a book with Sabby Duthie called Elder Abuse: You Have a Role to Play.
Sabby Duthie
Sabby Duthie also practiced law and was the proud owner of two retirement homes in Eastern Ontario. Sabby has always had a strong passion for the well-being of older adults, along with a firm belief that they have a voice that needs to be heard.
Our Mission, Vision and Values
We work with others to improve the overall health of diverse communities.
Our Board
Our organization is overseen by a Board of Directors from a variety of backgrounds in the community.
Our Partners
We collaborate with a variety of community partners and stakeholders.
Our Funders and Sponsors
In addition to our many caring donors, NROCRC is grateful to receive support from funders and sponsors.
What NROCRC Clients are Saying
The first program that I participated in was Milk and Eggs. This program was beautiful and useful, and I met many new people. I am able to participate in many programs with my children. We have attended many events as a family. My daughter also played soccer and my son did art projects. With COVID, we were able to attend lots of virtual programming like the Afterschool Cooking Class. I also took an online computer course and received a certificate. I learned new skills and it was a nice feeling…
I am very grateful for the opportunity that NROCRC gave me to participate in this workshop and meet other people who were exploring the same idea as myself. The (Women of Tomorrow) Workshop was well designed and very interactive and l have learned a lot from it. I came out feeling that there is a great support network for Immigrant Women.
There is no way I could have afforded the counselling I received at NROCRC in the regular system. I had been in private system years before for a short time and never came close to understanding and rectifying my problems like I have been able to do with the NROCRC’s help.
In short, my life was lonely, frustrating, and depressing before I first walked through the doors of the NROCRC. With their help and guidance, they offered me a path out of the darkness.