Melissa Reeves, board chair of Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) Foundation, was helping to fill backpacks with brand new school supplies at the 24-Hour Pack-A-Thon held at OCH's Mikinàk Community. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Packing with heart: helping kids in Ottawa Community Housing to thrive this school year
For parents who have to spend their summer keeping kids entertained and out of trouble, back-to-school season probably can’t come soon enough. But those “I’m bored” complaints might not seem so bad once they see the pricey, never-ending list of required school supplies.
Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) recognizes the financial stress that September can bring for many low-income families living in its affordable housing communities. “Back to school is a time of worry,” said Traci Spour-Lafrance, executive director of the OCH Foundation, while welcoming supporters to Friday morning’s 24-Hour Pack-A-Thon. “Rising costs mean tough choices: groceries or school supplies.”
The average monthly income of a family living in OCH is $1,775. School supplies can easily cost more than $100 per child, according to OCH Foundation.
From left, Traci Spour-Lafrance, executive director of OCH Foundation, and OCH Foundation’s new m
The OCH Foundation has partnered with local community organizations to purchase and pack more than 2,000 backpacks for children and youth from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 11. That’s almost three times the 700 backpacks they initially targeted in 2022. It costs at least $65 for each backpack and its school supplies.
The Pack-a-Sack program, which is funded through donations, is about more than just providing a kid a quality backpack full of pencils, markers and geometry sets, said Spour-Lafrance. “Giving a backpack may seem like a small act, but it says to each child: ‘You belong, you matter and your community is behind you’.”
The gathering was held in OCH’s new Mikinàk Community located in Wateridge Village (formerly CFB Rockcliffe), near the Ottawa River and east of downtown. Among those in attendance was Stéphane Giguère, CEO of OCH.
From left, volunteer Elizabeth Benoit and a team from PwC helped to fill backpacks with school supplies during Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) Foundation’s 24-Hour Pack-A-Thon held at OCH’s , a new affordable housing development in Wateridge Village (former CFB Rockcliffe). Photo by Caroline Phillips
Bryce Conrad, president and CEO of Hydro Ottawa, spoke about his organization’s proud commitment to Pack-a-Sack, one of several OCH Foundation programs it supports. “This is, of course, our pride and joy. It’s the one we love to do the most.”
He added that some of the kids who benefit from the program might one day end up working at Hydro Ottawa.
OCH Foundation board chair Melissa Reeves, who also serves as COO of architectural firm Linebox Studio, spoke about how the program helps remove the shame and stigma for children whose parents can’t afford the annual back-to-school shopping trips. “It’s really about giving these kids dignity and the opportunity to thrive,” said Reeves, who described packing the backpacks as more than just a physical task. “Today, when packing all these backpacks, we’re going to be packing not just with our hands, but a little with our hearts, as well.”
OCH has 33,000 tenants of whom between 12,000 and 15,000 are school-aged.
From left, Stéphane Giguère, CEO of Ottawa Community Housing Corporation, and Hydro Ottawa president and CEO Bryce Conrad at OCH Foundation’s 24-Hour Pack-A-Thon of school backpacks with school supplies, held in OCH’s
From left, Ottawa Community Housing Foundation supporter Jen Alvarenga, real estate broker with GoodStory RE/MAX, 13-year-old Chloe Reeves and her mom, Melissa Reeves, board chair of OCH Foundation and COO of Linebox Studio, volunteered at OCH Foundation’s 24-Hour Pack-A-Thon of school backpacks with school supplies, held in OCH’s
Community partners, volunteers, elected officials andOttawa Community Housing Foundation board members participated in the 24-Hour Pack-A-Thon of backpacks with school supplies, held in OCH’s
The foundation’s board includes former Ottawa mayor Jim Watson, who expressed his appreciation for OCH Foundation’s pragmatic approach to helping families. “It allows kids to be on equal footing,” said Watson, who also praised its bicycle program, Hop on Bikes. It provides refurbished bikes to children living in OCH communities.
Watson was joined in the assembly-line-style packing operation by city councillors Rawlson King (Rideau-Rockcliffe) and Tim Tierney (Beacon Hill-Cyrville).
Tierney saw the student population at Carson Grove Elementary — located in his ward — surge following the arrival of Syrian refugees in Ottawa in 2016. Each year, he hosts a BBQ for the school’s families, stocking up on so many halal hot dogs that he ends up handing out extra packs to hungry kids to take home.
“We’re seeing a great need,” said Tierney, who was relieved the Pack-a-Sack program has increased to more than 2,000 backpacks. “Thank goodness.”
Said King: “It’s quite amazing to actually see the kids receiving the backpacks. I mean, they’re really enthusiastic.”
From left, city councillors Rawlson King (Rideau-Rockcliffe) and Tim Tierney (Beacon Hill-Cyrville) and former Ottawa mayor Jim Watson, who serves on the board of OCH Foundation, participated in the 24-Hour Pack-A-Thon held at OCH’s new Mikinàk Community. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Nick Ethier, who serves as board vice-president of OCH Foundation and is a partner in the Ottawa office of PwC, volunteered with some of the PwC team in the 24-Hour Pack-A-Thon held at OCH’s new Mikinàk Community. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Nick Ethier, who’s a partner in PwC’s Ottawa office, had no trouble getting his business partners to support OCH Foundation after explaining the work it does to help local children. He volunteers as board vice president for the charitable organization.
He was among the visitors Friday to visit Mikinàk for the first time. When he first arrived at the new development, he was “really impressed” by what he saw.
OCH’s new sustainable housing development features 271 affordable rental units spread across three buildings. The property was designed to honor the local Indigenous community. Residents can enjoy outdoor barbecues with an adjacent children’s play area, all set amidst an array of perennial flowers and plants. Soon, an EV car-sharing program, supported by the RBC Foundation, will be introduced to promote greener transportation options.
The Mikinàk development is nestled within a neighborhood of modern single-family homes, townhouses and condos, surrounded by parks, schools and natural green spaces.
The 22 community partners supporting the Pack-a-Thon also include Khalsa Aid Ottawa, Ottawa Community Housing, HEIN, EnviroCentre, Bridgehead, Moxies, RBC, Giant Tiger, Régimbal, the Coalition of Community Houses, Caring & Sharing Exchange, TEKsystems, Enterprise, North & Navy and Cantina Gia, Taggart Realty Management, Whole Foods, Gabriel Pizza, Youth in Policing Initiative and Pomerleau.
Ottawa Community Housing’s new Mikinàk Community is located in Wateridge Village (formerly CFB Rockcliffe) just east of downtown Ottawa. Photo by Caroline Phillips
This article is made possible through sponsorship from Star Motors, WCPD, Marilyn Wilson Dream Properties, ExecHealth, Infinity Convention Centre, Altis Recruitment, Bell Canada, First Avenue Investment Counsel, RBC, Welch LLP, Brazeau Seller Law.
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