OCH Foundation supporting Kids in need
Each September, thousands of children in Ottawa return to school without backpacks and proper school supplies. The OCH Foundation’s Pack-a-Sack program purchases supplies and backpacks for children living in Ottawa Community Housing so they can return to school equipped and ready to learn.
- In 2021, more than 750 requests were made for support from individuals living in Ottawa Community Housing.
- It costs between $40 – $60 to equip children and older youth with the back-to-school supplies they need for proper learning (backpack, markers, pencils, erasers, ruler, scissors, etc.).
- The median income of families living in OCH is approximately $17,000 per year meaning that many families struggle to cover the cost of back-to-school supplies for their children.
Since 2014, the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation’s Pack-a-Sack program has supported thousands of children, youth and their families living in OCH neighborhoods. OCH partner with the Caring and Sharing Exchange, a local organization that performs a coordination and distribution service to ensure the even dissemination of school essentials to families in need.
If you would like to organize a Pack-a-Sack fundraiser on behalf of the Foundation, please reach out to OCH at info@ochfoundation.ca or donate directly through our Canada Helps portal.
Ottawa Community Housing is the largest social housing provider in Ottawa and the second largest in Ontario. The OCH Foundation is committed to helping each of its tenants achieve personal success through education, employment, and community engagement. For more information please visit the OCH Foundation web site.
