What we do
As a community ministry of the Anglican Diocese of Ottawa, Cornerstone has been supporting women experiencing homelessness for over 40 years. Every year, there are more than 1,400 women experiencing homelessness in our city. Cornerstone provides a continuum of housing and support for women and gender-diverse people in Ottawa that is inclusive and reduces barriers. We support over 300 women every day across our emergency shelter and five supportive housing residences, plus an outreach program that helps women stay housed. Our vision is for everyone to have a home in a community that supports them to live with dignity and hope. We have more than 150 full and part-time staff and almost 200 extraordinary volunteers. Last year, we provided over 270,000 nourishing meals across all of our programs. Cornerstone provides basic needs and a variety of services including spiritual care, mental health and harm reduction support, crisis counseling, case management, and more. Cornerstone is committed to social justice, collaboration, equity, diversity, and inclusion, respect, and organizational excellence.
How you can help
Give
Amidst ongoing housing affordability, mental health and overdose epidemics, Cornerstone is working harder than ever to care for and support women and gender-diverse individuals experiencing homelessness in Ottawa. This year, we expanded our kitchen, increasing the meals we served from 172,000 to 270,000 – more than a 50% increase. We welcomed our new Executive Director, Anne Marie Hopkins, in June. Our Eccles residence, which houses 46 women, and our new emergency shelter, with 165 beds, both celebrated their first year of operation. We couldn’t have done any of this without you.
Our work is far from over
While we are disheartened to see the need for emergency shelter and supportive housing continue to grow in our city, we are honoured to continue to provide hope, housing, and healing to women and gender-diverse individuals experiencing homelessness in Ottawa. We are fighting an uphill battle amidst several intersecting crises related to the cost of living, homelessness, mental health, substance use, and gender-based violence. With your generous support, we can continue to make a huge difference in the community. If you feel inspired, please give today at www.cornerstonewomen.ca.
Get involved
The more people in our community who get involved in supporting Cornerstone, the greater impact we can have in providing permanent, supportive housing for women in Ottawa. Here are a few ways you can be a part of our Cornerstone Community:
- Host your own event: Hosting your own event is a great way for you to involve your friends, family, neighbours, and colleagues in making a difference in the lives of vulnerable women in Ottawa. It’s easy to organize a fundraiser in support of Cornerstone Housing for Women, and every bit helps!
- Donate food & other items: We keep an up-to-date wish list of items that we are seeking to support residents in our shelter and housing communities. Our current Donation Wish List can be found on our website and on our social media channels. We are always looking for fresh foods such as meat and produce. Booking your donation drop off is now as simple as the click of a button! Please visit our website to learn more.
Volunteer
As a Cornerstone volunteer, you can be a vital piece of the puzzle that helps women break the cycle of poverty and homelessness and build a new life of hope and stability. You can help out by facilitating activities, becoming a colleague with a resident, preparing or serving a meal, sorting donations, and more.
This article first appeared in the 2025 Giving Guide produced by the Ottawa Business Journal. That publication is available in its digital edition below.
To learn more about this charity, please visit the latest issue of the Giving Guide:
