Youth Services Bureau Foundation

The Youth Services Bureau (YSB) provides life-changing programs and services for youth 12 and older, and their families, in the areas of mental health counselling, shelters and housing, employment support, and justice services. YSB staff support upwards of 3,000 youth each month, regardless of where they live, what they look like, and who they love. 

With the support of our community, we have helped change the lives of tens of thousands of young people so they may lead independent, healthy, and stable lives.  

Throughout COVID-19, YSB remains an essential service to youth and families throughout Ottawa.

At a glance:

Year founded: 1960

Total revenue for last fiscal year: $32,069,943

Twitter: @ysb_bsj

Facebook: @ysb.bsj

Instagram: ysb.bsj

LinkedIn: /youth-services-bureau-of-ottawa/about/

Top funding sources:

• Government funding: 91%
• Individual donations: 3%
• Corporate donations: 3%
• Other charities: 1%
• Other sources: 2%

Geographic region of focus: Ottawa

How you can help

Give

To address funding needs – particularly in the areas of mental health, shelters and housing, and employment – the YSB Foundation fundraises year-round through grants, digital fundraising campaigns, direct mail and email campaigns, as well as through partnership and sponsorship opportunities. The Foundation is honoured to work with its corporate and foundation partners, sponsors, individual donors, as well as community and youth groups to ensure youth have access to our programs and services.

Stay Up Ottawa: YSB welcomes workplace, family, and community teams to its annual Stay Up Ottawa event (previously known as the YSB SleepOUT for Youth). Fully bilingual and complete with an exciting online evening program, this year’s virtual event takes place Nov. 26. Bringing together workplace teams, families, community leaders, and YSB staff, participants commit to spending a night out sleeping in their backyards or on their decks, while raising funds to support YSB’s two shelters and four apartment buildings for previously homeless youth. This year is the 9th annual event, which has raised more than $1.5-million since its inception. Along with the support of sponsors as well as corporate and family teams, a large portion of funds raised each year come from local youth, who rally together in support of their peers in need in our community.

Events and fundraising

To address funding needs – particularly in the areas of mental health, shelters and housing, and employment – the YSB Foundation fundraises year-round through grants, digital fundraising campaigns, direct mail and email campaigns, as well as through partnership and sponsorship opportunities. The Foundation is honoured to work with its corporate and foundation partners, sponsors, individual donors, as well as community and youth groups to ensure youth have access to our programs and services.

Board members and executives

Patti Murphy

Executive Director, YSB Charitable Foundation

Isabelle Perreault

Chair

President & Founder, Differly

Kerry Patterson-Baker

Forest Products Association of Canada

Rebecca Murray 

Carleton University

Scott Lawrence

HealthCraft Products Inc.

Martin Sampson

Centre for Israel & Jewish Affairs

Christopher Rheaume

Ottawa Police Service

Dr. Neda Amani

Amani Health

Chris White

Canadian Meat Council

Maria McRae

Community Advocate, Lawyer

Kelly Youngdale 

Label Innovation Inc.

Balwinderjit Singh Kapoor 

MDS Aero Support Corporation

Justin Veale 

Forest Products Association of Canada

Erika Falconer 

RBC

Shawn Hamilton

Canderel Group

Christine Leadman

Bank St. BIA

Kate Dalgeis

Compass Rose Group

Jennifer Stewart

Syntax Strategic

Funding priorities

The YSB Foundation’s fundraising priorities are focused on two major challenges for youth in our community: mental wellness and affordable housing. YSB is the lead agency for youth mental health in the Ottawa region and provides services for youth struggling with mental health challenges as well as support for their families. We are raising much-needed funds to ensure young people can access our Youth Mental Health Walk-In & Virtual Clinic, our 24/7 Crisis Phone Line & 24/7 Crisis Chat Service, our short-term live-in mental health centre, our mobile crisis team, as well as our two dedicated youth shelters and four housing buildings, and downtown Youth Drop-In Centre.