Nothing says home like a bed, especially for anyone who’s spent one too many nights sleeping on the streets or stuck in the cramped confines of a shelter.
Wednesday night, the Ottawa community came together to address the cause of chronic homelessness by raising enough money to purchase 80 new beds for affordable housing facilities operated by the Shepherds of Good Hope.
It was part of the fund-a-need appeal held during the live auction portion of the Shepherds’ 10th anniversary of Taste for Hope. Ideal Roofing was the returning presenting sponsor while executive search firm Boyden Canada was back to sponsor the VIP reception.
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The sold-out event saw a crowd of 430 ticket-holders fill the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park for a night of amazing food and drinks enjoyed with friends, colleagues, clients and new acquaintances. Professional event planner Carole Saad, owner of Chic+Swell Event Designers and LouLou Lounge Furniture Rental, did a phenomenal job. The marquee lights added some fun flair while the giant white helium balloons that were suspended over the 16 food stations not only looked really cool but also helped to identify the respective restaurants.
Attendees included Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, Ottawa-Vanier MP and Treasury Board President Mona Fortier, and Senators Community Foundation president Jacqueline Belsito, who told OBJ.social how “thrilled” the hockey club is over this week’s announcement that Toronto businessman Michael Andlauer is to become the new owner of the Ottawa Senators.
The biggest challenge of the evening was getting the chatty crowd, which numbered around 500 people in total, to hush up for the brief speeches, live auction and the fund-a-need appeal. Liza Mrak, executive vice-president of second-generation family-owned Mark Motors Group, was back to co-chair the fundraiser with her husband, Gary Zed, CEO of Canada’s Forest Trust.
They were joined on stage by Deirdre Freiheit, who’s stepping away in a couple of weeks as president and CEO of Shepherds of Good Hope and of its foundation. She’s been leading the homeless services organization and supportive housing provider in Ottawa since 2014.
“Deirdre has spent nine years fighting for homelessness, I think we can give her five minutes; I don’t think that’s an unreasonable request,” said Zed as he finally got most everyone to listen.From left, Deirdre Freiheit, president and CEO of Shepherds of Good Hope and Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation, on stage with Taste for Hope co-chairs Liza Mrak and Gary Zed for the fund-a-need appeal for new beds for the non-profit organization’s supportive housing facilities. Photo by Caroline PhillipsDeidre Freiheit, president and CEO of Shepherds of Good Hope and Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation, at the 10th anniversary of Taste for Hope with Boyden Canada partner John Caminiti, who helped to recruit Freiheit for her leadership role at Shepherds in 2014 and has been friends with her ever since. Photo by Caroline Phillips
Shepherds has reached a new milestone. It now houses almost 300 people in supportive housing, which is more folks than it has living in its shelters.
“It’s because of you,” Freiheit told the room. “We made a concerted effort to invest in supportive housing a number of years ago. We know that the answer to ending chronic homelessness is to provide somebody with a home.”
Shepherds recently opened its 57-bed supportive facility at 1095 Merivale Rd. and plans to open its new 48-unit facility at 216 Murray St. in 2024.
Taste for Hope is about bringing community together, said Freiheit, “to help us do this work. We can’t thank you enough for helping us to tip that scale.”
Of course, Taste for Hope wouldn’t be possible without the participating chefs, Freiheit emphasized.
“Please everyone, thank the chefs. They come every single year. They give their time and their staff, and they donate the food so that you can enjoy a lovely night.”
David Gourlay, vice-president at the Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation, led everyone in a toast to Freiheit. Said Gourlay: “On behalf of the team, the staff at Shepherds of Good Hope, our foundation staff, our volunteers, all of our donors, all of our supporters, all of you in this room and, of course, those we support who experience homelessness, thank you for your leadership, thank you for your care, thank you for your empathy and warmth.”Ryan E. Watson from Raising the Bid helped to raise thousands while selling off dining, music and spa experiences during the live auction portion of Taste for Hope, which returned to the Horticulture Building on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Photo by Caroline Phillips
During the live auction, Ryan E. Watson from Raising the Bid brought his energy and enthusiasm to the event to sell off a dining experience at Devinder Chaudhary‘s Aiāna; an Ottawa Jazz Festival package with dinner at North & Navy and accommodations at Lord Elgin Hotel; an evening with Chef Joe Thottungal from Coconut Lagoon/Thali restaurants; a big night at the SpeakEasy Tapas Lounge; a spa package at S.H.E. Ottawa; and an evening of live music at Lowertown Brewery.
Zed encouraged attendees to participate in the fund-a-need campaign, which was also handled by Watson, to buy new beds for Shepherds’ supportive housing facilities.
“Everyone in this room is very blessed,” said Zed, who ended up pledging $10,000. “We know that there’s the capacity in this room to make a difference. We could all spare a few dollars to help those in despair, to help those turn a corner in their lives.”
Shepherds has announced that Gourlay is being promoted to CEO of Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation while Stephen Bartolo is being elevated from senior vice-president at Shepherds of Good Hope to its CEO.
Bartolo has been with the organization for more than 21 years, initially starting out as a volunteer.
“He’s done every role in the organization, from front-line worker to management,” said Freiheit. “He knows the organization inside and out. It couldn’t be in better hands.”
Bartolo told OBJ.social that the departure of Freiheit, whom he considers his mentor, will be “bittersweet”.
“Deirdre and I always joke that in the last 10 years we were peanut butter and jam because we complement each other so well. I’m going to miss her a lot, but she’s set us up for success.”
That night, Shawn Hamilton, who joined Ottawa commercial real estate brokerage Proveras Commercial Realty as a partner this week, presented a ceremonial cheque, along with Ottawa Board of Trade board member Erin Benjamin and OBoT’s senior director of communications and public affairs, Stéphanie Montreuil, to Gourlay for more than $18,000. The funds were raised last month during the Ottawa is Open for Business event hosted by Canderel at Constitution Square.
Later in the evening, Jeff O’Reilly from Saunders Cider was seen bringing over drinks to the folks at Chelsea-based restaurant Les Fougerès and, in return, taking some food back to his team. “Sharing means caring,” O’Reilly quipped.
Gary Zed, co-chair of the Taste for Hope fundraiser for the Shepherds of Good Hope, with professional event planner Carole Saad, owner of Chic + Swell Event Designers and LouLou Lounge Furniture Rentals, at the 10th anniversary of Taste for Hope. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Devinder Chaudhary, owner of Aiāna Restaurant Collective, with Sam Laprade, radio host of The Sam Laprade Show on CityNews 101.1, and Raghav Chaudhary, executive chef of Aiāna, at Taste for Hope in support of Shepherds of Good Hope. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Kenton Leier, executive chef of the National Arts Centre’s 1 Elgin, with executive chef David Vinoya from Tulip Restaurant at Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites, at Taste for Hope in support of Shepherds of Good Hope, held at the Horticulture Building on Wednesday, June 14, 2023. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Shepherds of Good Hope senior vice-president Stephen Bartolo with president and CEO Deirdre Freiheit, executive chef Joe Thottungal, owner of Coconut Lagoon and Thali restaurants, and Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe at the 10th anniversary of Taste for Hope. Photo by Caroline PhillipsGary Zed, founder and CEO of Canada’s Forest Trust, was back to co-chair Taste for Hope with his wife, Liza Mrak, executive vice-president of Mark Motors Group, in support of Shepherds of Good Hope. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Tong Ngoy, general manager of Speakeasy Tapas Lounge, with Cody Valiquette, Amber Brannan from Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation, Reshad Rezai, partner at Speakeasy Tapas Lounge, Kay Hak, assistant general manager of Lowertown Pub, and Ilan Yampolsky, founder and CEO of ITP Sport and Recreation, at Taste for Hope in support of Shepherds of Good Hope’s mission to end chronic homelessness. Photo by Caroline PhillipsBrendan Du Vall, senior director of ticket sales and service for the Ottawa Senators, with Jacqueline Belsito, president of the Senators Community Foundation, at the Taste for Hope fundraiser in support of Shepherds of Good Hope and its mission to end chronic homelessness. Photo by Caroline PhillipsExecutive chef David Vinoya, right, from Tulip Restaurant at Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites, and his chef de partie, Damien Cowie, uses blow torches to complete their baked mussels with bacon jam, miso aioli and crispy leeks during the Taste for Hope fundraiser for Shepherds of Good Hope. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom bottom left, Shepherds of Good Hope Foundation senior manager Meighan Hartley, who hone-made this quilt for the fund-a-need appeal for new beds for Shepherds of Good Hope’s supportive housing facilities, is joined by her colleagues, Amber Brannan (top) and David Gourlay, and Shepherds of Good Hope senior manager Adrienne Arsenault, at Taste for Hope. Photo by Caroline PhillipsMichael Mrak, president of Mark Motors Group, raised his arm to pledge $10,000 toward the fund-a-need appeal for new beds for Shepherds of Good Hope’s supportive housing facilities, during the Taste for Hope fundraiser. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Gabriel Stevens, Connor Boland, manager of sales at Noibu, and his wife, Dr. Carina (Boland) Saikaley from Barrhaven Optometric Centre, and her sister, Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall lawyer Selena Saikaley and their mom, Majida Saikaley, at the Taste for Hope fundraiser for Shepherds of Good Hope. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, chef Jason Bell (The Rogue Chef) with Stephen La Salle, executive chef of the Cocotte Bistro at The Metcalfe Hotel, at the Taste for Hope fundraiser for Shepherds of Good Hope. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Sahar Ayub with her husband, Shepherds of Good Hope board member Ahmer Gulzar (Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction), with Rewind Software chief legal officer Siobhan Devlin and Gowling WLG law partner John Peters, who’s played a decades’ long volunteer leadership role at Shepherds of Good Hope, during the 10th anniversary of Taste for Hope. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Stéphanie Montreuil, senior director of communications and public affairs at the Ottawa Board of Trade (OBoT), with Shepherds of Good Hope vice-president David Gourlay, Shawn Hamilton, principal at Proveras Commercial Realty, and OBoT board member Erin Benjamin, president and CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association, with the ceremonial cheque representing the $18,229.37 raised from last month’s Ottawa is Open for Business benefit for Shepherds of Good Hope, held at Constitution Square. Photo by Caroline Phillips Sandra Jean with Philippe Laplante, vice-president and co-owner of presenting sponsor Ideal Roofing, at the Taste for Hope fundraiser for Shepherds of Good Hope. Photo by Caroline PhillipsNicholas Allaham from First Avenue Investment Counsel, seen with his wife, Chloe Allaham, pledged $10,000 toward the fund-a-need appeal for new beds for Shepherds of Good Hope’s supportive housing facilities, during the Taste for Hope fundraiser. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Krista Kealey, vice-president of communications and public affairs for the Ottawa International Airport Authority, with her sister-in-law, Re/Max real estate agent Korey Kealey, along with Jennifer Tackaberry, vice-president of sales and marketing at Ottawa At Home Media, and its publisher and editor-in-chief, Mary Taggart, at Taste for Hope in support of Shepherds of Good Hope. Photo by Caroline PhillipsKPMG partner Leigh Harris, front left, who pledged $2,500 toward the fund-a-bed appeal, is joined by (far left) Sam McMillan (BMO), her husband, Jeff Hill (BMO Nesbitt Burns), Soloway Wright LLP law partner Iwona Albrecht and her husband, Krys Albrecht, at Taste for Hope in support of Shepherds of Good Hope’s mission to end chronic homelessness. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Tracy Rait-Parkes and her husband, Scott Parkes, co-president of Tamarack Homes and Tartan Homes, with their friends, consultant Kellie Major and her husband, Warren Newberry, owner at Commercial Roofing, at Taste for Hope in support of Shepherds of Good Hope’s mission to end chronic homelessness. Photo by Caroline PhillipsExecutive coach Nicola Johnson pledged $500 toward the fund-a-need appeal for new beds for Shepherds of Good Hope’s supportive housing facilities, during the Taste for Hope fundraiser. Photo by Caroline PhillipsShepherds of Good Hope donor Bruce Linton, seen with its foundation board chair, Mark Roundell, retired from RBC Wealth Management, pledged $10,000 with his wife, Heather, toward the fund-a-need appeal for new beds for Shepherds of Good Hope’s supportive housing facilities, during the Taste for Hope fundraiser. Photo by Caroline PhillipsRetired lawyer Wendy Bryans, Rise Up Strategies founder and CEO Adam Smith (who used to be the board chair of Shepherds of Good Hope and a foundation board member), with retired Globe and Mail journalist Jeffrey Simpson, at the Taste for Hope fundraiser for Shepherds of Good Hope. Photo by Caroline PhillipsStéphane Giguère, president and CEO of Ottawa Community Housing Corporation, with Danielle McGee, manager of public and stakeholder relations, at the 10th anniversary of Taste for Hope fundraiser, held in support of Shepherds of Good Hope’s mission to end chronic homelessness in Ottawa. Photo by Caroline PhillipsPaul Meek, owner of Kichesippi Beer Company in Bells Corners, was at Taste for Hope with Lesley Walker. Photo by Caroline PhillipsRestaurant Les Fougères owners Charles Part and Jennifer Warren Part and maitre d’hotel Manna Phillips at the 10th anniversary of Taste for Hope fundraiser, held in support of Shepherds of Good Hope’s mission to end chronic homelessness in Ottawa. Photo by Caroline PhillipsMichael Williams, managing partner of executive search and recruitment firm Odgers Berndtson, with his wife Claudia at the 10th anniversary of Taste for Hope fundraiser, held in support of Shepherds of Good Hope’s mission to end chronic homelessness in Ottawa. Photo by Caroline PhillipsFrom left, Michel Knox Robichaud with Sandra MacInnis, Taste for Hope co-organizer Robin Duetta, Catherine Lindquist, executive director of the Canadian Art Museum Directors Organization, and Viviana Sigurdson, owner of Vivianna Day Spa, at the 10th anniversary of Taste for Hope fundraiser, held in support of Shepherds of Good Hope’s mission to end chronic homelessness in Ottawa. Photo by Caroline PhillipsGrounded Kitchen owner Amir Rahim with his chefs, Matt Robitaille, left, and Jay Ferguson, at the 10th anniversary of Taste for Hope fundraiser, held in support of Shepherds of Good Hope’s mission to end chronic homelessness in Ottawa. Photo by Caroline PhillipsJeff O’Reilly, director of connection and engagement for Saunders Cider, with his daughter, Tegan, at the 10th anniversary of Taste for Hope fundraiser, held in support of Shepherds of Good Hope’s mission to end chronic homelessness in Ottawa. Photo by Caroline PhillipsTaste for Hope included a sitting area, courtesy of LouLou Lounge Furniture Rentals, for guests to relax in. Photo by Caroline PhillipsThe 10th anniversary of Taste for Hope drew a sold-out crowd of 430 registered attendees to the Horticulture Building on Thursday, June 14, 2023. Photo by Caroline Phillips
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