For over 60 years, Urbandale Corporation had prided itself on giving back to the community that has supported them through growth and prosperity.
As one of Ottawa’s longest serving development companies, the firm has three pillars of focus: hunger, health and homelessness.
So when they saw the great work The Ottawa Mission was doing to better the lives of vulnerable residents, Urbandale knew this would be a great partnership. Since 2000, the group has been contributing financially, and in 2020 became the lead sponsor for The Mission’s Food Truck program.
“As soon as we stepped through The Mission’s doors we were immediately blown away by their hospitality and care,” said Lawrence Weinstein, who sits on Urbandale Corporation’s board of directors. “The way they house people, feed people, work with clients and train them to go out in the community to work is nothing short of amazing.”
A lasting legacy
Urbandale Corporation was founded in 1958 by Lyon Sachs and Herb Nadolny, who met at York Street Public School as kids.
Herb was an accountant and Lyon was an engineer. They loved to talk shop and decided to go into business together. Richard Sachs, son of the co-founder, said the partnership worked well from day one.
“If one made a decision the other one supported it. They had a reputation of people you could do business with on a hand shake,” said Sachs.
At one point, Urbandale was the largest builder of Ottawa Community Housing projects.
“We don’t just do developments; we really focus on building communities,” said Terry Nichols, president of Urbandale Corporation.
It’s that enthusiasm that partnered so well with The Ottawa Mission’s food truck program.
“The Mission provides homes for people. We think everyone needs a roof over their head whether it’s built by us or someone else,” said Nichols. “We also think hunger is a key issue because so many people need food.”
“For everything you put into The Ottawa Mission you receive it back tenfold [and] if the community supports you, you have an obligation to give back – it’s a circle effect,” said Weinstein and Sachs. “You don’t have a choice!”
Fighting food insecurity
Despite The Ottawa Mission being located in the downtown core, food insecurity is a city-wide issue.
It’s estimated that 8.7 million Canadians nation-wide are food insecure — a number that is only growing due to the rise of housing costs, the price of groceries, and an inadequate minimum wage. Families are having to choose between putting a roof over their head or food on the table.
The Mission saw a significant increase in its clients last year due to the continuing lack of affordable housing and asylum seekers coming to Canada for a better life without adequate government supports in place. As a result, the facility is operating at over 100 per cent capacity, with clients sleeping on chairs and mats on the floor as they await a bed.
The Food Truck program, supported by Urbandale Corporation, operates in diverse communities across the length and breadth of the city. Launched as a pandemic response to bring warm, nutritious meals to those struggling during the pandemic, it is now a mainstay for many people and families who struggle with food insecurity.
“The need out there is astronomical,” said Chef Ric Allen-Watson, director of food services for The Mission. “I have been at The Ottawa Mission for 22 years and I’ve never seen things so bad in our world and our community. People are hungry.”
The Ottawa Mission’s Food Truck program has now become an essential resource for those experiencing homelessness and food insecurity in Ottawa. Check out the food truck website to see where the food trucks support your community.
The Ottawa Mission would like to thank Urbandale Corporation, the RBC Foundation, Giant Tiger, and the Taggart Parkes Foundation for their ongoing support of this essential program.
Help alleviate hunger in your neighbourhood by donating to the stop closest to you! For $500 you can sponsor 100 meals and $3,500 will support one full food truck route.
If you’re interested in learning more or would like information on how to partner with the program, please contact Kimberley Banks at kbanks@ottawamission.com.
