ABOUT US

Learn about our vision, mission and story

Our Mission

To come alongside and support individuals in Ottawa’s inner-city experiencing poverty or homelessness, by: demonstrating the message of Christ in action and word; and showing compassion.

Our Vision

Flourishing communities where people are valued, shown dignity, respect and given the opportunity to attain an improved quality of life.

Values

Dependence on God; Respect and dignity for all people; People’s potential.

We affirm the God-given potential in every person and commit to creating spaces where their gifts can be discovered, nurtured and expressed.

FOUNDING VERSE

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.

And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

and to walk humbly with your God.”

- Micah 6:8 (NIV)

Ottawa Innercity Ministries is a Christian charitable organization whose actions are shaped by the Bible.

Micah 6:8 influences OIM’s approach to ministry, as our team works to embody the “justice”, “mercy” and faithfulness it describes. As a Christian charitable organization, the faith of staff and volunteers shapes both how we choose to model our programs, the vocabulary we use each day, and the core values that shape our mission and vision.

STRENGTH-BASED MODEL

Following Jesus Christ as revealed in the Bible, Ottawa Innercity Ministries (OIM) strives to follow the philosophy of a strength-based model of ministry. The strength-based approach holds as true that every person is an image-bearer of the Living God and therefore has intrinsic value (Genesis 1:26). Each person has talents, skills and capacities to offer, however problematic their background or current circumstances might be. Rather than defining people by their ‘deficiencies’ (addictions, mental health issues, homelessness, poverty, etc.), OIM’s service perspective is: to love people as Christ loves them; to see people as Christ sees them; to believe in their potential as Christ’s image-bearers; and to serve their spiritual, mental, physical and social development as Christ enables.

From its beginnings, OIM has focused on building a supportive community where hope is birthed, nurtured and realized.

Early Beginnings (1988 – 2003)

OIM was established in 1988.

OIM was established in 1988 when Rev. Susan Brandt and Katrine Coward, having served the poor through other agencies for years, felt a profound call from God. Leaving their jobs, they ventured into Ottawa’s inner-city to serve those living on the margins demonstrating the message of Christ in deed and word. Initially, they operated directly from the trunk of a car, bringing hope and practical care to Ottawa’s most vulnerable.

With the blessing and support of local churches, they became OIM’s first street missionaries in our Nation’s Capital. Relying on borrowed space and remaining mobile, they focused on building community among those who called the streets their home. Rev. Susan Brandt served as OIM’s Executive Director for the first 15 years, leaving an indelible mark on the organization’s culture.

One of the most defining aspects of her tenure was the introduction of foot care, a humble act of service inspired by Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. Rev. Susan once instructed her staff to do the same for those they served. This practice became a cornerstone of OIM’s drop-in program at the time. In a poignant moment before she moved to Calgary, OIM’s Street Friends reversed the role, washing Susan’s feet in a rocking chair, a deeply spiritual experience she described as a "Holy time."

Today, Susan’s vision lives on through a focus on dignity and comfort. While the physical act of washing feet has evolved, OIM prioritizes foot health through its outreach wagons, which distribute thousands of pairs of socks annually.