Oct 31st, 2023

MEDIA ADVISORY – Nearly 50 REALTORS® and real estate board and association staff from across Canada are teaming up to Help Makeover Foster Farm Family House

Nov. 2 and Nov. 3 – Ottawa, ON The Foster Farm Family House will be getting some much-needed renovations thanks to the support of nearly 50 volunteers working over two days. 

On Thursday, Nov. 2, members of The Canadian Real Estate Association CREA’s Board of Directors and its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Committee, who are REALTORS® as well as Members of CREA’s Operational Management Team, who are association staff, will be completing the painting the community house (two town houses), and other minor maintenance projects at the community house on Ramsey Crescent.  

The Community House provides food assistance, crisis support, household supplies and coordinates celebrations and programming to support 415 families living in the Foster Farm community.  

On Friday, Nov. 3, staff members representing 23 real estate boards and associations across the country will participate in a training event with OCH for a soon-to-be-announced national volunteering initiative aimed at engaging REALTORS® in hands-on volunteering events supporting housing and shelter-related causes in their communities. Participants in the training event will gain practical experience in volunteering, learn from Realized Worth and receive guidance on creating impactful volunteering initiatives in their communities.  

Established in 2011, OCH’s Volunteer Engagement Program pairs volunteer groups with beautification projects that help improvement the lives of OCH tenants.  

Event details: 

The volunteer project will take place over two days. OCH’s senior executive team members will join us, the OCH Foundation as well as Bay Ward Councillor and OCH Board Chair Theresa Kavanagh. 

Agenda November 2 (1085-334 Ramsey Crescent) 

9:00 a.m.: Volunteers arrive/set up  

9:10 a.m.: Emcee Mehdi Louzouaz Manager, Volunteer Engagement Program, OCH 

9:25 a.m.: Marie-Louise Knight, Foster Farm Family House Coordinator  

9:30 a.m.: Welcome message – Chris Jarvis, Facilitator, Realized Worth 

10:00 a.m.:  Work begins   

12:15 p.m.: Lunch break 

1:15 p.m.: Work resumes 

4:00 p.m.: Event ends

Agenda November 3 (1085-334 Ramsey Crescent) 

9:00 a.m.: Volunteers arrive/set up  

9:05 a.m.: Emcee Mehdi Louzouaz (Manager, VE, OCH)  

9:10 a.m.: Welcome message – Brian Gilligan, Chief Officer, Community and Tenant Support, OCH

9:30 a.m.: Welcome message – Chris Jarvis, Facilitator, Realized Worth 

12:00 p.m.: Lunch 

12:05 p.m.: Welcome to the community from Councillor Theresa Kavanagh 

12:10 p.m.: What’s upcoming for OCH, Cliff Youdale, Chief Development Officer, OCH 

12:30 p.m.: Information on the work of the OCH Foundation, Angela Bégin, Executive Director, OCH Foundation 

1:00 p.m.:  Work resumes 

4:00 p.m.: Event ends 

Note: To better coordinate interviews and filming, it is suggested that the media attend between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. on Nov. 2 or between 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. on Nov. 3.  

To RSVP or schedule an interview, please contact:   

Jennifer McIntosh  
Communications Specialist  
Ottawa Community Housing  
media@och.ca     
613-914-9953