Upstream Ottawa is one of our featured charities for 2025 and they have an impressive impact on the community. They provide intensive case-management services plus outreach services for individuals 16+ who struggle with mental health or addiction.
In 2024 alone, they…
- Cared for 185 clients in their Case Management program.
- Supported 343 more in their outreach efforts.
- Had 5,299 visits or phone calls with clients.
- Provided 1,125 meals.
- Gave 125 rides to appointments.
These numbers are no doubt impressive, but organizations like this have an impact that cannot be fully measured in numbers. Let’s hear it from their clients.
One client describes the support as, “I really don’t know where I’d be - if I’d be - without Upstream.” Compassionate support from providers who get it can save lives.
Upstream Clients have access to a social worker who will believe in them, show up and support them as they put in the work to address their mental health. This is huge! Especially since not everyone has access to healthy family support systems. In one client's words, “Upstream gave me a home and amazing support when my mental health issues became such that I could not live at home anymore.”
Family transcends the one you were born into. You can form a chosen family with friends and a powerful foundation can be people with similar lived experiences to you. A lot of Upstream Clients find that with each other. “You don’t have a family? You’ve got one here,” said an Upstream Client. They find people who can understand their struggles with mental health or addiction and form unbreakable bonds.
Mental Health support of all kinds is great but to truly get the experience of feeling seen and understood, it needs to be culturally relevant. Upstream does this well, especially with their SAPACCY program which offers mental health and substance use support for Black and Caribbean youth. And the best part? The care is provided by Black Clinicians. “It is important to meet people that are part of the same community that you belong to, and you get to share your successes,” an Upstream Client said. It’s no surprise that their clients gave them a perfect score for cultural competency.
Let’s cheer them on at this year's HOPE Volleyball SummerFest event so they can continue making an incredible impact in our community.
