Ottawa, ON – August 8, 2025 – More than 100 volunteers assembled over 2,000 backpacks filled with essential school supplies for children and youth living in Ottawa Community Housing (OCH) communities. The second annual 24-hour Pack-a-Thon fundraiser, organized by the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation (OCH Foundation), kicked off on August 7 and wrapped up today, August 8.
With the rising cost of living, preparing to return to school can present a challenge . The cost of school supplies adds up quickly, even more so for families struggling to afford necessities. The average monthly income of a family living in OCH is $1,775, and school supplies can easily cost more than $100 per child.
The OCH Foundation’s Pack-a-Sack program, a core initiative since 2014, aims to alleviate the stress of back-to-school preparations for families living in OCH communities. By providing backpacks filled with quality school supplies—including pencils, markers, and geometry sets—the program ensures that children and youth from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 11 start the school year fully equipped and ready to learn. This marks the first year the program has expanded to include Grade 11 students, responding to the growing need among older youth for academic support.
This year’s Pack-a-Thon represents a significant expansion of the program’s impact, thanks to the collaboration of 22 dedicated community partners, including: Khalsa Aid Ottawa, Hydro Ottawa, Ottawa Community Housing, Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC), HEIN, EnviroCentre, Bridgehead, Moxies, RBC, Giant Tiger, Régimbal, the Coalition of Community Houses, Caring & Sharing Exchange, REMAX- Good Story, TEKsystems, Enterprise, North & Navy and Cantina Gia, Taggart Realty Management, Whole Foods, Gabriel Pizza, Youth in Policing Initative (YIPI) and Pomerleau.
We thank the media for covering of our Pack-a-Sack campaign. Here’s a full recap of how the media covered this important community initiative:
Caroline in the Capital: Packing with heart: helping kids in Ottawa Community Housing to thrive this school year
CBC: Ottawa Community Housing packs bags for kids in need
Radio-Canada: Achat de fournitures scolaires : les organismes s’activent à Ottawa et à Gatineau
CTV News: Preparing for back-to-school season
“Thank you to the Pack-a-Sack program for supporting my children. I hope you realize you’re helping make the world a better place by supporting young talent and making dreams possible for children whose families simply can’t afford these opportunities…”
Quote from Judith Janice, parent whose children received backpacks.
“Each year, Pack-a-Sack shows the incredible power of community. What started as a goal to fillith a goal of 700 backpacks in 2022 has more than tripled in just a three years. Last year alone, we helped over 2,000 students head back to school with a full backpack ready to succeedchool. This year, we’re proud to grow the program further by including Grade 11 students, ensuring even more children and youth have what they need to learn, grow, and thrive.”
Traci Spour-Lafrance, Executive Director, OCH Foundation
“Pack-a-Sack isn’t just about pencils and notebooks; it’s about dignity, confidence, and community. Thanks to the incredible generosity of our partners and volunteers, this year’s Pack-a-Thon will reach even more young people in our OCH communities—where the need is real, and where a little support has a huge impact. Together, we’re showing up for these kids—and helping them step into the school year with their heads held high.”
Melissa Reeves, Chair, OCH Foundation
Committed to the 33,000 tenants living in Ottawa Community Housing (OCH), the Ottawa Community Housing Foundation is a registered charity that helps tenants achieve personal success through education, employment, and community engagement projects. Since its inception in 2012, the OCH Foundation has been raising funds to provide free programs and services, responding to new and emerging needs of tenants living in OCH communities. To learn more, visit www.ochfoundation.ca.
Ottawa Community Housing offers approximately 15,500 homes to about 33,000 tenants, including seniors, families, individuals, and people with disabilities. These homes are located in various communities throughout the City of Ottawa and house a diverse population with different languages, cultures, and ethnicities. OCH is Ottawa’s primary community housing provider, managing two-thirds of the city’s housing portfolio and ranking as the second largest in Ontario.
Pranav Kohli (he/him), OCH Foundation, pranav.kohli@ochfoundation.ca
Annie Pemachuk (she/her), OCH Foundation, annie.premachuk@ochfoundation.ca
39 Auriga Drive, Ottawa (ON) K2E 7Y8
Phone(613) 618-9353
Charitable Registration # 816590483RR0001
OCH Foundation’s work in Ottawa takes place on the traditional unceded and unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabe nation. As uninvited guests on this land, we acknowledge the leadership of Indigenous people from time immemorial.
COPYRIGHT 2023 OCH FOUNDATION – PRIVACY
