About Restoring Hope
Our Story
In 2008, Jason Pino, one of the co-founders of Restoring Hope Ministries along with an Ottawa architect/entrepreneur, was working as a full-time youth outreach worker. This allowed him the opportunity to spend countless hours on the streets of downtown Ottawa. Through his experiences working with homeless youth in Ottawa, he found that emergency shelter specifically for homeless youth was sorely needed in Ottawa and other cities in Canada.
So began a journey. After a lot of searching, hard work and perseverance, the co-founders approached First Baptist Church ("the Church") in Ottawa. The Church generously offered the use of space in the basement of their building, free of charge, for Restoring Hope Ministries to provide space for an overnight shelter and drop-in facility for youth in early 2013. The Church is conveniently located near the downtown core in Ottawa, which is within walking distance from where the majority of Ottawa’s homeless youth congregate. Restoring Hope Ministries was able to provide between 6 and 10 beds at this location, and initially began by operating the shelter one night per week with the goal to add more nights as funding and volunteers would become available.
Restoring Hope Ministries was able to introduce additional evenings and we now operate five nights per week, Fridays to Tuesdays. We provide comfortable, supportive emergency shelter space and drop-in programs to homeless and street-engaged youth within our city. We currently accommodate young men and women between the ages of 16 (the minimum legal age in Ontario) and 24. We operate as a minimal-barrier structure without a formal intake process, which allows youth to access the shelter even if they have lost ID or are otherwise in distress.
In 2018, we were able to introduce the Combining Our Resources Effectively (C.O.R.E) program. This is a bilingual program created to address the gaps in our current healthcare system, related to substance abuse and addiction. It is there to assist the youth in navigating the system and to facilitate transition during the waiting periods that they encounter prior to entering a detoxification or withdrawal treatment program.
This experience has allowed Restoring Hope Ministries to realize three very important gaps in the current system for support of vulnerable youth in our community:
1. Withdrawal Management Programs for youth;
2. Day Programs for women experiencing sexual exploitation;
3. Safe houses for women escaping human trafficking.
Which now brings forward the journey to start these new programs.
What Drives Us
Our Mission
Restoring Hope Ministries is guided by the Biblical principle of “loving our neighbours”. Our mission is to love and serve the youth and young adults in the Ottawa area who are experiencing homelessness, are marginalized and/or are exploited. We do this by providing physical, spiritual, emotional and mental support and by addressing specific problems faced by these youth so that they may discover their talents, their potential and their worth.
Our Three Core Values
Unconditional Love – We believe that love is the core of building trusting relationships. The power of love brings hope that is transformational. We choose to love people where they are at without expecting anything in return, in hopes that they will come to love themselves.
Compassionate Care – We believe that individuals experiencing hurt need to have specialized and individual care; therefore, we develop and implement programs and services to support them on their road to a healthier life. These programs will be developed with a holistic approach that promotes healing and hope for the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs of each person.
Collaborative Community – We believe that it takes partnerships and collaboration with other individuals, families, organizations and churches within our community to succeed. We value the importance and worth of a community as we address the needs of those we serve. We will continue to learn, grow and deepen our awareness of issues related to the programs from one another.
Our
People
Restoring Hope Ministries follows the common non-profit model where ministry partner organizations are formed by one or more Founders and supported by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Board of Directors ensures that fiscal stewardship and transparency is maintained and upheld at all times. As a primarily donor-funded charity, we have a diverse portfolio of fundraising programs and revenue sources to ensure financial viability and reduce risk. We are continuously working toward developing lower-cost fundraising sources.
Executive Director & Founder
Jason Pino
Jason Pino is the Founder of Restoring Hope Ministries. He has been operating an emergency shelter for youth consistently since 2013. Before helping to start Restoring Hope Ministries, he worked with homeless and at risk youth for 18 years. His experience has been varied in working with youth in group homes, drop in centres, street outreach, emergency shelter and housing. His educational background is a B.A. and an associate’s degree in church ministry. He has experience in both frontline and management level work in the social work field. His deep passion, vast experience and skills gained brings the necessary to help lead these new initiatives with success.
Board of Directors
Michelle D'Amico
Chair and Treasurer
Michelle D’Amico has a passion for youth, and has worked with a number of not-for-profit organizations that focus on improving the well-being of youth and young adults. She grew up in Southern Ontario and moved to Ottawa in 1989 where she worked in the Federal Government in various managerial roles for 30 years, where she was an active member of the Federal Speaker’s Bureau on Mental Health. Since leaving the Federal Public Service in 2021, Michelle worked as the Executive Director of the National Initiative on Eating Disorders up until early 2025. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) and is an active volunteer within her church community.
Carol Malko
Director
Carol was born in the Montreal area, but primarily grew up in central Nova Scotia. She moved to Ottawa in 2008 to pursue a Master’s degree in Public Administration at Carleton University and has been working in the Federal Government in various policy and management roles ever since. Carol is dedicated to helping her community and those in need, particularly individuals who are struggling with mental health or life transitions. She has been volunteering for a mental health organization in the Ottawa area for over five years, listening to clients, helping them establish goals and priorities and linking them with appropriate resources. She is trained in active listening techniques, crisis intervention and suicide prevention techniques.
Cindy McAlpine
Director and Secretary
Cindy was born in Quebec City but grew up primarily in Whitby, Ontario. Over the past 25 years, she has worked for the Department of Foreign Affairs in Canada and abroad in the field of international development, primarily in conflict-affected areas. She has a passion for seeing communities and community members come together to care for those who are marginalized. In Ottawa and overseas, she has volunteered with a number of mental health and crisis response organizations, and also began volunteering with Restoring Hope Ministries in 2014 at its youth drop-in. Cindy is particularly drawn to Restoring Hope for the way it prioritizes relationship-building and ensuring that young people feel individually valued. Cindy has a Bachelor's degree from the Royal Military College of Canada and an MBA.
Luisa Cardenas
Director
Luisa Cardenas is a dedicated professional with over a decade of experience in social services, specializing in supporting youth and individuals facing homelessness or significant life challenges. With a strong commitment to empowering marginalized individuals, she has expertise in community outreach, housing and addiction support, employment services, and intensive case management. Luisa excels in cultivating strategic partnerships with local stakeholders to enhance resources and expand opportunities for those in need. She brings her extensive experience and passion for community empowerment to drive meaningful change and support Restoring Hope Ministries' mission to restore hope and transform lives.