Human Needs Task Force

A Human Needs Task Force was implemented as part of the City’s Emergency Management Plan and emergency response to COVID-19 to ensure that we are responsive to the emerging needs of the community.

The task force is focused on responding to immediate, medium and long-term community needs on:

• Financial and food security
• Homelessness and sheltering

Please ask anyone facing difficulty to call 3-1-1. The City of Ottawa has many supports in place for residents in need and is expanding its' capacity to meet local needs.

Contact us

The Human Needs Task Force does not accept direct donations from the community.

If you have new items to donate, please contact The Gifts in Kind program at the Rideau Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre. Be sure to call in advance of dropping off your donation. For more information, email Gifts.InKindProgram@crcrr.org or call 613-745-0073.

You may also contact one of the Community Health and Resource Centres in your area. They may connect you with an organization which would benefit from your offer.

The Ottawa Hospital is also collecting, processing and storing all donated medical equipment, to help supply the many front-line healthcare staff across the Eastern Ontario region who are responding to the pandemic. For more information, email the Ottawa Hospital at COVIDdonations@toh.ca.

The City of Ottawa thanks you, in advance, for your assistance. 

Donate blood

Canadian Blood Services are supporting patients’ on-going needs for blood and blood products. They have taken steps to comply with the Public Health Agency of Canada’s directive on physical distancing. They have added screening measures for the safety of donors and employees. To book a blood donation appointment, visit blood.ca(link is external) or through the GiveBlood app.

Applying an equity lens to all stages of the COVID-19 pandemic response helps ensure everyone gets the support they need.

The City developed a series of documents that highlight the importance of applying an equity lens to COVID-19 supports. Differences in barriers and access to resources that people have based on their socio/cultural/economic reality and demographic identities need to be considered.

• A Technical Note on Gendered Impact of COVID19 Pandemic   [ PDF - 271 KB ]
• An Equity Lens on COVID19 Recovery [ PDF - 213 KB ]

For more information on an Equity and Inclusion lens to the COVID-19 response and recovery. email: womengenderequity@ottawa.ca.

If you are looking to support your community during this critical time, you can help by checking in with neighbours and friends who may be vulnerable, overwhelmed, lonely or in need of help.

However, please do not do so if you have a fever, new onset of cough or difficulty breathing, or if you have been in close contact with a confirmed or probable case of COVID-19.

Due to the evolving situation with COVID-19, we are not looking for volunteers. If you wish to lend your volunteer support to local community organizations during the COVID-19 situation, please visit Volunteer Ottawa for more information. Volunteer Ottawa (link is external) has established a pool of pre-screened volunteers and will continue to accept new applicants. 

We are seeing an increase in disposable gloves and masks discarded on the ground in public, especially in grocery store parking lots.

Used gloves and masks are garbage and do not belong on the ground. Improper disposal of garbage is a safety risk and harmful to the environment. Residents should dispose of all garbage, including gloves and masks, in waste bins.

If you take your used gloves and masks home, throw them away in a garbage bin lined with a plastic bag, and be sure to wash your hands after.

Any person found depositing waste on any property can be charged with littering.