Searching for Credit Counselling

Confidential consumer credit and debt counselling service

• helps with creating a spending plan to manage living expenses, get finances back on track, consolidate debts in one monthly payment, save thousands of dollars in interest, and stop collection calls from creditors
• provides alternatives to filing for bankruptcy

Confidential credit counselling provider

Services include:

• Assessment of income and expenses
• Money management advice
• Credit Counselling
• Budgeting assistance
• Debt management program
• Advocacy
• Public education, in-house or out in the community

COVID-19 (22 May 2020) Services remain available by phone. At-the-door services (food bank, food-to-go, basic needs) available Mon, Wed 8:30 am-11:30 am. Reunite will still operate, as usual, youth aged 16-24 can still contact Reunite staff at 613-230-4663 if they have a runaway in need of assistance returning back to parent/guardian, Canada wide program Resource Centre.

• Uses a variety of programming designed to assist clients
• Guides and supports youth based on their dreams, goals, and desires

Programs include:

Works Programs

• Provide things such as challenge, achievement, independence and reward
• Provides paid opportunities to youth and allows them to further their knowledge or experience in an area of employment or education
• Includes social support

Matters Programs

• Focused quality of life, such as socialization, dignity, friendship, and safety

Reunite

• Assists youth with returning home to their families
• Serves all of Canada

Finance Matters:
Six week financial literacy course that provides:

• information on debt
• savings
• budgeting
• credit and credit reports
• saving and investing
• banking
• income and taxes, etc

Job Action Project

• Provides employment preparation, skills training, work experience, support and monitoring for 40 youth facing multiple barriers to employment

Housing Based Case Management (HBCM) Program

• Supported housing program for at-risk and/or homeless youth
• Each participant is provided with a housing worker, for up to one year, to assist them in finding and maintaining safe and affordable housing

Youth in Transition (YIT) and Housing Support Work (HSW) program

• housing advocacy and search
• financial literacy
• basic life and tenant skills
• goal setting
• conflict resolution
• pertinent referrals for youth having signed or eligible to sign a Volunteary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA) with the Children's Aid Society (CAS)

Street Outreach

• Front-line, street level outreach and crisis intervention
• Offers personal supplies such as mittens, socks, water, and food

Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy

• ensures that bankruptcies and insolvencies are conducted in a fair and orderly manner
• debtor assistance
• help finding a bankruptcy trustee
• manages complaints and inquiries about bankruptcy-related issues or wrongdoings

Insolvency registration

• when businesses or consumers cannot pay their debts, they may file for bankruptcy or make a proposal (a payment arrangement with their creditors to prevent bankruptcy)

Bankruptcy and Insolvency Records Search

• maintains a record of all bankruptcies and proposals filed in Canada since 1978 and all receiverships filed since December 1992
• will search the records to confirm the insolvency status of individuals or businesses
• for searching bankruptcies, visit their Bankruptcy and Insolvency Records Search website page
• minimum $8 charge for each searches, including those which result in no record

Downtown Services and Drop-In (DSDI) is open.

Services:

• support services and drop-in for youth
• crisis and individual short-term supportive counselling
• laundry facilities, showers, housing, and trusteeship services
• access to computers with internet access and telephones
• health clinic with a multidisciplinary health team
• outreach and needle exchange programs

Issues addressed:

• poverty
• abuse
• health care
• employment
• school
• substance abuse
• sexual orientation
• loss

COVID-19 (20 March 2020): service currently available by appointment only

Money management program

• help in gaining stability in housing and financial affairs through trusteeship, and support
• program works with the recipients of social benefits, pensions and/or wages in order to manage money and decrease the risk of homelessness
• budgeting
• coaching
• advocacy
• debt management
• financial services
• housing loss prevention

This Centre provides

• Information, intercession and referral services
• Crisis intervention
• Food bank services and other food security strategies
• Support to complete an application for the Ontario Hydro Cost Assistance Program and the Energy Assistance Program
• Registration for the Holiday Programs and the Back to School Program with Caring and Sharing Exchange, and Toy Mountain of the Salvation Army
• Tax Clinic
• Community Development Program
• Youth Program (camp, sports, etc)
• School Youth Program
• After-School Program
• Information and advocacy services for affordable housing issues
• Volunteer Opportunities

Programs and Services :

• Social Support Program: practical assistance, referrals, crisis counselling, advocacy, needs assessment
• Community House: food bank, community activities
• Community Development: tax clinic, community gardens, support for community initiatives
• Youth Program :

1. Club 310 (after-school program) for youth aged 6-11 and Club Transitions (recreational program) for youth aged 12-14
2. Drop-in and various activities for local teens aged 12-17 (English)
3. Sports leagues and gym access (Basket-ball, Futsal, Soccer, etc) - various sports available for folks aged 6-30 years old

• Lowertown, Our Home (LOH) project: a partnership between residents and diverse community partners that actively engages community members in identifying common concerns, community solutions and preventative measures to build a healthy and safe neighbourhood
• Action Housing: provides assistance in crisis situations and supports to individuals and families seeking safe, adequate and affordable housing.

Literacy and Basic Skills:

• Literacy and basic skills training, including numeracy, digital, communication and interpersonal skills
• helps learners prepare for employment, apprenticeship, secondary-school credit, post-secondary education and greater independence

Learners are tutored individually by trained teachers in weekly sessions which take place in the Society's offices

• meeting times are flexible
• computer workshops available on site

Financial Literacy Program:

• personal mentoring to help develop skills for managing money on a daily basis

Guidance regarding

• debt settlement
• credit counselling
• consumer proposals
• bankruptcy solutions
• business solutions

Community non-profit organization offering financial empowerment services to Ottawa's low/modest income individuals and families

• all services to individuals are available by appointment in-person or remotely
• tax preparation: year round, for low-income individuals, up to 10 years back

Benefits:

• support to access and get what you are entitled to (CRA, LEAP, OESP, GIS,..)
• Budget Counselling: problem solving of budget issues that affects your financial well-being
• Budget Coaching: to achieve your goals and projects
• can give access to interest-free micro loan, as a last resort, for individuals who can demonstrate ability to repay in less than a year

For community organizations:

• Financial Education Workshops: offered to your clients or frontline workers. Covers any financial/budget topic upon request: budgeting, credit, debts, taxes, planning your education, etc...
• Personal Finance: I'm in Charge ! program with multiple 2-hour modules for schools or community organization serving 16-25 year olds
• support for on site or remote tax preparation of your clients or members

Confidential financial counselling for individuals and families

Offering services around:

• consumer education
• budgeting
• behaviours around money
• strategies to reduce financial stress and meet financial goals

Maintenance of individualized funding received:

Services include:

• administration of individualized funding contracts (for ex. Special Services at Home (SSAH), Passport funding, Autism Grant)
• coordination of expense claims and supporting invoices/receipts
• preparation of government remittances and filings
• assistance with general accounting guidelines and basic requirements

Fellowship of women and men who share their experience, strength and hope that they may solve their common problem and help others recover from compulsive debting and spending

Desire to stop using any form of unsecured debt * no dues or fees * group is self-supporting through its own contributions * compulsive indebtedness * personal recovery

Community services, including:

Intake for the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP):

• qualifications for reduction on electricity costs

Immigration services:

• establishment services
• counseling and assistance in immigration procedures
• application for various visas, for permanent residency, work permit, citizenship, sponsorship, etc.

Commissioners for Oaths available to validate

• oaths
• affirmations
• affidavits

Legal services:

• information and advice on immigrant and refugee rights
• guidance on judicial procedures
• defense of rights on various issues

Medical services:

• in-home doctor visits
• nursing and medical services at home

Social services:

• daycare services
• job search assistance
• job placement and internship
• support for creating and starting a business
• support for training and studies
• counselling services
• rehabilitation and monitoring of probation for minors
• radicalization prevention
• housing support services
• social activities
• interpretation and document translation
• language instruction
• placement assistance for volunteering in Africa and Canada
• financial and administrative assistance for funerary services
• maintenance of a directory for professionals and business men in Canada

Services to seniors:

• home visits
• transportation and accompaniment
• physical activity
• meditation and relaxation sessions
• foot care
• social outings

Services for individuals with a disability:

• social housing management
• budget management
• employment support
• family support

Funerals

• financial and administrative support

Confidential, non-judgmental service where people will receive practical help and coaching to get and stay out of debt

• information on how to create a spending plan, how to live without credit cards, and how to use money management systems to get, keep, and control finances

Food bank, thrift store, household goods store, and community resource centre

• client advocacy
• information and referral
• nutrition information
• budgeting support
• income tax program
• outreach

Food bank, thrift store, household goods store, and community resource centre

• client advocacy
• information and referral
• nutrition information
• budgeting support
• income tax program
• outreach

Francophone non-profit aiming to raise awareness in the community regarding violence against women, to support and equip affected women and their dependents

• education, prevention, awareness-raising in the community

Outreach Program:

• safety plan
• needs assessment
• individual counselling
• accompaniment to court, lawyer, police, etc.
• advocacy; and referrals
• individual counselling for children and youth

Transitional and Housing Support Programs:

• safety plan
• needs assessment
• find and keep suitable housing
• accompaniment
• assistance applying for documents and financial assistance
• budget assistance
• help when going back to school
• help finding a job

Pattern Changing Support Group: educational program to help abused women live a better life

Girls Only Support Group: for girls in grades 9 and 10

Hand in Hand Network: network of volunteers offering clients transportation, child care, shelter support, and community development

Self Discovery Group: Group for getting to know and accepting yourself

Voluntary counselling services

• professional counselors work confidentially with employees and/or their families
• offers support in coping with a wide array of life's challenges (work-related, family concerns, personal issues, etc)
• works with companies in virtually all employment sectors
• seminars on money management
• stress management
• retirement and healthy relationships

Additional workshops can be offered upon request

Guidance regarding

• debt settlement
• credit counselling
• consumer proposals
• bankruptcy solutions
• business solutions

Guidance regarding

• debt settlement
• credit counselling
• consumer proposals
• bankruptcy solutions
• business solutions

Guidance regarding

• debt settlement
• credit counselling
• consumer proposals
• bankruptcy solutions
• business solutions

Supported Independent Living (S.I.L.)

• provides support to developmentally challenged individuals who live in the community on their own

Services

• assistance with grocery shopping and meal preparation
• laundry and cleaning
• assistance with personal care and hygiene
• assistance with bill payments, advocacy and financial planning
• assistance with social skills and community integration
• assistance with achieving goals and maintaining independence​

COVID-19 (28 Mar 2022): In-person, video or phone services available and based on client preference.

Community-based counselling and support services to individuals, families and organizations

• family counselling, credit counselling, child and youth counselling, women's counselling, and adult protective services
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• Family Services Employee Assistance Programs
• Family Court Support Worker
• Youth in Transition Worker
• Partner Assault Response Program

Confidential financial counselling for individuals and families

Offering services around:

• consumer education
• budgeting
• behaviours around money
• strategies to reduce financial stress and meet financial goals