OMRA SHELTER CORPORATION

What OMRA SHELTER CORPORATION does

OMRA Shelter Corporation, originally founded in 2001 as Ottawa Mennonite Refugee Assistance by a refugee sponsorship group at Ottawa Mennonite Church, is a small volunteer-based Canadian non-profit charity registered in Ontario that provides time-limited rent subsidies (1-4 years, gradually decreasing) to recently resettled refugees in Ottawa. Operating from a Kanata, Ontario mailing address, the organization disburses subsidies through referral partnerships with the Catholic Centre for Immigrants, private sponsorship groups, and other refugee settlement agencies rather than via direct applications. After initially purchasing townhouses to house sponsored families, in 2017 the organization sold two of those properties and pivoted to a portable subsidy model, expanding the number of families supported by roughly six-fold.

Core service offerings are a Rent Subsidy Program for refugees who have been in Canada less than two years, plus a Volunteer Program (tutoring and client services) coordinated by Client Services Manager Amena Khavari. Underlying program design is operationally simple: rent top-ups to bridge the gap between refugee household budgets and Ottawa's tight rental market, paired with relational supports. There is no proprietary technology stack; the organization runs on standard productivity tools, a WordPress website (omraottawa.org), and email/cheque/Canada Helps donation rails.

Revenue is generated through two primary streams: (1) a Grocery Card Fundraising Program in which OMRA purchases cards at face value from Farm Boy, Metro, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Loblaws and resells them through six local congregations, with retailers contributing 5% of card value back to OMRA (Farm Boy cards are recyclable for an additional $1 each), and (2) tax-deductible donations enabled by the organization's 2022 charitable status. Reach is geographically limited to the Ottawa market, and beneficiary outcomes (housing stability, education/employment improvement, social connection) have been validated by a 2024 University of Ottawa evaluation funded by the Catherine Donnelly Foundation.

Name

OMRA SHELTER CORPORATION

Legal name

OMRA Shelter Corporation

Website

https://omraottawa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Short description

OMRA Shelter Corporation is a volunteer-based Ottawa non-profit charity that provides 1-4 year time-limited rent subsidies to resettled refugees in Ottawa, funded through a grocery card fundraising program across six local congregations and tax-deductible donations enabled by its 2022 charitable status.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee Housing Assistance Services

NAICS

Community Housing Services (62422)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Homelessness Prevention, Shelter & Supportive Housing Services (BPAIANAC)

Keywords

• Refugee rent subsidies
• Affordable housing support
• Non-profit charity services
• Refugee resettlement assistance
• Grocery card fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Grocery Card Fundraising Program: OMRA purchases grocery cards from Farm Boy, Metro, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Loblaws in denominations of $50 and $100. Cards are sold at face value to supporters, with retailers contributing 5% of card value back to OMRA. Farm Boy cards are recyclable and generate $1 per card when returned.
2. Tax-Deductible Donations: Accepts donations via e-transfer to [email protected], cheques mailed to the Kanata office, and credit card through Canada Helps portal. All donations are tax-deductible since OMRA received charitable status in 2022.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

OMRA Shelter Corporation is a volunteer-based charity that provides time-limited rent subsidies (1-4 years) to resettled refugees who have recently arrived in Ottawa. Subsidy recipients are identified through referrals from private sponsorship groups and the Catholic Centre for Immigrants, and subsidy amounts gradually decrease as recipients become more independent. The organization funds its operations through a grocery card fundraising program (Farm Boy, Metro, Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaws) and tax-deductible donations.

Product overview

OMRA Shelter Corporation is a small non-profit, volunteer-based charity operating since 2001 that helps resettled refugees in Ottawa access affordable housing. The organization offers a unified portfolio of services centered on its Rent Subsidy Program, which provides time-limited financial assistance (1-4 years) to refugee families. Supporting programs include a Grocery Card Fundraising Program that generates operating revenue through partnerships with major retailers (Farm Boy, Metro, Shoppers Drug Mart, Loblaws), Tax-Deductible Donation Processing for direct financial contributions, and a Volunteer Program providing tutoring and client services. The organization also publishes regular newsletters to communicate with stakeholders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rent Subsidy Program Time-limited rent subsidies (1-4 years) provided to resettled refugees who have been in Canada for less than two years. Subsidy amounts gradually decrease as recipients become more independent, giving families time to learn English or French, obtain employment, and stabilize housing. Recipients are identified through referrals from private sponsorship groups, the Catholic Centre for Immigrants, and other refugee settlement agencies.
• Grocery Card Fundraising Program Fundraising program where OMRA purchases grocery cards from Farm Boy, Metro, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Loblaws in $50 and $100 denominations and sells them at face value through six local partner congregations. Retailers contribute 5% of card value back to OMRA; Farm Boy cards are also recyclable, generating an additional $1 per card when returned.
• Tax-Deductible Donation Processing Accepts donations via e-transfer to [email protected], cheques mailed to the Kanata office, and credit card through the Canada Helps portal. All donations are tax-deductible following OMRA's receipt of charitable status in 2022.

Quantifiable outcome

• High degree of housing stability, improvements in education and employment status, and increased social connection among subsidy recipients (per University of Ottawa evaluation)

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Emmanuel United ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of six local congregations participating in OMRA's grocery card fundraising program, selling cards to church members on behalf of OMRA to generate donations.
• Glebe-St. James United ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating congregation in OMRA's grocery card fundraising program, selling cards to members and contributing to OMRA's operating funds.
• Ottawa Mennonite ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal founding congregation where OMRA was established in 2001 as a refugee sponsorship group. Continues to participate in grocery card fundraising.
• Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating congregation in OMRA's grocery card fundraising program supporting refugee housing assistance.
• St. Joseph's ParishcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating congregation in OMRA's grocery card fundraising program.
• St. Thomas the Apostle Anglican ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating congregation in OMRA's grocery card fundraising program.
• Catholic Centre for ImmigrantscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMajor referral partner that supports reception of newcomers to Canada and assists newcomers in reaching their full potential. Refers eligible resettled refugees to OMRA's rent subsidy program.
• Carty HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFirst home and helping hand for women refugees in Ottawa. OMRA works with Carty House to support better outcomes for newcomers.
• Matthew House OttawaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides shelter, furnishings and community to refugees and those transitioning to permanent housing. OMRA partners with Matthew House to support refugee housing.
• Refugee 613minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA communications hub that informs, connects and inspires people to welcome refugees and build strong communities. OMRA participates in Refugee 613's Task Force on Housing.
• Housing FirstminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization committed to ending homelessness in Ottawa. OMRA works with Housing First to understand obstacles to affordable housing.
• Jewish Family ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFull service, non-sectarian agency serving residents of greater Ottawa area offering more than 65 programs and services. OMRA partners with JFS to support newcomers.
• Rent Assist AlliescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking in collaboration with OMRA and local partners to prevent family homelessness by offering rent subsidies paired with community-driven relational supports that enable pathways to self-sufficiency.
• Farm BoyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGrocery retailer providing grocery cards to OMRA's fundraising program. Farm Boy contributes 5% of grocery card value to OMRA and cards are recyclable with additional $1 per card returned.
• MetrominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGrocery retailer providing grocery cards to OMRA's fundraising program. Metro contributes 5% of grocery card value to OMRA.
• LoblawsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGrocery retailer providing grocery cards to OMRA's fundraising program. Loblaws contributes 5% of grocery card value to OMRA.
• Shoppers Drug MartminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRetail pharmacy providing grocery cards to OMRA's fundraising program.
• Canada HelpsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline donation platform enabling credit card donations to OMRA through their Canada Helps page.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Jewish Family Services of Ottawa: Full-service non-sectarian agency in greater Ottawa offering 65+ programs including newcomer support. Addresses similar refugee and immigrant housing-instability needs and is an explicit OMRA partner.
• Carty House: First home and helping hand for women refugees in Ottawa. Offers a comparable newcomer housing-stability mission to OMRA's rent subsidy model and is listed as a strategic partner.
• Catholic Centre for Immigrants: Ottawa refugee settlement agency and OMRA's primary referral source. Provides complementary newcomer settlement services in the same city and target population.
• Rent Assist Allies: Local Ottawa coalition working in collaboration with OMRA to prevent family homelessness via rent subsidies paired with community-driven relational supports. Operates the same rent-subsidy-plus-supports model.
• Housing First Ottawa: Organization committed to ending homelessness in Ottawa. Works with OMRA on housing affordability obstacles, addressing overlapping needs around housing stability for vulnerable populations.
• Matthew House Ottawa: Provides shelter, furnishings, and community to refugees transitioning to permanent housing in Ottawa. Operates in the same refugee housing space as OMRA and is an explicit strategic partner.

Regional players

• Calgary Catholic Immigration Society: Western Canadian refugee settlement agency providing newcomer housing and integration supports. Comparable refugee housing mandate in a different regional market.
• COSTI Immigrant Services: Toronto-based immigrant and refugee services organization running settlement, housing, and language programs. Comparable newcomer-housing mandate but in a different geography.

Broad incumbents

• Aga Khan Foundation Canada: National Canadian development agency working on refugee resettlement and integration. A broader incumbent in the same space; OMRA board member Roya Shams previously worked there.

Others

• Refugee 613: Communications hub connecting and inspiring people to welcome refugees. OMRA participates in Refugee 613's Task Force on Housing; adjacent ecosystem enabler rather than direct service competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OMRA SHELTER CORPORATION