The History of Anishnabeg Outreach

  • 1996

    Established

    Established in Kitchener, ON as a Heavy Equipment Training Site

  • 1998

    Guelph Site Opens

    Guelph site opened, funded by Trillium Foundation.

  • 2001

    Non-Profit Incorporation

    Incorporated as a not for profit agency.

  • 2005

    Becomes a Charitable Organization

    Designated as a Charitable Organization.

  • 2005-2017

    Employment Services

    Established a reputation as an employment service delivery organization for urban Indigenous as well as a resource for non-Indigenous organizations to obtain contacts.

  • March 2017

    Strategic Planning

    AO Develops a strategic 3 year plan.

  • November 2017

    New CEO

    Hired a new CEO – Stephen Jackson

  • February 2018

    Searching for Headquarters

    AO began its search for a new headquarters.

  • March 2018

    Planning Development

    After first 3-year plan was mostly completed, a 10-year strategic plan was developed to include an expanded mandate that provides for the creation and development of an Urban Indigenous Centre for Healing with integrated services and innovative economic development, training and employment plans for reserve-based Indigenous communities.

  • March 2018

    AO Home Launched

    Bold new for profit initiative and partnership with AO Home Services and its new website (aohome.ca) launched.

  • March 2018

    Logo and Branding

    Established a fresh look with new logos and rebranded for a bright future and new direction.

  • March 2018

    EarlyON Begins

    Awarded funding from Region of Waterloo for the establishment of an Indigenous EarlyON.

  • June 2018

    Website Launches

    Launch of our new aocan.org website which describes our new service offerings.

  • August 2018

    Partnerships for New Centre of Healing Begin

    Partnership with St. Phillips Lutheran Church and Eastern Synod to help purchase 236 Woodhaven Road, Kitchener to create our first Indigenous centre of healing.

  • September 2018

    Job Seekers Support Added

    AO adds a brand-new state of the art Applicant Tracking System to support job seekers more efficiently & effectively.

  • October 2018

    1st Centre of Healing Purchased

    AO purchases a building to house Employment Centre, AO EarlyON and Centre for Healing in Kitchener.

  • November 2018

    Renovations Start for Centre of Healing

    AO begins renovations to create space AO EarlyON, Employment Centre and Healing programs.

  • September 2019

    EarlyON Opens

    AO's EarlyON Program opens its doors.

  • January 2020

    Employment Moves to Kitchener

    Employment agency moves to Centre of Healing location.

  • March 2020

    EarlyON Serves hundreds

    EarlyON is serving 100 children a day before COVID-19 shutdown.

  • April 2020

    Adapting to COVID-19

    AO creates a donation-based warehouse, launches its Spirit Bundle program and begins delivering essential food, household items, clothing and other needs to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit families in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph. In the programs first year it delivers out over $1 million worth of donated items to the community.

  • April 2020

    Programming Becomes Virtual

    All EarlyON and Employment programming is shifted to online during the pandemic.

  • May 2020

    AO Building Developments Continue

    AO builds medicine gardens, teaching lodge, healing lodge and a variety of other outdoor projects. The organization continues to develop and build dozens of partnerships and begins to explore new programming opportunities.

  • February 2021

    Indigenous Wellness and Healing Services Unit Begins

    AO launches its Indigenous Wellness and Healing Services Unit.