The History of Anishnabeg Outreach

Established

Established in Kitchener, ON as a Heavy Equipment Training Site

Guelph Site Opens

Guelph site opened, funded by Trillium Foundation.

Non-Profit Incorporation

Incorporated as a not for profit agency.

Becomes a Charitable Organization

Designated as a Charitable Organization.

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.

Strategic Planning

AO Develops a strategic 3 year plan.

New CEO

Hired a new CEO – Stephen Jackson

Searching for Headquarters

AO began its search for a new headquarters.

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.

AO Home Launched

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

Logo and Branding

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

EarlyON Begins

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

Website Launches

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

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.

Job Seekers Support Added

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

1st Centre of Healing Purchased

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

Renovations Start for Centre of Healing

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

EarlyON Opens

AO's EarlyON Program opens its doors.

Employment Moves to Kitchener

Employment agency moves to Centre of Healing location.

EarlyON Serves hundreds

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

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.

Programming Becomes Virtual

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

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.

Indigenous Wellness and Healing Services Unit Begins

AO launches its Indigenous Wellness and Healing Services Unit.