Giving every K-12 student in Ottawa the opportunity to succeed today, and prepare for tomorrow.

Every child should finish school prepared to take on the world. ONFE is harnessing the resources of our incredible community to equip local youth with the tools, knowledge, and skills they’ll need to thrive in post-secondary studies, and to build fulfilling careers.

See everything that ONFE does for local students!

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Our focus areas

Learning

As many as 15% of local students have learning challenges, and up to 22% of Ottawa students are immigrants or new English language learners. We strive to remove barriers to learning by matching trained volunteers with teachers and students that need extra help.

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Health & Well-Being

There is a direct correlation between the health and well-being of children and youth, and their ability to learn and succeed in school. At ONFE, we identify and provide solutions to serious problems that affect wellness and academic achievement, including student hunger, inadequate nutrition, and drug and alcohol addiction.

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Career Readiness

We strive to help secondary students make informed career choices and transition successfully to post-secondary studies and fulfilling careers. Our innovative programming helps students develop financial literacy, entrepreneurial thinking, and work readiness skills.

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BACK TO SCHOOL WITH ONFE

Every single one of our programs is being rebuilt for this new reality, so that we can continue to fuel kids and ignite learning – just as we’ve done for the last 35 years.
See our adapted programs

Discover how the variety of ONFE programs are addressing critical issues in our schools, removing barriers to learning, supporting student well-being, and boosting student success.

See the work that we do

How can you help support us?

It’s up to you! You can make a donation, volunteer, plan an event, or become a sponsor.

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Interested in volunteering?

Working with children and youth is deeply rewarding, and we have many ways for you to get involved!

Explore Volunteering

“ I was inspired to volunteer after reading about Jamie Oliver. I related to his concern about children, and his desire to make sure they’re fueled properly to learn. It made me think about what I could do, here at home. ”

— Mary Jonsson, School Breakfast Program Volunteer

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