{"id":561711,"date":"2026-03-26T09:00:42","date_gmt":"2026-03-26T09:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/561711\/"},"modified":"2026-03-26T09:00:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T09:00:42","slug":"hydro-ottawa-and-foodworks-ottawa-partner-to-empower-at-risk-youth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/561711\/","title":{"rendered":"Hydro Ottawa and FoodWorks Ottawa partner to empower at-risk youth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

OTTAWA, ON, March 25, 2026 \/CNW\/ – Hydro Ottawa is proud to launch a new partnership with\u00a0FoodWorks Ottawa, a social enterprise operated by Operation Come Home, to empower local at-risk youth. Building on a long-standing community relationship, this initiative provides aspiring culinary talent with essential employment and mentorship.<\/p>\n

\"From<\/a> From left to right: John Heckbert, Executive Director of Operation Come Home; Executive Chef Mark Brennan; FoodWorks student; Bryce Conrad, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hydro Ottawa. (CNW Group\/Hydro Ottawa) <\/p>\n

This collaboration will see the industrial kitchen at Hydro Ottawa’s headquarters transformed into a vibrant community hub where six young people facing barriers to traditional employment will gain high-level skills and real-world experience. Under the supervision of executive chef Mark Brennan, participants will receive professional training in a commercial-grade environment.<\/p>\n

Beyond the kitchen, the partnership serves a broader social mission: all proceeds from FoodWorks Ottawa’s operations go directly toward supporting Operation Come Home’s mandate to prevent homeless youth from becoming homeless adults.<\/p>\n

“We are thrilled to repurpose our kitchen while supporting such a meaningful cause,” said Bryce Conrad, President and Chief Executive Officer at Hydro Ottawa. “This partnership isn’t just about providing meals for our employees; it’s about investing in the future of Ottawa’s youth. By providing a professional environment for FoodWorks to operate, we are helping to bridge the gap between potential and opportunity.”<\/p>\n

John Heckbert, Executive Director of Operation Come Home, emphasized the impact of the new location.<\/p>\n

“Having access to a kitchen of this caliber is a game-changer,” said Heckbert. “It allows us to expand our reach, provide stable employment, and show these young people that their skills are valued in a professional corporate setting.”<\/p>\n

Partnership highlights<\/p>\n

Empowering at-risk youth: Provides stable, paid employment and professional development for youth facing housing and employment barriers.<\/p>\n

Professional mentorship: Youth receive hands-on training from Executive Chef Mark Brennan, mastering culinary techniques in a commercial-grade kitchen.<\/p>\n

Social procurement: Hydro Ottawa employees will benefit from an onsite cafeteria to purchase fresh meals and snacks while directly supporting a local social enterprise.<\/p>\n

The FoodWorks bistro at Hydro Ottawa begins service immediately, fostering the next generation of culinary talent while providing nutritious options for staff.<\/p>\n

About Hydro Ottawa Limited<\/p>\n

Hydro Ottawa Limited, a subsidiary of Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. [‘Hydro Ottawa Group’], provides electricity to approximately 372,000 homes and businesses across Ottawa and Casselman. For more than a century, the company has been dedicated to delivering clean, safe and reliable power, playing a vital role in shaping a vibrant and sustainable National Capital Region. As a key partner in building a dynamic energy future, Hydro Ottawa Limited is committed to powering the well-being of the communities it serves through the energy transition. This includes delivering reliable service, integrating innovative technologies, pioneering sustainable solutions, and being a trusted source of information and education for customers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"OTTAWA, ON, March 25, 2026 \/CNW\/ – Hydro Ottawa is proud to launch a new partnership with\u00a0FoodWorks Ottawa,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":561712,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[194295],"tags":[49,48,216921,216923,216920,216922,20739,216924,59122],"class_list":["post-561711","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ottawa","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-foodworks","tag-homeless-youth","tag-hydro-ottawa","tag-mark-brennan","tag-ottawa","tag-professional-environment","tag-social-enterprise"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/561711","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=561711"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/561711\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/561712"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=561711"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=561711"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=561711"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}