Anishnabeg Outreach

National Indigenous Peoples Day is a celebration of the strength, resilience, knowledge, and cultures of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples.

At Anishnabeg Outreach, we celebrated National Indigenous Peoples Day by bringing community together at Eminidowang Kiitigan (Spirit Garden For All). After spending time harvesting strawberries and gathering on the land, participants came together to listen, learn, and reflect on the teachings shared throughout the day.

Knowledge Keeper Gerard shared teachings on the Strawberry Moon and the significance of the strawberry as a symbol of life, family, and future generations. As participants passed the strawberry from person to person, he reminded us that culture is carried forward through sharing knowledge, building relationships, and caring for our communities.

Our CEO, Stephen Jackson, also shared Anishnabeg Outreach's vision for the future through our new three-year strategic plan.

"We are incredibly grateful to our community, partners, and staff who make this work possible. Real change starts with one person. If we can help one person, that impact grows to ten, then a hundred, and eventually thousands. Our goal will be to scale Indigenous-led mental health solutions that deliver meaningful outcomes across Canada, and we couldn't do it without everyone here today."

Miigwech to everyone who joined us, shared their knowledge, volunteered their time, and helped make this day possible. We are grateful to have our community and partners walking this journey alongside us. 💙

Ahead of National Indigenous Peoples Day, AO’s Indigenous-led EarlyON held a musical learning session where children were encouraged to sing and drum along to an Anishinaabe blessing song, "Wichita Do Ya" (Water Song)!

Wichita Do Ya is sung to express our gratitude and strengthen our connection with the gift of Mother Nature. By singing and playing music with the children, we pass along the traditional knowledge of the song, as well as share in the rhythm of the drumming.

Our EarlyON is open to all families, Indigenous and non-Indigenous. For more information about AO’s EarlyON program, visit our website at aocan.org/about-our-indigenous-led-earlyon

Help us keep essential hygiene products available for over 600 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis families in our Spirit Bundle program.

Items such as body wash, dish soap, toothpaste, deodorant, and other personal care products are always in demand and can be difficult for families to acquire alongside other household expenses. These everyday essentials help support health, wellbeing, and reconciliation within our community.

Donate at our Centers of reconciliation below:

📍 Drop-off: 236 Woodhaven Rd., Kitchener or 400 Stevenson St. N, Guelph
🕘 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Tuesdays & Thursdays in Kitchener, and Monday to Friday in Guelph.

If you have questions or would like to arrange an alternative donation time, please contact us at [email protected] or (519) 208-5333.

Miigwech for supporting our community 💙

RSVP to our National Indigenous Peoples Day Event here: rb.gy/QVZUWY

You can also email us at [email protected], or call us at 519-208-5333.

Event Details:
📅 June 19, 2026
🕘 9 AM–1 PM
📍 1160 Spitzig Rd, Breslau

This event will be held at our Eminidowang Kiitigan (Spirit Garden for Everyone). National Indigenous Peoples Day is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the rich cultures, histories, languages, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. Guests will have the opportunity to participate in cultural teachings with our Elder-in-Residence, Gerard, tour our Indigenous farm, learn about our food sovereignty initiatives, connect with community members and local leaders, explore activity stations, and enjoy a free barbecue lunch.

Community members, partners, organizations, families, and members of the public are all welcome to join us for a day of celebration, learning, and connection. We hope to see you there!

For more information, contact us at [email protected] or (519) 208-5333.

"

A big thank you to Equitable Canada for joining AO at our Spirit Garden for Everyone (Eminidowang Kiitigan) last Friday! 🌱

Together we shared a day of planting, weeding, and learning, as volunteers worked hard to clean up our farm and plant plenty of vegetable seedlings. Their generous efforts will help support over 600 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis families facing food security through our Spirit Bundle program.

Interested in bringing out your team for a corporate volunteer day? Reach us at aocan.org/volunteer-at-ao/

Thank you, Miigwech, to everyone who joined us for our Beaded Strawberry Earring Workshop! 🍓

In celebration of the Strawberry Moon, we held a seasonal workshop where First Nations, Inuit, and Métis community members spent the evening beading strawberry earrings together, with Mary Ann guiding participants through each step of the process. It was wonderful to see the immense support at our cultural workshop!

Thank you to everyone who participated, and to our staff who helped organize and facilitate the workshop. These gatherings help create space for connection, learning, and the sharing of traditions, ensuring Indigenous cultural practices continue to be shared across generations as an important part of reconciliation.

If you completed your earrings at home, send us a DM of your finished piece! We'd love to see photos. 😁

Keep an eye on our social media for our next cultural workshop in July. You're not going to want to miss it!

RSVP to our National Indigenous Peoples Day Event here: rb.gy/QVZUWY

You can also sign up through the link in our bio, email us at [email protected], or call us at 519-208-5333.

Event Details:
📅 June 19, 2026
🕘 9 AM–1 PM
📍 1160 Spitzig Rd, Breslau

This event will be held at our Eminidowang Kiitigan (Spirit Garden for Everyone). National Indigenous Peoples Day is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the rich cultures, histories, languages, and contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis. Guests will have the opportunity to participate in cultural teachings with our Elder-in-Residence, Gerard, tour our Indigenous farm, learn about our food sovereignty initiatives, connect with community members and local leaders, explore activity stations, and enjoy a free barbecue lunch.

Community members, partners, organizations, families, and members of the public are all welcome to join us for a day of celebration, learning, and connection. We hope to see you there!

For more information, contact us at [email protected] or (519) 208-5333.

Last week, we presented several bicycles and equipment to residents of ONERoof. These bikes will help eliminate transportation barriers, allowing Indigenous individuals to get to their healing and employment opportunities.

We would like to give a huge thank you to the generous community donations that made this presentation possible!

Our Pedals to Prosperity campaign is still ongoing. We are still looking for working condition bicycles, as well as fiscal donations to help us purchase gear.

👉 Drop off donations at: 236 Woodhaven Rd., Kitchener, ON
🕛 Donation hours: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Tuesdays & Thursdays

Please reach out to us at [email protected] or call (519) 208-5333 to arrange a time outside of those hours if they don’t work for you.
Miigwech for your continued support. 💙

Consider donating paper towel and toilet paper to our Spirit Bundle program.

Paper towel and toilet paper are some of the most requested household essentials in our Spirit Bundles, which supports over 600 First Nations, Inuit, and Métis families across Waterloo Region and Guelph. Your donation helps ensure families have access to these everyday necessities alongside food and other essential items.

👉 Drop off donations at: 236 Woodhaven Rd., Kitchener, ON
🕛 Donation hours: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM, Tuesdays & Thursdays

Please reach out to us at [email protected] or call (519) 208-5333 to arrange a time outside of those hours if they don’t work for you.

Miigwech for your continued support. 💙

A big thank you to and for joining us at our EarlyON Centre last Friday for a fun-filled day of STEM learning! 🔍

Our PD Day camp group explored hands-on STEM activities grounded in Indigenous and nature-based teachings. Children designed and tested their own canoes in the water table, created constellation viewers and bouncy balls, navigated obstacle courses, and expressed their creativity through colouring, beading, and pixel art.

Miigwech to the Creative Encounters and Let's Talk Science teams for sharing their time, knowledge, and enthusiasm with our community! It was wonderful to see the kids learning, creating, and building confidence while having fun alongside their families.