In
1971, the City of Ottawa became the birthplace of Operation
Come Home (formerly Operation Go Home). At that
time, Reverend Norman Johnston recognized a unique need
to assist runaway youth across Canada to return home to
their family. An ordained United Church Minister, Rev.
Johnston believed in his community and the youth within
it. He held a special place in his heart for Ottawa’s
street youth population. He began communicating with local
runaways through the support of the local police service,
the RCMP, the court system and social service providers.
This network of agencies forumulated the beginning of
Operation Come Home (formerly Operation Go Home).
His mission was to connect with young runaways and help
them return home. This mission formed into a national
mandate and was adopted in 1985 by a Board of Directors
and Reverend Sterling Irvine was hired as the first Executive
Director. With Rev. Irvine’s direction, OCH (formerly
Operation Go Home) found office space with the YMCA
of Ottawa-Carleton. He continued to follow Rev. Johnston’s
mission to assist with young runaways while acting as
a liaison between youth and their parents / legal guardians.
In December of 1986, Viking Rideau Corporation graciously
donated office space to Operation Come Home (formerly
Operation Go Home) in the Rideau Centre parking garage.
This was instrumental to bringing the program closer to
the downtown market area where the street youth population
often congregates.
In 1990, Operation Come Home (formerly Operation Go
Home) elected a committee to form a National Organization.
In September 1990, due to their hard work, National Operation
Come Home (formerly Operation Go Home) was launched.
Throughout the next few years Operation Come Home (formerly
Operation Go Home) began to open new offices across
the country, with the first office opening in Toronto
in 1992. Offices then opened in Vancouver in 1993, Winnipeg
in 1994 and Halifax in 1995. Unfortunately, due to lack
of funding the Vancouver, Halifax and Toronto office closed.
Operation
Go Home
changed
its name to
Operation Come Home
on June 18, 2009
in an effort to better articulate our mission and mandate
to the community.
In
1971, the City of Ottawa became the birthplace of Operation
Come Home (formerly Operation Go Home). At that
time, Reverend Norman Johnston recognized a unique need
to assist runaway youth across Canada to return home to
their family. An ordained United Church Minister, Rev.
Johnston believed in his community and the youth within
it. He held a special place in his heart for Ottawa’s
street youth population. He began communicating with local
runaways through the support of the local police service,
the RCMP, the court system and social service providers.
This network of agencies forumulated the beginning of
Operation Come Home (formerly Operation Go Home).
His mission was to connect with young runaways and help
them return home. This mission formed into a national
mandate and was adopted in 1985 by a Board of Directors
and Reverend Sterling Irvine was hired as the first Executive
Director. With Rev. Irvine’s direction, OCH (formerly
Operation Go Home) found office space with the YMCA
of Ottawa-Carleton. He continued to follow Rev. Johnston’s
mission to assist with young runaways while acting as
a liaison between youth and their parents / legal guardians.
In December of 1986, Viking Rideau Corporation graciously
donated office space to Operation Come Home (formerly
Operation Go Home) in the Rideau Centre parking garage.
This was instrumental to bringing the program closer to
the downtown market area where the street youth population
often congregates.