The Ottawa Mission: A Website Built Around the People It Serves

Project Overview

1. 01.

   Challenge

   The previous website sat on a slow, restrictive hosting platform and had grown to more than thirty page templates, which meant pages were slow to load, layouts shifted as they rendered, and everyday editing took longer than it should have. Accessibility had drifted too, with contrast and heading issues, inconsistent alt text, and interactive elements that keyboard users couldn’t reach.

   Much of the program information lived in print-ready PDFs and in internal language that assumed people already knew what each service was called, so anyone arriving in a moment of crisis had to work to find food, shelter, or support. Supporters faced a version of the same problem, because the site gave little sense of how much the Mission does or what a gift actually achieves.

2. 02.

   Solution

   We began with a website engagement audit covering analytics, content, accessibility, SEO, technical foundations, and conversion pathways, so the redesign would be grounded in evidence rather than assumptions.

   Discovery sessions and a series of audience, content type, and sitemap workshops followed, where we mapped every audience the Mission serves and agreed on a structure that separates people seeking help from people looking to give.

   We then built a new bilingual WordPress site on modern hosting, using reusable content blocks in place of the old template sprawl, dedicated post types for programs and stories, and a mega navigation that keeps Get Help, the food truck schedule, and a phone number within reach on every screen. The whole build was designed to WCAG 2.1 AA, with training and documentation provided at handover.

3. 03.

   Results

   The new site loads quickly, works properly on mobile, and meets accessibility standards in both English and French.

   People looking for support find the eight service areas described in clear language, with every individual program gathered in one place, so it’s clear where to start whether the need is a meal tonight or a longer path through housing, job training, or recovery.

   Supporters get the fuller picture too, with client stories, impact figures, and clear routes into monthly giving, volunteering, and advocacy. The Mission’s team can publish stories, update the food truck schedule, and refresh campaign content themselves, on a platform with room to keep growing alongside the organization.