The Daybreak story began in 1980 with discussions among several Ottawa churches about the growing crisis in affordable housing. These talks were facilitated by Rev. Bob Percival and included church representatives from Bell St. United, St. Luke's Anglican, McPhail Baptist, Knox Presbyterian, Christ Roi Catholique, St. Jean Baptiste Catholique and McLeod-Stewarton United. Their concerns led to the establishment in 1982 of the Daybreak Non-Profit Shelter (Ecumenical) Corporation. It was one of the first non-profit organizations in Ottawa to provide a long-term option of independent, supportive rent-geared-to-income housing for single adults living in poverty. From the outset, Daybreak houses were envisaged as offering their residents more than just a place to live. They could have a place to call home.

The name "Daybreak" was chosen to signify that a new beginning in life would be available to single adults by providing them with safe, affordable, comfortable housing.

Known after as Father Daybreak, Rev. Bob Percival was elected founding president in 1982

"I have been very kindly called 'Father Daybreak' because of my involvement in the project's early beginning. It was while I was serving as minister in one of Ottawa's downtown churches that I became quite concerned about the number of people who were coming to me seeking help with their housing. As a result I invited representatives from churches in the downtown core to come together to discuss this problem and determine what we might do to help people. After some months of research, we all agreed that housing for men and women was a major concern and I was elected the founding President." - Rev. Bob Percival

With funding from the Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation, the first Daybreak house was opened in April, 1983, with eight rooms for women (it was later converted to a men's home in 1985). A second house opened in September, 1983, with 10 rooms for men. A third house opened in September, 1985, with 10 rooms for women. It was leased from St. George's Anglican Church and the Anglican Diocese. Also in 1985, the communities of St. George's, St. Andrew's and Dominion Chalmers United Church joined in supporting Daybreak's mission.

Donated by Mrs. Mary Murphy, Daybreak's fourth house opened in January, 1990, with capital funding from what is now the (Ontario) Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing. It provided five rooms for men as well as two self contained one-bedroom upper-level apartments.

• In Ottawa alone, 10,000 people are on the waiting list for low-cost social housing
• There is a firm correlation between good health and decent affordable housing.
• For the Second Report Card on Homelessness in Ottawa, please visit www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca

• Hundreds of men and women have called Daybreak home over the last 20 years.
• The average stay in a Daybreak home is one year for women and one and a half years for men (although some tenants have stayed much longer).
• The majority of Daybreak residents have moved on successfully to permanent homes and independent living.