Ottawa couple uses wedding as fundraiser for Ottawa Mission

Everyone loves a romantic story and one with purpose is even better.

An Ottawa couple wants to skip the traditional wedding gifts, inviting friends, family and members of the community to support the Ottawa Mission instead, with a goal of raising $100,000.

As they prepare to begin their life together, Cara Vaccarino, the president and CEO of The Royal, and her fiancé Brian Bohunicky, a public policy expert, want to celebrate their special day by helping some of Ottawa’s most vulnerable residents.

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“At a time when we are receiving so much love and support from our family and friends, and even strangers, we want to connect the goodwill to something bigger”, the couple said in a news release from the Ottawa Mission. “The Ottawa Mission provides hope, dignity, and practical support to people facing some of life’s most difficult circumstances. Supporting that work felt like a meaningful way to begin our marriage.”

The couple met online as Vaccarino was moving to Ottawa to take on her role as president and CEO of the Royal in 2024. After getting engaged, Vaccarino, who is on the Ottawa Mission’s board of directors, wanted to do something to support the organization. Bohunicky, who volunteers at the Mission, said the idea of raising funds through donations was a “no-brainer” for the couple.

Their campaign is called “Two Hearts, One Mission.” The Ottawa Mission says every dollar raised through the campaign will help provide 29 programs and services, including emergency shelter, nutritious meals, health care, addiction and trauma services, job training, education programs, and housing support, and more.

The Mission serves 3,000 meals each day and operates on of the city’s most comprehensive continuums of care for individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty. Beyond meeting immediate needs, The Mission helps people rebuild their lives through programs that foster healing, education, employment, safe and appropriate housing, and long-term stability.

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“Community support is at the heart of everything we do,” said Ottawa Mission CEO Peter Tilley in a news release. “Cara and Brian’s generosity demonstrates how personal milestones can become powerful opportunities to create change. Their commitment will help provide hope, dignity, and practical support to people in our community who need it most.”

The Mission says the campaign highlights a growing trend of couple choosing charitable giving as part of their wedding celebrations.

The wedding is on Saturday. Anyone can donate to the campaign by visiting the Mission’s website.

With files from CTV News Ottawa’s Ted Raymond