A Symbol of Excellence

Carol Cowan-Morneau: I love that our new logo symbolizes a person. Above all, our programs are here to serve people when they need it most.

Mission Services now has a new look! Inspired by the recent move of our flagship Men’s Shelter, the new branding represents a new vision for the future of the organization.

“Our purpose has grown from providing homeless men with ‘three hots and a cot’, to finding permanent solutions to their homelessness and purposefully helping people move forward,” said Carol, Mission Services’ Executive Director.

“We’re looking toward the future. As the needs within our community change, we are changing to meet those needs and to focus on a better way, one that empowers people to move forward, which is better for the community.”

The new logo still features our name “Mission Services”, but the previous mix of black, green, and grey has been replaced by two shades of green. The “O” in “Mission” now contains an arrow and a smaller dot on top.

While simple in appearance, our new logo is steeped in symbolism of the values that Mission Services seeks to embody every day.

The arrow is meant to symbolize the path of someone to move “upward and outward”, empowered by the important work done at Mission Services. The dot on top of the arrow forms it into the shape of a person, and the arms of the figure are outstretched, symbolizing a warm embrace of care and compassion.

“Every program we offer at Mission Services is purposefully positioned to restore people’s autonomy, valuing their lives and offering solutions.” said Carol.

“Programs need to change and fit the needs of individuals, not the other way around.”

The colour green remains for the logo and branding, as it is distinct to Mission Services in Hamilton’s social service sector, and it also conveys the positive meaning of “moving forward.”

It wasn’t just about the logo and colours, though. The Mission Statement, Vision, and Values have been updated to reflect the changes taking place in our city and to help Mission Services chart a course for the future.

The new Mission Statement is “Restoring Hope, and Empowering People to Find Their Way Forward.” This is Mission Services’ commitment – giving people the assistance they need to reach goals they never thought could be possible. 

Mission Statement: Restoring Hope, and Empowering People to Find Their Way Forward.

Vision Statement: We envision a resilient and healthy community that is compassionate, equitable and hopeful.

“It’s about listening to what people need, finding new innovative solutions to fulfill their own personal goals,” said Carol. “Rebranding helps people better understand the work that we are doing.”

The future will be guided by Mission Services’ new set of values. Previously having had a broad scope of as many as 10 guiding principles, that has now been streamlined to four specific memorable building blocks of the organization – dignity, innovation, compassion, and excellence.

Values: dignity, innovation, compassion, and excellence

“Values are about what is most important to people, and I believe that our new mission, vision, and values show who we really are,” said Carol.

As we move to the future, Mission Services will seek to incorporate those values into every interaction with the community, with dignity and compassion being the guiding principles and innovation and excellence propelling our service to new heights.

“We want to approach everyone we meet with dignity and compassion,” said Tiffany, Director of Men’s Emergency Services. “Then we want to use innovation and excellence to serve them the best that we can.”

It’s an ambitious new strategy for an organization with a nearly 70-year history of creating new ways to serve our city. From the relocation and expansion of our Men’s Shelter to our fresh new model for the Good Food Centre, Mission Services is constantly evolving within an ever-changing city. With the support of the community, we can look forward to a bright future and many more years of offering hope to the Hamilton area.

“We’re focused on finding solutions and being innovative in how we apply them,” said Tiffany. “If we focus on that, and the community comes along side us to support us, we can make lasting change in our city.”

Tagline: Act Justly. Show Compassion. Offer Hope.

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