MAX Ottawa is a health and wellness charity serving the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in the National Capital Region. We’re excited to support the runners who run for their own health, and those who run for the health of their community.

This year, we’re gearing up to re-launch queer sexual health services across the city, create new mental health support programs, and new leadership opportunities for 2SLGBTQIA+ youth. This programming will help connect people to the health services they need and create opportunities for the next generation of leaders to get started on doing good work for our community.

How you can support MAX Ottawa:

- Sign up for any race and choose to support MAX Ottawa

- Start a fundraising page and raise money to help us meet our $5,000 goal

- Share on social media that you’re running for MAX Ottawa

- Like and follow us on Instagram

- Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on everything going on with MAX

- Subscribe to The List: Ottawa’s Queerest Calendar’s Weekly Roundup to get local 2SLGBTQIA+ events sent to your inbox every week

About MAX Ottawa

MAX Ottawa has been working to improve the health and wellbeing of 2SLGBTQIA+ people in the National Capital Region for over 20 years. As a community-based organization with a history in the HIV response, MAX is on the ground, meeting community members where they’re at, and offering social and support services, information, and referrals that meet their needs. MAX also works with healthcare and other service providers to improve the quality of care available in the region.

We offer a range of support programs that help build community and create welcoming spaces for those who face similar challenges and share unique life experiences—including those who are newcomers, Black, or older members of our community. Our programs and services are always evolving to be effective and impactful to our communities’ needs in a changing landscape. Recently, we’ve expanded our work to improve the quality and availability of gender-affirming care in the region and to better support people who use drugs and alcohol. Our approach promotes safer practices, referrals to other health and support services, and overall well-being.

Today, we remain focused on the two central pillars of our work: offering a holistic suite of wellness services for 2SLGBTQIA+ people and working to improve the quality of care available to our community within the National Capital Region. We do this by relying on strong partnerships across sectors to leverage capacity wherever it is available.

For all our current programs and services, visit our website, and be sure to check out The List: Ottawa’s Queerest Calendar hosted on our website. Explore, promote, and get tickets for local queer events and activities, and subscribe to our newsletter to never miss out on the fun and amazing things going on right here in our own backyard.

Thank you to our amazing community for all your support.