Guiding the fight against homelessness
In a city of abundance, the reality of homelessness creates a stark contrast
Every day, thousands of people in our city face the uncertainty of homelessness. These complex challenges demand more than isolated solutions—they require a coordinated response that understands both the big picture and individual journeys. That’s why we’re here.
Partnering to create lasting pathways out of homelessness
Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) works in alignment with governments and collaboratively with service providers and our community partners. We help translate complex system needs into coordinated, efficient ground-level action that maximizes the impact of every resource and creates lasting pathways out of homelessness.
Supporting the agencies on the front lines
Calgary’s frontline agencies bring irreplaceable expertise to fighting homelessness. We work in-the-trenches alongside them—coordinating multi-provider responses for complex cases, troubleshooting day-to-day problems, and mediating difficult situations.
Building sector capacity and driving innovation
Through sector-wide training, accreditation programs, and our culture of learning and evaluation, we strengthen the foundation of Calgary’s entire homelessness response system. Our innovative approaches and evaluation frameworks are revealing unprecedented insights into what interventions truly work—knowledge that’s becoming a guide for homelessness response in Calgary and beyond.
Creating pathways home
1,105
people achieved independence through CHF-coordinated programs last year.
Independence means exiting supportive housing to stable independent living, or community programs and primary systems (e.g. long-term care, addictions treatment, or justice).
243
out of the 1,105 people who achieved independence were prevented from entering the homelessness system altogether.
Prevention programs help keep individuals housed by providing support, such as one-time financial aid.
549
people were diverted from entering the homelessness system out of the 1,105 who achieved independence.
Diversion programs help people avoid chronic homelessness via supports or interventions.
Data that transforms systems and lives
Our community-informed data warehouse integrates multiple quantitative and qualitative data sources to create a network of information that is nearly impossible to replicate. This comprehensive view enables us to track individual pathways through the system over time, forecast emerging trends, and assess program effectiveness—providing evidence-based guidance that informs decisions across the entire sector.
PiT Count
Point-in-Time Count reports
The biennially-produced Point-in-Time (PiT) Count provides a snapshot of Calgary’s homeless sector on one specific night.
EWR
Emergency Weather Response
During extreme weather, Calgary’s EWR program provides warming and cooling spaces, transportation, supplies, and connections to services for those experiencing homelessness.
Read our 2025 Report to Community
Discover how Calgary’s coordinated response maintained stability in homelessness rates despite unprecedented challenges, and learn about the innovative solutions transforming our sector.
2026 Art Smith Awards
Nominate someone for an Art Smith Award
The Art Smith Awards recognize excellence and innovation in Calgary’s homelessness-serving sector. Nominations are now open for frontline workers, leaders, and organizations making a lasting impact in the fight against homelessness.
The Alex’s CHF-funded programs have greatly appreciated the opportunity to collaborate with CHF’s Evaluation Manager in developing a programmatic Theory of Change across our five funded initiatives.
This process has helped each program more clearly define its core objectives, articulate the key activities required to achieve them, and identify the necessary metrics, training, and outcomes to support success.
Steven Richardson
Director of Housing & Outreach, The Alex
We deeply value our partnership with CHF.
They embody a true partnership with their proactive and genuine approach, consistently coming to us asking, ‘How can we help?’ A stark contrast to the usual ‘What can you do for us?’ This spirit of true collaboration, desire to understand, and commitment to listening to and acting on our guidance is essential as we work together to support Calgary’s most vulnerable Indigenous populations.
Shane Gauthier
CEO, Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary
Calgary Homeless Foundation plays a vital and visionary role in our community.
By championing collaboration and driving innovative, data-informed solutions, CHF stands as the backbone of Calgary’s housing and homelessness response system. Their leadership brings organizations together with purpose and compassion, reminding us that we are stronger when united—and that fighting homelessness, one person at a time, is not only possible, but profoundly impactful.
Sandra Clarkson
President and CEO, Calgary Drop-In Centre
We know the unhoused are some of the most vulnerable people in our community and are often susceptible to crime or victimization.
This underscores the importance of keeping the number of unhoused people as low as possible and ensuring those that are receive the essential services and supports they deserve. Together, with our community partners, we are making a significant impact and working towards a safer community for all.
Chief Constable Mark Neufeld
Calgary Police Service
Academic researchers have the time and training to apply new ideas and techniques to solving difficult problems of public policy.
What they don’t always have is access to information essential for developing and evaluating proposed solutions. Researchers at the School of Public Policy are extremely grateful for the relationship we have established with Calgary Homeless Foundation. The data they provide and the informed advice and criticism we receive are essential to our efforts to make useful contributions to the understanding of homelessness and to evaluating the effectiveness of possible policy responses.
Ron Kneebone
Director of Social Policy Research, The School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary
Perspectives on homelessness response
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2025 Art Smith Award recipients
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2025 Art Smith Award recipients
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2024 Art Smith Award recipients
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2024 Art Smith Award recipients
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EWR Drinking Fountains & Washrooms
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EWR Drinking Fountains & Washrooms
Help us fight
homelessness in Calgary
Your support enables CHF to respond swiftly to emerging community needs and critical situations. From damage deposits to winter essentials, donor dollars provide the flexibility to act when urgent situations arise, helping keep people housed and creating pathways home for our neighbours.
