Great minds think alike… But if we all thought alike there would be no change.

On Tuesday, September 22, over 65 board chairs and CEO’s in the participated in a CEO/Chair Connectivity Breakfast hosted by the Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) and The Mustard Seed. Rene Collins of the Metis Calgary Family Services graciously opened the event with a blessing,

The main topic of discussion related to Calgary’s Plan to End Homelessness and Calgary’s Homeless Serving System of Care. Attendees brought their innovative ideas, suggestions and potential opportunities to the table.

Diana Krecsy, President and CEO of CHF, spoke about the various Plans as well as the true meaning of ‘Ending Homelessness’. She also discussed the similarities between social service agencies and the value of an integrated Homeless Serving System of Care.

Stephen Wile, CEO of The Mustard Seed, added additional value to the presentation by talking about the System of Care in connection to The Mustard Seed.

The Breakfast showcased great minds coming together to work towards a common goal – ending homelessness. It’s no doubt that there is power to create change in a group like this one. After much thoughtful discussion, the attendees agreed that it was clear that communication and collaboration were the key elements to be developed to continue the success of the Plan.

As a result of the event, is safe to say that we are all on the same page, but there is still room to grow. We can all work together on improving the effectiveness of the Plan to reach our end goal. The Connectivity Breakfast was the first time this many great leaders in the sector came together, and there are plans to host more in the future.

For those that attended the Connectivity Breakfast, please note that a report of the discussions will be sent out at the end of October.