Coldest Night of The Year 2017

It’s cold out there and we need each other!

If anyone knows harsh weather conditions, it’s Calgarians. We learn to expect the unexpected when it comes to weather in this city; hail, snow, sun, rain, we are prepared for it all. We laugh at other cities who complain about snow, because they’ve never experienced a Calgary winter! Put on your parka, plug in your car, get out your snow shovel, and deal with winter like the tough Calgarian you are –because you know, you’ll be back home warming up soon enough!

But what about those who don’t have home to look forward to?

Every day in Calgary there are individuals who spend their days wondering where they’ll be sleeping that night. They line-up outside shelters to get a warm meal and a place to sleep, and some spend the night without any shelter at all. There are families who couldn’t afford winter jackets this year, or don’t have enough money at the end of the month to pay for heat. There are many Calgarians who worry just about surviving for those long months of cold winter weather.

On Saturday, February 25, Calgarians will join with more than 110 other communities across Canada and walk to raise funds for those who are struggling. Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) 2017 is a walking fundraiser that raises money for those experiencing hunger, hurt, and homelessness. This event brings together the Calgary community to fight discrimination and advocate for people living at or below the poverty line, are battling addictions, mental health issues, homelessness and for improved social supports for those who struggle to find access to adequate food and employment.

The walk is a way to tell our city’s most vulnerable that they are not alone. We walk together.

This will be the fourth year for CNOY in Calgary, and will be hosted by KAIROS Calgary – Bankview Apartments, Feed the Hungry, and The Mustard Seed Calgary. Hundreds of Calgarians will be positively impacted by this one event, thanks to fundraising by teams participating and community sponsorship. So far in there are 54 teams and 232 walkers registered, with $40, 958.00 raised towards the goal of $100,000. This amazing event shows that even in tough economic times, we can still rally as a community to support Calgary’s most vulnerable.

Sponsors for CNOY 2017 include: Boardwalk Rental Communities, Printcor Inc., Knox United Church, CUPS Calgary, Harvard Property Management, and Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters.

The event will start and finish at Eau Clare Market, located at 200 Barclay Parade SW. With Registration opening at 4pm, opening ceremonies at 5pm, and the walk for all distances starting at 5:15pm. Calgary organizers and participants are aiming to raise $100,000, and are over a third of the way to their goal. They need support from you: start or join a team, donate or volunteer! To sign up today or learn more visit: https://canada.cnoy.org/location/calgary

Nobody in our city should be left out in the cold. Join the Walk to help end poverty and homelessness in our City!

Coldest Night of the Year 2017

Saturday, February 25

Eau Claire Market (200 Barclay Parade SW)

Registration 4pm

Opening Ceremonies 5pm

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Nick Falvo, Research Blog Series: Homelessness in Canada

Improving client-care through shared knowledge.   

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Each year The University of Calgary (U of C) offers a Certificate in Working with Homeless Populations, purposefully created for front-line workers in the homeless-serving sector. Any individual can take the course and those who complete it, receive  an academically recognized certificate with career building credentials. One of the purposes of the program is to encourage sharing of knowledge and best-practices from within the homeless-serving sector. Many individuals within Calgary’s Homeless-Serving Sector make presentations and teach modules for the Certificate Program.

The Certificate Program was formed through a partnership between The Alex Health Centre, Calgary Homeless Foundation, The Faculty of Social work at the University of Calgary, and the University of Calgary. Since its inception in 2009, over 250 people have graduated from the program, including some individuals with lived experience of homelessness. The program allows for a group of diverse industry professionals to come together and collaboratively discuss innovative solutions front-line workers can provide client care. As well, having individuals with lived experience in the program allows for true expression of what those experiencing homelessness need.

For more on the Certificate for Working with Homeless Populations program, please click here.

Data and research sharing is an important value within the Homeless-Serving Sector, as knowledge distribution allows us to collaborate and advance our practices for the betterment of everyone within the system, from those working front-lines to those accessing services. At the beginning of this year, Nick Falvo, PhD, Director of Research and Data at Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) presented a three-part series on homelessness. The topics he covered were:

  • Part 1 –Public Policy and Homelessness
  • Part 2 –Emerging trends in homelessness
  • Part 3 –Homelessness Advocacy

Nick’s three-part series showcases the value in providing education based on principles of inter-professional practice and competencies. Ultimately, this focus will provide a better systems and humanitarian response for individuals experiencing homelessness and practices focused on ending homelessness. He also highlights the importance of including various sectors in the conversation on ending homelessness, because these sectors may hold more powerful positions than one might realize.

Over the next three weeks, we will be publishing Nick’s presentation here. The first blog post will be published Tuesday, February 21, with the next two parts released the two following weeks. To read more by Nick Falvo see the CHF Research Blog, here.

 

 

CHF Statement on charges against former Board Member

We were saddened and shocked to learn of the charges laid by Calgary Police Service against a CHF board member, Robin Wortman. We are deeply concerned for the well- being of the youth, who we believe have demonstrated courage in coming forward.

As the system planner for Calgary’s Homeless-Serving System of Care, CHF has limited direct contact with clients. Our Board of directors is a Governance Board. As such, our volunteer board members serve in an advisory capacity on policy, financial oversight, fund development and government relations.

The priority of the Board and staff at CHF is the protection of vulnerable populations. Therefore, upon learning of the allegations, the Chairman of the Board  immediately called an emergency meeting of the Board. At that meeting, the decision was made to  immediately remove Mr. Wortman from the Board subject to final court disposition.

The Calgary Homeless Foundation trusts and has confidence in the leadership and due diligence of the Calgary Police Service and the Court to follow this investigation to its rightful conclusion.

2018 Provincial and Calgary Point-in-Time Count Reports

On April 11, 2018, Calgary conducted our biennial Point-in-Time (PiT) Count of homelessness. This Count was Calgary’s third time participating in the provincially-coordinated PiT Count, and the first time participating in the nationally-coordinated PiT count.

PiT Counts provide a snapshot of the population of people experiencing homelessness on one night. Over time, these numbers can be used to help determine how homelessness is changing year after year.

The initiative was funded by the Government of Canada’s Homelessness Partnering Strategy.

Calgary:

2018 Calgary Point-in-Time Homeless Count Executive Summary

2018 Calgary Point-in-Time Homeless Count Full Report

Alberta:

2018 Alberta Point-in-Time Homeless Count Executive Summary

2018 Alberta Point-in-Time Homeless Count Full Report

Mobile Polling Station Comes to the Calgary Drop-In Centre

185 Cast Their Vote at Calgary Drop-In Centre’s Polling Station, Supported by CHF’s Client Action Committee Members

Hand of a person casting a ballot at a polling station during voting.

Calgarians experiencing homelessness face many barriers in their lives, and many of those barriers prevent them from voting. These barriers were addressed during last month’s provincial election thanks to an on-site polling station hosted by the Calgary Drop-In and Rehab Centre (the DI), and support from Calgary Homeless Foundation’s Client Action Committee (CAC).

The CAC is a group of people who have experienced homelessness. They speak from profound experience when they advise CHF on the best ways forward. In their work to leverage the voice of lived experience, the CAC identified two major barriers to voting. These are: the lack of suitable identification (ID), and the location of the polling station.

By partnering with Calgary’s largest homeless shelter, the DI, and working with Elections Alberta, they were able to remove both barriers.

Elections Alberta addressed the ID barrier by offering an extensive list of authorized ID options that are relevant to people experiencing homelessness. Not only that, those still without appropriate identification were able to submit an attestation form with the help of shelter staff, that once completed, was used as proof of identity for the purpose of voting. In addition, placing a mobile polling station right in the DI eliminated the location barrier for many of Calgary’s homeless population.

In all, 185 people voted at the DI mobile polling station on April 16th—about 50 people more than at the last municipal election 18 months prior.

“As far as we know, the DI is the only shelter in Canada that has a mobile polling station,” said Michael Grant, a CHF System Planner who works closely with the CAC.

The CAC also removed another important barrier after finding out that people experiencing homelessness reported not being familiar with candidates and parties. The CAC invited all candidates in Calgary-Buffalo (the riding where the DI and most of Calgary’s shelters are located) to meet voters at the DI in the days leading up to the election. CAC members identified questions that clients could ask candidates, and they also encouraged both candidates and clients to engage with each other to talk about the issues that mattered to them.

The mobile polling station was promoted at other shelters in the city, through the distribution of an informational booklet, poster and website to encourage people experiencing homelessness to come to the DI and vote.

Grade Four Students Moved by Stories of Homelessness Present Cheque to CHF

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Dave Quon – Principal, Olympic Heights School, student and fellow teacher with Shane Rempel – System Planner, Calgary Homeless Foundation

Last June, before a packed gymnasium at Olympic Heights School, some very special grade 4 students presented Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) with a cheque for $1,738.67.

The donation represents the culmination of months of hard work by these inspiring young people. The students worked on a collective social entrepreneurial adventure program which began by researching charities across Canada. After extensive vetting, they chose to fundraise for CHF. The classes also met with two members from CHF’s Youth Advisory Table (YAT)—a committee of youth who have experienced homelessness. The students were moved by the YAT’s stories and felt compelled to be a part of the solution to alleviate homelessness in our city.

The students raised funds by selling “Summer Fun Kits.” These kits sold for $10 each and contained a kite, sidewalk chalk, bee-friendly seeds, origami paper, freezies and lemonade. Additional funds were raised through the sales from a student-led lemonade stand.

We are so grateful to the students of Olympic Heights School for their generosity, the deep empathy they possess, and the inspiration they instill in us as our future generation. It was heartwarming to see the compassion in these young folks when the YAT members presented their stories. They give us hope that eventually the stigma attached to those experiencing homelessness will not exist for future generations.

The students’ donation will help CHF in its work to support the needs of Calgarians experiencing homelessness. The students also donated 8 backpacks which were given to grade 4 students in CHF-funded family programs.

Jayman BUILT Opens The Clayton Building in Bowness

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Diana Krecsy – President & CEO, Calgary Homeless Foundation, Kathy Christiansen – Executive Director, Calgary Alpha House Society, Bernadette Majdell – CEO, HomeSpace Society, Jay Westman – Chairman & CEO, Jayman BUILT, Alan Norris – Chair, RESOLVE Campaign, and Chairman & CEO, Brookfield Residential Properties

Thirty more Calgarians will transition out of homelessness when they move into their new home in Bowness, thanks to Jayman BUILT. Jayman, in partnership with Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF), HomeSpace Society and the RESOLVE Campaign, celebrated the opening of The Clayton on August 8th. The building provides affordable housing with on-site supports (provided by Calgary Alpha House Society) to 30 formerly homeless Calgarians. This new building takes its name from Alvin Clayton (A.C.) Westman, Jayman’s founder.

The Clayton was made possible through an unprecedented joint commitment by the Government of Canada (through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation) and the Government of Alberta to provide affordable housing with on-site support services. This project was also made possible through the generous commitment of philanthropic donors, including The Clayton’s visionary builder, Jayman BUILT, and the financial support of the City of Calgary.

The Clayton is the seventh purpose-built apartment constructed by Calgary homebuilders who have each committed to constructing a building for CHF and our housing collaborator HomeSpace Society, through the RESOLVE Campaign.

CHF Youth Advisors Host Community BBQ

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Michael Grant and Shane Rempel – System Planners, Calgary Homeless Foundation

Fifty young people, many currently experiencing homelessness, gathered in Inglewood last July for an evening of community, music and friendship over hot dogs and burgers.

With support from Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF), the Youth Advisory Table (YAT) hosted a barbecue to raise awareness about the YAT and bring together the community, youth at risk of, or experiencing homelessness, and youth-serving agencies in the homeless-serving sector.

The barbecue was made possible thanks to a donation made to YAT from students with the University of Calgary’s Haskayne Commerce Undergraduate Society. The students raised the funds through their participation in 5 Days for the Homeless, a national campaign run by the Canadian Association of Business Students that strives to raise awareness and donations for members of society that are at risk of or experiencing homelessness.

Approximately 50 youth were in attendance at the barbecue. They all received a drawstring bag filled with “summer essential care items,” including a facecloth, toothpaste, toothbrush, hand sanitizer, travel conditioner, shampoo, bar soap, razors, shaving cream, hairbrush, comb, water bottle, deodorant and feminine hygiene products.

Shane Rempel, a System Planner with CHF said, “As we shape policy and design programs to serve youth in need, we must ensure our ears are open to those who we are serving—the youth. The Youth Advisory Table gives us that crucial lens from the perspective of young people with lived experience in homelessness and keeps us tethered to the real need in the City of Calgary.”

The 2018 Point-In-Time Count of homelessness in Calgary found approximately 11 per cent of the 2,911 people experiencing homelessness are under the age of 18, and a further seven percent are aged 18-24.

Events like this barbecue are important because it allows youth to have their voices heard, to connect with youth with similar experiences, connect with agencies and services, and most of all — to have fun.

The YAT is a group of individuals between the ages of 14 and 25 with lived experience of homelessness. YAT members provide valuable insights that influence policy, improve services and raise awareness about youth homelessness. The YAT is also a subsidiary of the Youth Sector Committee which is comprised of several stakeholders and organizations in the youth-serving sector.

The James House – Coming Soon to Hillhurst/Sunnyside

Diana Krecsy – President & CEO, Calgary Homeless Foundation, Alan Norris – Chair, RESOLVE Campaign, and Chairman & CEO, Brookfield Residential Properties, Tim Logel – President & CEO, Logel Homes, and President & Co-Founder, Cardel Lifestyles, Druh Farrell – Councillor for Ward 7, City of Calgary, Nicholas Milliken – MLA for Calgary-Currie, Government of Alberta

The Hillhurst/Sunnyside community will soon be ringing with the sounds of new construction as The James House starts to take shape.

Homebuilders Logel Homes and Cardel Lifestyles gathered on September 5th with Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF), HomeSpace Society and the RESOLVE Campaign to celebrate the virtual groundbreaking of The James House. This building will soon provide the safety and stability of a home for 27 formerly homeless Calgarians.

The James House was named by the Logel Homes and Cardel Lifestyles team to honour the legacy of James Logel, the late father of Tim Logel, President and CEO of Logel Homes, and President and Co-Founder of Cardel Lifestyles. Tim Logel credits his father for igniting his passion for home building after assisting him in building a barn when he was 14. He believes his father would be honoured to have his name on a building that is helping those in need of a home.

This build is the 10th new place-based supportive housing building to be constructed for CHF and our housing collaborator HomeSpace society through the RESOLVE Campaign. The site was awarded through a non-market land disposition from the City of Calgary. HomeSpace Society, will develop, own and operate the property. This rich collaboration is a demonstration that homelessness can end when we intentionally choose to work together. The James House is slated for occupancy in summer 2020.

Longest Night of the Year honours those who lost their lives while homeless in 2019

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Calgarians gathered at the 2018 Longest Night of the Year candlelight memorial

This year marks the 5th anniversary of the Longest Night of the Year annual candlelight memorial. Held on December 21, 2019, (winter solstice – the longest night of the year), the memorial is coordinated by the Client Action Committee (CAC) with support from Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF).

The Longest Night of the Year is held in remembrance of those who have passed away while experiencing homelessness in Calgary. Each person’s life matters, and every person deserves a celebration of life. But, for many who have passed, this memorial will be the only commemoration of their lives.

The memorial will feature a blessing as well as traditional singing and drumming. Members of the CAC will read each name of those they know who have passed away before a minute of silence is held. During the 2018 Longest Night of the Year memorial, 137 names were read in remembrance.

We invite you to join us at the Calgary City Hall Municipal Building, in the Atrium, on December 21, 2019, to honour the lives of those we have lost.

Refreshments: 4:00 pm | Program: 4:30 – 5:30 pm