Carrie’s Story
Why? That is the question she hears most often. She is judged before she speaks, frequently feeling the disapproving eyes of a society that doesn’t understand and is afraid to ask. Judgmental stares, rude comments, whispers and raised eyebrows. Everyday she feels she must defend herself and her children. Why? Born in the Maritimes, she…
Maria’s Story
The intake room at the shelter is as busy today as it is most days. Mostly it is women, lots of children, a few men, and a surprisingly relaxed receptionist. Sitting against the back wall is a beautiful woman, serene, no children, quietly observing, smiling. She hasn’t been to the shelter in years, and is…
Claire’s Campaign to Fund Beds for Homeless Mothers
“My mother Claire taught me the value of giving back to the community and also that everyone deserves a chance to succeed in life,” says Gary Nissen, who is matching donations made to Claire’s Campaign during the month of May.
Faith and Homelessness: Role, Responsibility and the Road to Action
Join us on May 22nd as we seek to empower Calgary’s faith-based community to take action on poverty and homelessness. Listen to keynote speaker Greig Clark as he talks about how he successfully mobilized churches in Toronto, ON, to launch an affordable housing project.
Factors Behind an Increase in Family Homelessness Systemic, Not Simple
By now you’ve probably read or heard about the Calgary Homeless Foundation’s (CHF) recent decision to decline a funding appeal made by Inn from the Cold to increase capacity at our Emergency Family Shelter. The Inn has been operating at or over capacity since January 2012, and the unprecedented number of families seeking our help…
What a Denial of Funding Means for the Inn and Our Guests
Yesterday, April 11th, news broke that Inn from the Cold may be forced to turn families away after being denied crucial funding. This is true, though we are of course doing everything in our power to avoid having to do so. Inn from the Cold has been operating at or over capacity continuously since January…
Funding Shortfall Leaves Room at the Inn
A Response to Your Questions: Recently, Inn from the Cold was the subject of a Calgary Herald article regarding the financial barriers preventing us from opening a critical wing on the second floor of our Emergency Family Shelter. Being able to utilize this space would mean that we could provide accomodation for an additional 20…
Calgarians Overwhelm with Generosity
As many of you already know, we experienced an urgent need for donations of new clothing and linens due to a recent pest-control issue. As it always does, the Calgary community stepped up to the plate: We’re happy to tell you that the problem has now been resolved, though we are still working to replenish…
Over 50 Calgarians Take the Plunge
On Feb. 15, over 50 brave Calgarians took the plunge in support of Inn from the Cold at Hopewell Residential’sannual Polar Bear Plunge. Now in its fourth year, the Polar Bear Plunge has raised over $135,000 for the Inn and Calgary’s homeless families to date. This year, over 50 volunteers including Hopewell employees, MLA Rick Fraser,…
Faces of the Inn – Part Three
Karin Rietveld, Human Resources Karin Rietveld is a staple at Inn from the Cold. She’s been working at the Inn for the past 10+ years, and in various capacities. While many might find themselves feeling restless after working for so many years at the same organization, there’s one thing that keeps Karin coming back for…
Faces of the Inn: Part Two
Steff Stephansson, Founding Board Member Did you know that Inn from the Cold was started fifteen years ago by a small group of Calgarians? We’ve grown a lot since then. In the second installment of our Faces of the Inn series, long-time volunteer and founding Board member Steff Stephansson explains what prompted a handful of…
Faces of the Inn: Part One
Gary Webber, Intake Coordinator Meet Gary Webber, the Inn’s longest-serving employee. As Intake Coordinator, Gary is responsible for screening and registering guests. It’s a frontline position that requires understanding, acceptance, and an abundance of patience, and no one is better suited to it than Gary. Clients have an unspoken respect for him,” says former Program…
Our Response to the Government’s Pledge
Inn from the Cold wishes to recognize all of the proponents and sister agencies who have been awarded funding through the Calgary Homeless Foundation Fall RFP process. As we approach the end of a year in which we have served record numbers of homeless families and struggled to ensure no parent or child went without…
You’re Invited!
On Saturday, Dec. 8th, we will be hosting our annual Adopt-a-Family Open House. Bring your family and friends and join us for some holiday cheer! This event is open to all donors, volunteers and friends, in addition to those participating in the 2012 Adopt-a-Family program. We look forward to seeing you there!
5 Easy Ways to Get Into Giving This Holiday!
T’is the season, when people are looking back over the past year, reflecting, giving thanks, thinking of those less fortunate and searching for meaningful ways to give back. For those who want to ensure that Calgary’s struggling and homeless families have a wonderful holiday season, here are five simple and fun ways to give! Show…
Face It, Calgary: There’s Work to Be Done!
Did you know that on any given night, 160 families sleep in Calgary shelters? Or that it would take 64 school buses to transport the 3,190 men, women and children that are homeless on average in Alberta’s wealthiest city? Or that it is estimated that 15,000 to 17,000 different people use an emergency shelter at…
Inn operates at or over capacity for 245 days
September has come and gone and, here at Inn from the Cold, we are busy preparing for what we anticipate will be our busiest winter yet – if our most recent experiences are any indication. This past summer was the busiest in our 15-year history, with more families than ever before seeking our help. Already,…
INNspiration House 2.0 Launches
It’s back! On September 25, 2012 INNspiration House 2.0 embarked on its 10-day trek throughout Calgary for the second consecutive year. This whimsical, fully-functional playhouse was custom built and generously donated by Roger Balm, Chairman & CEO of RPM Flow, and is meant to inspire people to get involved in the movement to end family…
Inn from the Cold Launches Day of Caring
For the first time in our history, Inn from the Cold is introducing October 14th as a Day of Caring for Calgary’s Homeless Families. Across Calgary, churches will be uniting together to honour and help families who do not have a place to call home. The Day of Caring is also a chance to show…