Supporting families who need help
A temporary family crisis doesn’t have to lead to homelessness. Some families may need one-time financial help so they can pay the rent and avoid eviction. Others may need referrals to appropriate agencies for counselling, legal guidance and advice, and programs that strengthen employment, parenting, and general life skills.
Families who need assistance can call 403 263 8384 or email info@innfromthecold.org for more information. Please note that any voice messages are returned within three hours. Email is best for non-urgent inquiries and will be returned within 24 hours.
Inn from the Cold is also providing emergency shelter to families:
- To enable physical distancing, families are placed temporarily in available apartments at our satellite shelter operations, where we can safely accommodate 10 families.
- Families stay in the communal emergency shelter at our downtown location only if space is available; our current capacity is set at two families to ensure physical distancing.
- Our offsite commercial kitchen provides daily hot meals, lunches and snacks to these families as well as household supply hampers to families residing in the community
Shelter families are also equipped with their own computers to support home schooling as needed, job searching, and home hunting. IFTC case managers connect with the families regularly, providing guidance and helping to develop and adjust plans to help the families get back on their feet and their children to get the support they need. IFTC also provides early childhood development and parenting supports, health and wellness programming, and home-finding service.
Protecting people at IFTC remains our top priority during the pandemic.
Receiving donated items-in-kind for this holiday season and winter
We’re accepting items to meet needs for shelter and housing families this fall and winter.
The type of items that are needed include fresh food and pantry staples, various household items for the supply hampers for our relocated shelter families during COVID-19, holiday treats, Christmas gifts for teenagers and adults, and a range of new outdoor and winter clothing and footwear.
To confirm current needs and to make delivery arrangements, please email our Donation Management Associate at donate@innfromthecold.org or call 403 999 7452. Messages will be returned within 24 hours or the next business day.
We’re unable to take unsolicited or unscheduled donations and are unable to accept used items.
Offering volunteer opportunities at Inn from the Cold
We’re accepting applications from people who are interested in remote volunteer positions. Those roles include producing how-to-videos on a range of subjects. While most in-person volunteer opportunities are not currently available, there are some options available at our other facilities, such as our offsite commercial kitchen.
See the volunteer section for more information or email volunteer@innfromthecold.org with specific questions.
Please note that in-person volunteer opportunities at our main building on 11th Avenue are not available.
Helping families and their children served by Inn from the Cold
People who’d like to support Inn from the Cold financially can donate funds online.
We’ll apply these donations to the IFTC Family Support Program, which includes safe emergency shelter, food, clothing, toiletries, diapers, footwear, prenatal supplements, school supplies, strollers, early childhood development and youth programming, and various social supports.
We also maintains a list of critically-needed items on Amazon, which supporters can use to purchase specific items that are needed by the families currently in our care. For more information please email donate@innfromthecold.org or call 403 999 7452.
Receiving visitors at Inn from the Cold’s downtown location
We are unable to accept any visitors or conduct any tours at 110 – 11th Avenue SE during the pandemic.
We have produced a video to provide a virtual tour of our main building and offsite commercial kitchen. That video is available here.
Hosting IFTC events this fall and early winter
Inn from the Cold has rescheduled the annual gala to October 2021.
In the coming weeks, we’ll announce some community activities in support of our families that are being planned for the coming holiday season.
General inquiries about IFTC fundraising events can be directed to events@innfromthecold.org
Emails will be returned within 24 hours or the next business day.
