News

A strategic look forward – becoming a housing-focused shelter

January 2, 2019

A note from the Interim Executive Director for 2019 By: Louise Gallagher, Interim Executive Director A new year, a new look to the future. One question we are asking at Inn from the Cold to all of our staff, supporters and to the entire community is, 'What will you do to make a difference in 2019?'. This year our organization-wide resolution is to keep the home in the sights of all vulnerable families who find themselves needing care. In December…

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2018 Winter Open House

December 21, 2018

Thank you, Calgary! Thank you to everyone who came out to our Annual Winter Open House on December 8 th!  Over 250 Calgarians took the time out of their day to come to visit our Emergency Family Shelter on 11th Ave SE. Guests were taken on guided interactive tours of the shelter, partake in music and snacks, and learn more about just what it is we do here at Inn from the Cold.  Through your generous donations, we raised almost $27,000 in…

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The Holiday Season in a family emergency shelter

A note of gratitude from the Interim Executive Director By: Louise Gallagher The Holiday Season in a family emergency shelter is a time of comfort and joy. Volunteers, donors, and staff do their best to decorate floors and ensure gifts appear under the tree for every guest, young or old. The Holiday Season in a family emergency shelter is a time of stress. Children worry about whether Santa will find them if they have no fixed address, and parents worry…

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Katimavik Volunteer Program – My Inn from the Cold internship

By: Sally Russell My name is Sally Russell, and I’ve been working as a full-time volunteer with Inn from the Cold since October.  Before that, I spent my summer volunteering in halfway across the country in Quebec City.  I am a Katimavik volunteer, and I am so lucky to have been able to spend my last three months away from home working with an organization like the Inn. Katimavik, for those who haven’t heard of it, is a six-month volunteer…

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5 Things to Know About Donating to a Charity This Holiday Season

December 20, 2018

5 Things to Know About Donating to a Charity This Holiday Season Giving out of your own pocket is a big decision and we understand it’s not one to be taken lightly. Many charitable organizations rely on donations to supplement the majority of their funding and Inn from the Cold is no different. Here are five important things you need to know. Even small donations can have a big impact We don’t want your monetary donations to break the bank!…

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Here’s Why Your Holiday Donations Really Matter – And It’s Not What You Might Think

December 11, 2018

An interview with Joelle Mar, Director of Resource Development at the Inn. Joelle Mar is the Director of Resource Development at Inn from the Cold, gathering donations from people just like you to help homeless families exit homelessness and into a place to call their own. The holidays can produce a lot of financial and emotional stress for many families, but that isn’t the main reason your contributions matter so much during the holidays. “Before Inn from the Cold, there…

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Circles of Hope 2018 Recap

December 6, 2018

Circles of Hope 2018 | Every child needs a hero By: Sally Russell Hi, I am Sally the Katimavik volunteer at Inn from the Cold this semester. During my time at the Inn, I am working to support the Communications and Events team as well as providing support around shelter wherever I can. Being from Ontario, I had no idea about the Inn until I got to Calgary and it has been an incredible learning experience so far. One of…

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Join us for our Winter Open House!

December 5, 2018

  Our Holiday Open House is December 8th, a way for Calgarians to get an inside look of our Emergency Family Shelter and get a first-hand experience of homelessness through our interactive tour. Join us from 10 am - 2 pm this Saturday and gain a deeper understanding of homelessness in our city and the impact you can have for children and families experiencing homelessness. This is also a chance for us to show our appreciation to the community and all the…

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INNformation Report | Focus on Immigrant Homelessness

December 3, 2018

INNformation Report Series Immigrant families make up 20% of families served at Inn from the Cold. We have been focusing our research over the last few weeks on Immigrant Homelessness, specifically, what makes it unique from other homeless demographics and what the best strategies are to help end homelessness for immigrant and new Canadian families. According to Statistics Canada census data released in October of 2017, the immigrant population in Calgary grew from 197,175 in 2001 to 404,700 in 2017. The…

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3 ways to get involved this holiday season

November 15, 2018

Want to support children and families find a home for the holidays? Here are our top 3 ways to help. For many families experiencing homelessness, the thought of being home for the holidays seems elusive at best. As we know, however, home is a permanent foundation of healing, safety, love, and security. Over the course of 2017, The Inn had over 33,560 bed stays in our emergency family shelter, with an overwhelming 60% being children. In 2018, we’ve only seen…

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