The purpose of the COVID-19 Indigenous Task Force is to ensure the most at-risk Indigenous people have access to basic necessities to carry them through this pandemic and to provide wrap-around supports and services. The task force will work with shelters and agencies that serve our homeless population, and support seniors and Elders. $40,333 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will be used to purchase and deliver food hampers to the most vulnerable in the community, including single mothers at the Awo Taan Healing Lodge, an emergency shelter for Indigenous women and families fleeing domestic violence, who desperately need food and other necessities.

The Cross Roads Centre is a collaboration between Aboriginal Friendship Centre Calgary, SORCe, Alberta Health Services Mental Health and Addiction, and the Canadian Mental Health Association Street Outreach and Stabilization Team. Collectively, the entities in the Cross Roads Centre support people experiencing or at risk of homelessness including Indigenous people, people with mental illness, people with addiction, and those who are have increased vulnerability. Another $175,000 from The COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward AAhkita’sopoyakahtop: Forward Together with Care, the safe and culturally inclusive re-opening of the Cross Roads Centre following the COVID-19 related shut down in March.

$35,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will help cover the cost of supporting vulnerable Elders and seniors in the community by providing food and basic essentials hampers, technology so they can connect with their families, and offering transportation to and from appointments, or to pick up prescriptions.

Another $20,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will help develop the Response Task Force, which will help coordinate agencies, partners, and funders to meet the needs of Indigenous people living and working in the Treaty 7 area of Alberta.

$450,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward helping the Aboriginal Friendship Centre evolve back to the Indigenous Governance Model from the Funder Western Model. The reconfiguration of resources for Indigenous people is rooted in, and draws legitimacy from, Indigenous methodologies and cultures. These funds will be distributed to other organizations serving the Indigenous population through consensus decision making with the Elders and the Indigenous Task Force table.

$40,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward the Aboriginal Friendship Centre Calgary Task Force, supporting hundreds of Indigenous families and Elders with basic needs and cultural supports.

Abrio Health supports the coordination and collaboration of existing services, developing programs, and engaging the community to encourage healthy living in Airdrie and area. Due to COVID-19, many individuals in the community are feeling isolated, struggling to stay healthy and connected. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards the development of health assessment tools, learning modules and an emphasis on easily actionable permanent and semi-permanent changes individuals can make to their environments to make the healthy choice the easy choice. These will include virtual purpose workshops, virtual walking groups, and social connections for seniors.

Inclusio is a fully accessible, supportive living home for adults with limited mobility who require some assistance with activities of daily living. Residents at the Inclusio supportive living facility require increased support in communications to update and inform them of changing requirements by Alberta Health Services. $15,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will allow Accessible Housing to cover the cost of new processes that were put into place to protect the health and safety of their clients.

Another $50,500 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will help cover the cost of personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies to ensure the health and safety of clients, residents, and staff at the Inclusio residence.

ACTION Alberta, or the Action Coalition on Human Trafficking, is a coalition of government agencies, non-governmental organizations, survivors of trafficking, and volunteers concerned with identifying and responding to human trafficking in our province. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, ACTION Alberta will be able to continue supporting the needs of people experiencing sex, labour, and organ trafficking in our province through their Victim Response Program, adapting to ensure they have the equipment and resources necessary to keep staff and client safe amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

ActionDignity is a community-based organization that facilitates the collective voice of Calgary’s ethnocultural communities. At the forefront of the COVID-19 response among ethnocultural communities, ActionDignity has gathered information identifying urgent community needs. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will be used for urgent relief activities, including support for community groups/organizations to implement their own emergency response plans for basic needs (culturally appropriate food, rent, supplies, medicines, infant supplies, etc.) and providing essential information, education, and connections to appropriate resources for community members to quickly access benefits, stay safe, and prevent the spread of COVID-19.

$50,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward Mental Health CARE, a community-based project that uses culturally appropriate prevention strategies to promote mental health and wellness among racialized communities.

Airdrie and District Victims Assistance Society provides 24-hour crisis response and support to victims of crime and/or tragedy in partnership with the RCMP. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will support Airdrie and District Victims Assistance Society in developing a basic needs fund that will provide safe accommodation, food, and other basic needs to help victims of domestic violence and other crimes and tragedies to remain safe during this pandemic. Funding will also go toward IT requirements that will help staff safely support clients while working remotely and ensure client privacy.

Airdrie Lioness Club and Hamper Foundation’s mission is to provide service to the community and its citizens. Members of the club operate or contribute to community programs throughout the year. With help from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Airdrie Lioness Club and Hamper Foundation will be able to supply seniors with basic needs and programming, offer backpacks for the homeless population, provide emergency hampers for low-income families and families experiencing difficulties or disaster (including gift cards, food, pillows), and offer blanket making supplies.

ALBERTA ADOLESCENT RECOVERY CENTRE – $79,772

Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre (AARC) is a long-term, family oriented, intensive treatment centre for substance addicted youth ages 12-21 and their families. Youth receive treatment at AARC’s centre during normal business hours and some evenings Monday to Saturday. They travel to different recovery homes every night and weekend where recovery home parents provide food and accommodation. Amidst COVID-19, AARC has decided to reduce the risk of infection by housing its clients at its centre. $22,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go to covering costs for increased clinical staff, additional chef and LPN shifts, and necessary supplies.

With $57,772 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, AARC will be able to continue to operate safely by hiring extra staff, purchasing additional PPE, and dedicating an isolation area for new clients that are exhibiting symptoms, while keeping up with the increased demand as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Alberta Association for Better Communities (AABC) addresses substance abuse and addiction by providing a platform of community-based, holistic classes and lessons that provide a safe, supportive environment for persons who have been, or currently are, recovering from addiction and substance abuse. With help from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, AABC will be able to continue creating a community for these individuals and providing them safe space, free from shame and stigma, to help them reconnect socially through virtual services and programs, such as ongoing recovery support meetings, group meditation sessions, group art classes, and individualized coaching.

Alberta Cancer Foundation (ACF) is the fundraising arm for all 17 Alberta Health Services cancer centres. Social workers and psychological support teams at the cancer centres are seeing increasing obstacles to treatment and care among vulnerable cancer patient as they face income loss due to the pandemic. Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards funding the COVID-19 Psychosocial Emergency Support Program, which supports vulnerable cancer patients who face barriers in accessing appointments for diagnosis, treatment and/or symptom management of cancer at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary, the Bow Valley Cancer Centre and the High River Cancer Centre. This program is for social workers to provide emergency and interim relief from the costs that are directly associated with accessing cancer treatment and basic living costs of the patient during COVID-19.

Since 1986 the Alberta Network of Immigrant Women has connected and empowered immigrant women across the province, leading and supporting initiatives that foster equality, justice, and learning. They are supporting the MPC Foundation in this request. Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will be used by the MPC Foundation to connect socially isolated immigrant seniors to improve their mental health. Staff and volunteers will reach out through phone calls, texting, or through apps and e-mail to offer support and understand client needs. Volunteers will put together and deliver activity bags for seniors that include puzzles, colour pages, and other activities. This funding will also support online gatherings for seniors, such as low-impact exercise sessions, or English classes.

A hub for vulnerable Calgarians, The Alex offers health, housing, and food programs to support our neighbours. The Alex serves a community with complex health and social needs, often the result of issues such as poverty, trauma, homelessness, or addiction. $17,271.50 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward helping vulnerable adults living on a low income, and another $17,271.50 will be used to help support seniors.

$75,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will help The Alex increase their mental health clinical team to support the increased need for counselling services that they have seen in the community. A portion of funding will also be used to maintain a clean, safe, secure, and healthy site for staff and community members.

The Alex Community Food Centre (CFC) is a welcoming place for people to come together to grow, cook, share, and advocate for good food for all. The CFC provides people with access to high-quality food in a dignified setting through healthy meals and an affordable produce market. With $50,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, The Alex Community Food Centre will be able to continue providing high-quality meals and affordable produce while offering multi-faceted, integrated, and responsive programming through safe and appropriate means.

Another $45,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward helping the organization adapt programming so that vulnerable clients can access it remotely, staying home, staying connected, and still supported. This includes support for kitchen/food infrastructure to scale up food security work and funds to provide food, basic needs, hygiene, self-isolation supports, technology, and activities to community members in need.

$55,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will enable The Alex to create holiday HOPE bags with basic needs and mental health resources. The funding will also support kitchen staff in meal preparation.

The Alzheimer Society of Calgary supports people impacted by dementia, and their families, to live their lives as well as possible. For people living with dementia, social isolation can have devastating effects including an increase of responsive behaviours as well as a progression of cognitive impairment. The current COVID-19 pandemic is particularly difficult for people with dementia as they are often incapable of understanding why a caregiver has suddenly become absent.

The Alzheimer Society of Calgary supports people impacted by dementia, and their families, live their lives as well as possible. The impact of this situation on seniors is immense. Ensuring that seniors have the supports and services that they need while keeping them safe is paramount. Supports to caregivers are especially important as respite is not available as it might be at other times. The Alzheimer Society of Calgary has received $25,000 for additional staff for their Support Team for a four-month period. This will enable them to provide vital support to a larger number of caregivers and people with dementia, in order to help them avoid crisis during this time.

Another $9,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards the Designated Care Partner Project, which aims to re-unite family caregivers with their loved one living in long-term care. Family members will undergo an in-depth and rigorous training program focused on the correct use of PPE, hygiene protocols, and safety standards supporting public health pandemic guidelines so that they can safely visit their relative with dementia, and resume essential caregiving activities.

Aspen Family & Community Network provides programming and support to help individuals and families from vulnerability to stability, from poverty to economic and social resilience, and from isolation to active participation in their community. Aspen reports an increase in domestic violence, suicidal ideation, self-harm, and general exacerbation of pre-existing mental and physical health challenges due to COVID-19. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards supporting isolated individuals with technology supports and families with multiple children, children with mental health or developmental disabilities who need additional respite and connection with school and childcare closures.

Autism Calgary Association is a group of individuals and families living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) striving to assist each other and the broader community so that those with ASD live meaningful and purposeful lives. Autism Calgary serves two vulnerable populations that are at risk of social isolation and difficulty coping due to the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) families with children at home who have with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and (2) vulnerable adults living with (ASD). The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbates the social needs of these two populations who are already at risk of a myriad of challenges. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards individualized support for clients via phone and email to ensure they are able to mentally and physically cope throughout this crisis.

Awo Taan Healing Lodge Society supports Indigenous families that may be at risk of child protective intervention, experiencing mental health or addiction issues, homeless, or domestic violence. The organization has been trying to meet increased demand from Indigenous populations, including Elders, requiring basic needs, cultural supports, and assistance in applying for COVID-19 financial relief. Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward basic needs, cultural supports, agency operations, staff, and service delivery.

The Eden Valley Reserve is home to approximately 700 Bearspaw First Nation members. Many in this community have experienced long-standing disparities such as family violence, prescription drug addictions and overdoses, alcohol misuse, poverty, food insecurity, and a lack of access to education. These issues impact health, mental health, and wellbeing. To address this, the community has placed greater attention on facilitating opportunities for connection and healing, providing positive support to the community through the Stoney Trail Wellness Center (STWC). With help from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, the STWC will focus on safeguarding and improving the health, mental health, and well-being of the Bearspaw First Nation people.

The Bethany Care Foundation was established in 2004 as the fundraising arm of Bethany Care Society. The Foundation’s goal is to make a difference, every day, in supporting Bethany Care Society as caring innovators in health, housing and lifestyle services for seniors and people with disabilities. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Bethany Care Foundation will be able to use technology systems which are intentionally designed for seniors and seniors with dementia to help increase their quality of life and connect safely with their communities through virtual visits with family, accessing games and puzzles, and engage in therapeutic activities, such as music therapy.

They will also use the funding to help independent affordable housing tenants learn how to safely socialize and access health and wellness supports through safe musical recitals, arts and crafts sessions, and safe exercise and mobility coaching. Additional supports such as safety kits with sanitizer, gloves, and masks will be offered to tenants who must venture out for groceries or appointments.

The COVID-19 pandemic is significantly affecting learners at Bow Valley College and negatively impacting their ability to persist and succeed in school. Students are reporting job loss, not being able to find employment, food shortage, and difficulty accessing childcare. Due to the citywide influx of requests, they are also having a difficult time accessing community resources, such as the food bank. $25,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will provide small bursaries to students in dire financial need. This support will help reduce the burden on students so that they can continue to focus on online learning and pay for basic needs such as rent, food, transportation, utilities, or childcare. Another $30,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards the purchase of 180 low-cost laptops/tablets for students in need, and set up of the virtual desktop infrastructure so that students can load a fully functioning virtual desktop on any device.

$40,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward an Indigenous Savings Circle, a financial literacy and student financial assistance initiative that empowers vulnerable learners to remove financial barriers to their success.

Another $40,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward improving student access to Bow Valley College’s Cultural Resource Elders program. This program offers opportunities for community connections and food relief for Indigenous learners through enhanced technology and virtual gatherings.

Bow Valley Connections Centre creates social opportunities for people with developmental disabilities to access diverse social opportunities. With help from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Bow Valley Connection Centre will be able to support participants who have had their jobs or volunteer opportunities put on hold, not only losing income, but also social connections with others in the community.

BowWest Community Resource Centre’s mission is to connect individuals and families to the economic, social, and educational opportunities that empower them to lead more resilient lives. $200,000 in support from the Calgary Foundation, $28,380.00 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund, and $260,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward a basic needs fund, to help individuals overcome a temporary financial crisis, access food, child care, shelter, medication, internet connections for employment and education, and other essentials.

Boys and Girls Clubs of Airdrie’s mission is to provide a safe, supportive place where children and youth can experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships, and develop confidence and skills for life. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Boys and Girls Clubs of Airdrie will be able to employ a Child and Family Resource Worker, who will provide social and emotional supports and positive mental health strategies to children and their families with the goal of enhancing self-esteem and overall wellness during the pandemic.

Boys and Girls Club of the Foothills provides a safe, supportive place where children and youth can experience new opportunities, overcome barriers, build positive relationships, and develop confidence and skills for life. Support from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will help financially marginalized and at-risk families in Longview, Turner Valley, Black Diamond, High River, and Foothills County access food support through grocery gift cards to purchase food and basic needs, or grocery deliveries. Funds will also go towards covering mileage for volunteers who are making these food and goods deliveries.

Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids (BB4CK) is a non-profit organization that works in partnership with Calgary schools to make and deliver healthy lunches for students who would otherwise go hungry. In response to the pandemic and the cancellation of classes across the province, BB4CK made prompt and significant shifts to its program delivery model in order to continue feeding hungry children in Calgary. Instead of feeding kids in schools, BB4CK fed kids in their community by creating a grocery gift card program and re-launching the Food Finder YYC initiative, which works to safely distribute food at locations throughout the city.

Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards ensuring the organization has resources in place to continue providing basic needs to children throughout Calgary.

The Buckspring Foundation looks for opportunities to meet practical physical, emotional and psychosocial needs. They have partnered with Victory Outreach, a social service agency that provides a safety net for residents of Ogden, Bowness, and Forest Lawn. Individuals and families in these regions are among the most vulnerable in our city and regularly depend on social supports to make ends meet. Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will be used to provide food hampers to support the most vulnerable communities in Calgary by ensuring food security, reducing the pressures that these families and individuals face.

Alpha House operates an emergency shelter for men and women who are vulnerable through addiction to alcohol or other drugs and living on the streets of Calgary. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards additional cleaning supplies, personal protective equipment for staff in the shelter, housing, and outreach programs, and additional food service supplies.

Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS) is a non-profit that provides settlement and integration services to all immigrants and refugees in Alberta. $50,000 in funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards providing emergency financial supports to clients in the form of: groceries, medication, basic needs, emergency rent, etc.

Another $122,579 from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward helping immigrants and refugees affected by COVID-19 with their holistic mental health needs, including direct therapy support and system navigation.

The Calgary Chinese Community Service Association supports individuals to have full and equitable access and participation in Canadian society. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, CCCSA has experienced a 20-fold increase in client-engagement activities, whether it be newcomers with language barriers who have recently lost jobs and income or seniors who are unable to afford food and are now unable to leave their homes. Many clients also lack technology, which creates further challenges in accessing the support they need. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards supporting vulnerable clients that are unable to safely access basic needs, including food, household supplies,  and medication), technology for those in need, and volunteer expenses.

The Calgary Chinese Elderly Citizens’ Association (CCECA) provides services including social services, community support and health services to its 2,000 members. For many of the CCECA seniors, accessing mainstream services is difficult due to language barriers. Due to COVID-19, this issue has been exacerbated, with many seniors currently living in isolation and unable to access basic needs like food and medicine. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards the delivery of groceries, as well as protective masks, self-care tips, and a resource list.

Calgary Counselling Centre improves the well-being of individuals and families by delivering best practices in counselling, training, and research. Calgary youth (19-24 years old) are under-served and need increased access to timely and affordable mental health services during major transitions and instabilities in their lives, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. With $70,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund, along with $75,000 from the Calgary Foundation, Calgary Counselling Centre will be able to offer mental health supports to Calgary’s youth.

Calgary Drop-In Centre (The DI) is an emergency shelter that provides essential care as well as health services, employment training, and housing supports to people in need. Since mid-March, the DI has had to implement safe-staffing protocols, additional hiring of personnel, testing protocols, selection and readying overflow/satellite shelters to adhere to social distancing protocols, and the accompanying hiring, supplies and equipment associated. $100,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards the opening of additional/overflow shelter spaces, the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) and training of health care workers, and other necessary supplies to ensure staff and clients are protected and healthy while getting the support they need.

$50,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward getting people safely and sustainably housed.

Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards essential personal items for these shelters, such as towels, blankets, sheet sets, thermometers, and clothing, as well as general shelter supplies required because of the increased number of clients including laundry detergent, bleach, and cleaning wipes.

The Calgary Fiddlers Association empowers youth to share music with others, teaching social skills, responsibility, commitment, and time management skills. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund. The Calgary Fiddlers Association will be able to host virtual live stream performances monthly from September to March for seniors homes, as well as for vulnerable groups living in support homes.

Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association (CIWA) offers programming and support for immigrant and refugee women, girls, and their families. CIWA’s most vulnerable clients are at greater risk of isolation during this time because their only mode of accessing supports or engaging with others is face to face in-person communication, which has been significantly reduced with the pandemic and agencies and businesses transitioning to online/virtual services. Since CIWA moved to remote services, the call volume for support has more than doubled. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards purchasing technology for low to mid-skilled immigrant women attending employment training programs, newcomer women attending English language and literacy classes, and immigrant mothers supporting the early learning and development of their children.

$114,553 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will promote food security among immigrants by engaging clients in line cook/food service work to prepare meals while enhancing their occupational skills and employability. This funding will also support CIWA’s work in domestic violence, social inclusion, and youth supports, as these areas have seen increased need as a result of COVID-19.

The Calgary Jewish Community Centre (JCC) is, open to all regardless of race, religion or gender, offering meaningful and relevant programs for all generations. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will help pay for staff to support 500 senior members in any way needed, from delivering food, prescription medication and any other essential items, to setting up regular contact sessions for those who need someone to talk to.

Calgary John Howard Society is a community-based charitable organization dedicated to reducing the incidence of crime and increasing community safety through preventative and restorative justice practices. In addition to dealing with the consequences of criminal behaviour, John Howard clients face multiple issues including homelessness, poverty, social isolation, mental health, and addictions which are significantly exacerbated by COVID-19. Indigenous individuals, which comprise 28% of John Howard clients, are feeling particularly vulnerable and isolated. $25,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund and $9,750 from the Calgary Homeless Foundation will go towards the purchase of food, clothing, hygiene items, toiletries, medication, and smudge kids for clients. Funding will also go towards ensuring a safe return to facilities for clients and staff during COVID-19.

Another $27,329 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward helping Indigenous youth cope with COVID-19 related isolation during the winter and will support individuals in Calgary John Howard Society’s employment program to receive services either online or face-to-face.

Calgary Meals on Wheels promotes health and independence by providing quality, nutritious and affordable meals to people in need. They were able to support four shelters in Calgary by preparing meals and sandwiches for vulnerable individuals currently residing in those shelters throughout Calgary.

Calgary Outlink is a community-based, not-for-profit charity dedicated to providing support, education, outreach, and referrals for the LGBTQ2IA+ and allied community in Calgary. COVID-19 has disproportionately affected LGBTQ2IA+ people—many of whom work in precarious and front-line positions—and this includes those who have been laid off, lost employment, or are experiencing increased risk of exposure, stress, and uncertainty as they find themselves living in unsafe and unsupportive homes, with lifesaving surgeries, treatments, and procedures postponed. Calgary Outlink partnered with a group of LGBTQ2IA+ serving agencies from across to help reduce the disconnection between service providers and enhance service delivery to Calgary’s LGBTQ2IA+ population.

Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will allow for the hiring of a community resource coordinator position, which will work closely with the interagency group. The position will identify resource and service gaps, research and gather COVID-19 related information to fill such gaps, build out and maintain the database, and connect with peer service providers to update evolving information in an effort to support LGBTQ2IA+ people in Calgary.

Calgary Quest School is a special education private school that serves Grade 1-12 students with special needs, and through a community program for students ages 18-25 who have moderate to severe disabilities. Calgary Quest students find it difficult to physically distance or wear masks, which increases the concern for safety in the reopening of the school and the community program. Many of the students have struggled immensely with at-home learning. Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward the purchase of PPE for staff, and to hire additional cleaning staff for common areas and high touch surfaces.

Calgary Reads works to improve children’s lives by helping them become confident, joyful readers. With libraries, schools, community centres, and daycares closed amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, it is challenging for parents to access books for their children. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Calgary Reads will provide immediate emergency response to children facing the greatest barriers in accessing books by delivering book bags containing children’s books and activities.

Calgary Seniors’ Resource Society provides services and programming to support vulnerable seniors with managing life changes and challenges. Calgary Seniors’ SeniorConnect is a preventive, community-based program for seniors, which connects them with the support they need to remain independent, healthy, and safe in their own homes.​​​​​​​​​  As a result of COVID-19, the program has seen a spike in the number of referrals (particularly after hours) to the program for seniors experiencing social crisis and needing immediate support. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards additional social workers who can respond to the current and expected increase in referrals, tools they need to work safely and effectively, and emergency funds to help seniors access immediate supports like food and rent.

Calgary Silver Linings Foundation builds awareness for eating disorders in Alberta and works to improve access to life-saving, world-class residential eating disorder treatment for families. Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness, including depression, and they are one of the leading causes of death from mental illness among young people. During times of crisis, like the COVID-19 pandemic, increased vulnerability of an already vulnerable population is amplified. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards professionally-facilitated, online support groups for Calgarians aged 18+ with any type of eating disorder, and subsidizing registration fees for any clients who are currently experiencing financial hardship.

Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter provides programming and support to end family violence and abuse in the lives of women, children, youth and men. The shelter has seen an increase in their community counselling program, men’s counselling program, and 24 Hour Connect Family Help Line since the start of the pandemic. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards increasing staff in the shelter to meet the expectations of maintaining safety during this time.

Camp Chestermere is a year-round ministry that runs summer camps, winter camps, events, group bookings and conferences. Located in Chestermere, Alberta, the camp has been a part of the community for over 80 years, providing a venue for recreational, spiritual, and social interaction for all ages. The camp serves a high population of low-income families, many of whom are not usually able to attend camp without some form of subsidy. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, the camp will be able to offer a reduced fee for children from financially vulnerable families.

Canada Bridges is committed to developing a world where youth can show up, stand up, and be heard. Their mission is to listen, learn, and collaborate in community for unveiled youth potential. Support from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward developing new outreach models that support Indigenous youth to share their voices and be change-makers in their communities, despite COVID-19 impacts and restrictions.

The Canadian Cancer Society funds research, provides services to those living with cancer, advocates on important cancer-related issues, and educates and empowers people to make healthy choices. Help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will support the Canadian Cancer Society’s Wheels of Hope program, which provides access to safe and reliable transportation for people who are receiving active treatment at approved cancer treatment facilities.

Canadian Pakistani Support Group Association promotes understanding, harmony, tolerance, and good relations between Canadians of Pakistani heritage and the community at large. The association runs Maskan, a transitional shelter for vulnerable women and girls who are victims of domestic violence. Due to COVID-19, Maskan is receiving more referrals than usual and clients are staying at the facility longer. The shelter cannot operate on full capacity to maintain the protocols of social distancing. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will provide food and clothing, and IT support for clients.up homes.

The Canadian Mental Health Association – Calgary Region’s mission is to be a leader in reducing the impact of mental illness and addiction in community. $50,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will support operational activities, including establishing virtual service delivery of programs, purchasing software licenses to connect with clients through virtual platforms, purchasing tablets to connect with group home residents who do not have access to this equipment, purchasing personal protective equipment for client-facing staff members, and providing food and provisions for group homes.

$80,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward bolstering mental health education and basic coping strategies for individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and individuals who have, and are at risk of, mental health and/or addiction issues.

carya is a social service agency that provides interactive counselling and engagement programs for individuals and families across our city.

$32,625 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will help the organization address immediate needs in the community and support carya in adapting their programs to virtual platforms.

carya is part of The Way In Network, a collaboration of four agencies that acts as a “system community navigator” program providing outreach, supportive referrals, and case management services for older adults across Calgary. Due to the negative publicity associated with some long-term care sites across Canada, as well as changed behaviours resulting from COVID-19, there is an increased resistance to aging in congregate settings and pressure for increased options to live independently in the community.

Another $175,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards a pilot project that aims to improve integration of health and community based seniors’ services, focuses on coordination of non-health related services that support healthy aging in community, and enhances the delivery of services to seniors aging in community. As part of the In-Home Supports Coordination for Aging in Community, the Way In Network would work collaboratively with AHS to identify clients who would benefit from the services of an outreach worker and further connection to community based services upon discharge. Upon referral, the outreach worker will work with the patient to coordinate a plan to support their return to independent living in the community setting.

$65,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward matched savings programs to increase saving habits and social connections among residents in Community Hubs initiative sites.

Another $35,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward establishing Head Chef and Volunteer Coordinator positions to help with recruitment, food and supplies, and information technology at the Village Commons in East Village.

Catholic Family Service provides counselling, education and community outreach programs to equip people with the knowledge and skills to deal with issues and live life to the fullest. Due to COVID-19, Catholic Family Service moved their counselling sessions and GED classrooms online. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards information technology needs to meet the increased demand for services and supports and to maintain service provision in supporting clients with mental health needs and basic needs emerging out of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Centre for Autism Services Alberta provides supports and services to help meet the unique needs of children and families severely affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders. Due to the closure of public facilities amidst COVID-19, these services are being delivered exclusively in the homes of these families, and may include psychology and behavioural consultation, family coaching, or case management. Support from the Community Response Fund will go toward purchasing appropriate learning toys and books for these services that can be cleaned and disinfected after each use, as well as bins to store and carry these items. As temperature checks will be carried out for children and members of their families to ensure everyone is healthy, the funds will also support purchasing thermometers.

The Canadian Centre for Men and Families supports the health and well-being of boys, men, fathers, and families through therapy and counselling, peer support, a legal clinic, fathering programs, and mentorship. The organization provides services, research, advocacy, outreach and public education on all aspects of men’s issues. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Canadian Centre for Men and Families Calgary will continue to make a positive impact on the lives of boys, men, and their families by offering programs, services, and interventions for those experiencing crises, including virtual counselling, group therapy, and workshops.

Centre for Newcomers (CFN) is non-profit immigrant settlement agency offering services & language training for newcomers in Calgary. There has been an increase in demand for CFN services in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. In addition to serving existing clients/appointments, staff has seen a rise in requests for support in accessing provincial and federal economic supports. $75,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards ensuring clients have access to basic needs like food, shelter, and utility coverage.

$75,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward creating and disbursing food hampers, food service training, as well as ensuring proper safety protocols are in place at Centre for Newcomers.

Centre for Sexuality is a nationally recognized, community-based organization delivering programs and services that work to normalize sexuality and sexual health across the lifespan. Their mission is to normalize sexual health in Alberta by providing evidence-informed, non-judgmental sexual and reproductive health programs and services. Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward helping address the increased requests for counselling support that the organization is currently receiving from clients. This project will support the mental health and wellness of clients amidst a time that has particularly impacted the most vulnerable in our society.

The Centre for Suicide Prevention (CSP) is an education centre offering suicide prevention training for individuals, community agencies, and corporate partners to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to support people at risk of suicide. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund allows CSP to deliver information online to anyone seeking more resources about how to protect their own health or the health of a loved one at risk of suicide. This funding will be used to support those serving immediately vulnerable populations including the homeless population, people living with addiction, and people experiencing current mental health challenges.

Centre Street Church is a Christian Evangelical Church with many locations in Calgary and Airdrie. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will primarily go to support food depots and delivery, meal preparations, and counsel, as well as addressing the social well-being of seniors and families with children at home, and others with limited access to care and supports.

Centro De Vida Cristiana Church Calgary is a non-profit organization that helps the Latin community in Calgary with financial and housing assistance. Due to COVID-19, many of its members have developed mental health issues. The centre’s volunteers have been supporting the influx of people who need support.

Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go support volunteers who have lost their job due to the pandemic, so they can continue offering an array of supports for their clients. These services include peer support groups for all ages, crisis support, food security, coaching on how to apply for COVID-19 financial assistance, and support for victims of domestic violence.

Cerebral Palsy Association in Alberta (CPAA) supports people affected by cerebral palsy and other disabilities. Client demand for supports and services has increased during this challenging time. The pandemic threatens the clients’ ability to have a caregiver, to access essential needs, and disrupts the sense of normalcy, social inclusion, and routine they had through coming to the CPAA. $30,000 in funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will assist with the delivery of community support services such as counselling, navigation of resources, and the distribution of food hampers and essentials to clients in need.

$45,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward helping CPAA establish virtual recreation and wellness programs, including virtual counselling and support services, to bolster the mental and physical health and wellbeing of persons with disabilities while maintaining social distancing.

Cerebral Palsy Kids and Families has been sharing knowledge and hope to families living with cerebral palsy and similar neuromotor disabilities in the Calgary area since 1951. With support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund, Cerebral Palsy Kids and Families will be able to run a respite program, allowing for isolated children with disabilities to participate in a safe and fun environment. This program utilizes volunteers who will facilitate one-on-one programming for children living with physical disabilities, minimizing the risk to the child, while also providing the important social time they need.

Chabad Lubavitch of Alberta is a full service organization offering programs, classes, counseling and celebrations. As Alberta’s only Jewish Kosher Kitchen, Chabad needs to ensure their kitchen is operating to provide meals for people who are isolated due to COVID-19. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards purchasing kosher food products for Passover to prepare and provide meals to those in need, packaging and delivering of said meals to people’s doors.

$35,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward preparing and distributing fresh, healthy, kosher food to those in need and reaching out over the holidays.

Bringing community together to increase awareness and provide access to resources with compassion and dignity is what the Chestermere Food Bank does. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will support the increased need for perishable and non-perishable foods, ensure service delivery accommodates safe procedures for volunteers and staff, and help with administration and food delivery support.

Childhood Cancer Canada is dedicated to saving, enhancing, and extending the lives of young people with cancer through programming, family support, and funding research. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Childhood Cancer Canada will provide financial support for families of children with cancer to access food, personal hygiene products, and other basic necessities.

The Children’s Cottage Society is dedicated to building strong healthy children and safe nurturing families through prevention programs and support services. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Children’s Cottage Society will be able to make modifications to their Brenda’s House program, to safely offer emergency shelter for families experiencing homelessness, while preventing the spread of COVID-19. At Brenda’s House, families in need are able to remain together in a home-like environment and receive the support and resources they need.

Closer to Home Community Services Society offers a wide range of services designed to meet the unique needs of children, youth and families. Their vision is contributing to a future where every child will belong to a family and feel valued and secure. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Closer to Home will be able to engage more vulnerable Calgarians, providing the resources, referrals, and programming needed to not only cope with the pandemic situation, but to move forward with greater resiliency.

Community Kitchen Program of Calgary helps adults, children and families to eat healthier, at a lower cost, while learning how to cut grocery bills and keep healthy habits throughout their lifetime. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, two of their anchor programs – The Good Food Box and the Spinz-A-Round Program – have proven to be an essential food source for people in our community who are living in poverty and food insecurity. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will provide the two programs with food supplies for boxes, production of boxes, and distribution to people in need.

Confederation Park 55+ Activity Centre is a volunteer-driven organization working to help older adults maintain and enhance their mental and physical well-being through dance, music, art, technology and exercise classes. Due to isolation from COVID-19, seniors are no longer able to visit the centre for regular meals and programming. $10,000 in funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will provide meals and groceries to the isolated seniors that normally attend their weekly programming.

Another $19,500 from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward helping the organization provide a safe opportunity for our seniors to gather together at weekly parking lot parties, limited to 15 attendees. Entertainment and lunch will be offered for these isolated and vulnerable seniors.

Connections Counselling and Consulting Foundation supports parents with a cognitive challenge through parenting skills and education, as well as family support. With help from the Community Response Fund, Connections Counselling will be able to ensure safety for families and staff during court-ordered supervised visits with enhanced cleaning and an additional private meeting area to facilitate interactions while adhering to social distancing.

Cornerstone Youth Centre is a non-profit charity that supports at-risk teens to learn life skills and finish school while keeping them away from the lure of drugs and gangs. The centre usually hosts about 50 at-risk children a day. With the onset of COVID-19, the centre had to shut down and transfer its digital therapeutic services for youth online. Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will allow the centre to reopen, offering four meals, therapeutic activities, and group sessions for mental health supports. For many of the children, especially those with mental health concerns or adult support, the centre is a lifeline.

Through integrated healthcare, education, and housing, CUPS assists adults and families in Calgary living with the adversity of poverty and traumatic events to become self-sufficient. $57,547.75 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward the organization’s Building on the Basics – Crisis Intervention Fund. The Crisis Intervention Fund helps individuals and families living on a low income build resiliency by maintaining basic needs during times of crisis.

$60,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward CUPS’s Care Coordinator program. The Care Coordinators will carry out wellness checks with clients whom they have not engaged with since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Deaf & Hear Alberta (DHA) provides three types of services to the deaf and hard of hearing citizens: American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting, community education programs such as speech reading and ASL instruction, and accessibility/safety equipment. The COVID-19 pandemic has required DHA to maintain staffing levels and shift all agency operations to ensure deliver of essential communication access to deaf and hard of hearing Albertans. $34,000 in funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will provide for new emerging and evolving needs in technology purchases and program changes that are directly related to DHA’s ability to deliver on demand ASL for the most vulnerable in the community.

$122,600 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will help Deaf & Hear Alberta meet the increasing demand for services and provide essential services for Deaf and hard of hearing Albertans.

Discovery House annually supports approximately 600 women and children who are fleeing domestic violence and are homeless.  Each family receives wrap-around support and are assigned an intensive case manager, children and youth case manager, mental health clinician and housing liaison. The COVID-19 public health pandemic has had a significant impact on Discovery House’s clients and staff who are dealing with an increased demand for support. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go to support clients with basic needs like food, hygiene products, and shelter.

Distress Centre Calgary provides 24 hour crisis support for people in Calgary and area. The centre is experiencing a rapidly increasing volume of contacts related to COVID-19, along with feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness/isolation. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the centre can no longer rely on volunteers to support the crisis line. $271,214  in funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund and $50,000 from the Calgary Foundation will go towards staffing costs to ensure there are enough employees available to answer calls from Calgarians in need, offer crisis intervention and referral services, basic needs support, and provide free, short-term crisis counselling delivered by registered social workers.

$40,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward the Financial Empowerment program at SORCe. This program offers flexible, in-person support, connecting clients to programs and services that strengthen their financial stability. Due to the abrupt suspension of the program during COVID-19, the free tax clinics offered through Financial Empowerment were canceled, leaving many vulnerable Calgarians with no ability to file their taxes.

Easter Seals Alberta provides services that foster inclusion, independence, and recreation for individuals with disabilities and medical conditions. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Easter Seals Alberta will provide services to disabled children and adults in our province, including creating an Outreach Support Worker role to assist individuals and families, offering online programming, developing peer support groups, and coordinating a team of volunteers to assisting with basic need deliveries

ECSSEN Career School helps immigrants gain Canadian work skills and knowledge and support them in gaining employment opportunities. During this public health crisis, ECSSEN is supporting the community by delivering essential food items like bread, and offering virtual, culturally-appropriate mental health  support to the most vulnerable in the community. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards pick-up, slicing, and distribution of bread to 22 local organizations supporting vulnerable populations in Calgary.

Egale works to improve the lives of LGBTQI2S people in Canada and to enhance the global response to LGBTQI2S issues by informing public policy, inspiring cultural change, and promoting human rights and inclusion through research, education, awareness and legal advocacy. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Egale Canada will help address social isolation and mental health issues of clients by offering a series of bi-weekly community meetings to bring together athletes from LGBTQI2S leagues across the city who have lost their communities and sports outlets due to COVID-19.

Emma Maternity House Society is a safe and supportive transitional housing program for expectant mothers ages 12+ who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness. In light of COVID-19, Emma Maternity House Society residents have experienced significant mental health challenges, with limited access to professional and natural supports due to lack of transportation.

Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will fund the hiring of a driver to provide reliable transportation to vital appointments for clients. The driver will also run errands that aid in the everyday operations of Emma House.

End of the Rainbow Foundation works to improve socioeconomic conditions for people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities or expressions by providing innovative education, support programs, and research. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, End of the Rainbow Foundation will be able to invest in personal protective equipment, technology for online group work, as well as training for volunteers so that the organization can continue to provide LGBTQ+ peer support, in-home LGBTQ+ mental health counselling, and arrange LGBTQ+ friendly community resources for clients.

Enterprise for Good provides service to approximately 1,200 high-needs children with special needs (mainly Autism), along with their families, in programs and services that involve physical proximity.  The pandemic has rendered that service model impossible. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards purchasing the needed hardware and software essential for moving the service model online.

Epilepsy Association of Calgary supports independence, quality of life, and community participation for those with and affected by epilepsy. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Epilepsy Association of Calgary will be able to offer online and telephone supports to people affected by epilepsy, such as support groups, wellness workshops, and welfare checks.

Ethiocare helps new immigrants from east Africa transition to their new lives in Canada, supporting any mental health issues that may arise. The organization has seen increased anxiety in the community as a result of COVID-19, specifically around the outbreaks at both meat processing plants in High River and Brooks. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will support the organization to expand their mental health awareness program through radio messaging programs broadcast in the Brooks and Banff areas in different languages, including Amharic, Oromo, and Tigre languages. EthioCare will also use the funds to help connect people with family and loved ones to help lower distress and feeling of social isolation.

$50,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward EthioCare’s Bridge the Gap program, offering a bridge between other service providing organizations, donors and communities, providing culturally and linguistically appropriate supports to East African immigrant and low-income families.

EvenStart serves young children ages 3 to 5 years who suffer developmental delays many of whom come from at-risk backgrounds, including trauma, abuse, neglect and poverty. The Foundation supports approximately 230 families across the city each year, with particular focus on the city’s highest needs and at-risk communities (i.e., refugee groups, immigrants, families with low socioeconomic status, etc.). Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will allow the Foundation to provide emergency food hampers/gift cards, as well as the delivery of prepared, nutritious family meals to the families that are experiencing hardship.

Ever Active Schools is a provincial initiative designed to create and support school communities. With $40,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Ever Active Schools will be able to run their Return to Learn program, equipping vulnerable school communities for post-COVID learning. Ever Active Schools will create online, in-person, and flexible learning opportunities for teachers in public and First Nations School Authorities that build health and well-being for students.

Another $40,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward Ever Active School’s Teachers on the Frontline of the Pandemic project. This project recognizes educators as frontline pandemic staff and will create supportive networks, mentoring opportunities, and resources for teachers and educational assistants to counter the compassion fatigue and burnout experienced as a result of COVID-19.

Families Matter is all about healthy and resilient thriving families. Their mission is to promote optimal child development by empowering families to be resilient and to foster positive family relationships. Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards the Rising Spirits Child and Youth Mental Wellness Recovery Project, offering programming for children aged 9 – 15 to help them connect with peers and explore topics related to mental wellness and the impact of the pandemic, along with coping skills to build resilience.

Another $20,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward promoting the mental and physical wellness of Calgary youth during the pandemic recovery.

First Alliance Church provides English language classes, community relief, and partners with schools in low-income areas to support people in need. First Alliance transitioned its school breakfast program into bagged, grab-and-go lunches seven days a week – about 55 each day – to kids from low-income families, new immigrant and refugee families, and any family in need of this support during the crisis. $5,000 in funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will allow First Alliance to cover the cost food prep and delivery to people in need.

Another $83,027.50 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will also help cover the cost of the bagged lunch program, serving healthy meals to kids living in areas of the city that face the highest rates of food insecurity.

Fresh Start is a long-term, live-in alcohol and drug addiction treatment centre for men that offers one-on-one counselling, group healing, family support, physical training, nutritious meals, and other supports. Fresh Start also has secondary housing to provide safe, affordable housing for men who have completed the program but are still in the early stages of recovery. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will support the treatment program graduates with rent, as they cannot work due to COVID-19.

Greater Forest Lawn 55+ Society provides information, programs, services to support older adults in the Greater Forest Lawn area. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will allow the society to keep providing the seniors in their community with free programs to help reduce loneliness and isolation and free delivery of nutritious, healthy meals.

Heritage Christian Academy is a non-denominational K-12 Christian public school located in Calgary. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Heritage Christian Academy will be able to offer financial assistance to support families experiencing unforeseen circumstances due to COVID-19.

High River Food for Thought provides free lunches for students from PreK-12 at schools in High River, Cayley, Blackie, Black Diamond, and Turner Valley. The organization is usually run by one paid program coordinator and 40-50 volunteers. Due to COVID- 19, they’ve had to drastically reduce the number of volunteers in the kitchen to minimize the risk of spreading the virus. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will allow Food for Thought to purchase food supplies and hire a kitchen helper. With help from the Community Response Fund, the organization will support the children of Eden Valley Reserve with basic food items, like fruit and vegetables, milk, bread, and other essentials.

High River Handi-Bus Society provides accessible transportation for seniors and for people with physical and/or special needs in High River and the surrounding area. Due to COVID-19, ridership is down and the service is struggling to bring in revenue. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will provide Handi-Bus with the support it needs to continue driving seniors to vital medical appointments.

HIV Community Link’s mission is wellness for individuals and communities affected by HIV and hepatitis C through education, prevention, and support. The COVID-19 crisis has critically impacted HIV Community Link’s vulnerable client population, while requiring significant adaptations to their service delivery capacity and models. $35,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward emergency supports and basic needs for clients, such as counselling services and help accessing food, hygiene supplies, and housing. Funding will also be used to support staff capacity and safety, including purchasing software licenses for a GPS-based safety app.

$25,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward remote and outreach services for clients to access critical resources, including basic needs items (hygiene, food), physical/mental health services, referrals to community resources, and social inclusion opportunities.

Hope for Kids helps families in the Bow Valley that have a child with a chronic health condition by providing support and resources. With help from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Hope for Kids will provide fuel gift cards to families of sick kids who are in need and must travel to get to medical appointments.

With a reputation of providing leading-edge child, youth, and family mental health supports, Hull Services works with children, youth, and families who have experienced significant challenges, offering them an opportunity to seek well-being and happiness, with a focus on mental health. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward ensuring vulnerable young people and families receive the vital supports they need during this pandemic, such as grocery gift cards, technology access and/or equipment (laptops, tablets) for school and mental health services, wellness activities and supplies such as board games, puzzles, journals, school supplies. The funding will also be used towards Hull’s Patch program, which supports people living on a low income, or in poverty.

Humanity in Practice connects people to causes by creating fun and simple ways to practice humanity. Founded in 2005 as a way to engage children under the age of 12 in the practice of philanthropy, the organization has since evolved and now works with more than 70 local agencies to create simple projects that people of any age can help do. With families that the organization supports now being in isolation, along with schools and social programs closed, they have had an increase in requests for creative tool kits, which support a child’s emotional and social well-being. The kits contain simple items that encourage imagination, creativity, and physical play but are not affordable for these families. Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards providing additional kits that have been requested by families living in shelters and/or accessing basic need services.

I Can for Kids Foundation (IC4K) is a local grassroots movement mobilizing to relieve school-aged children and youth of the effects of hunger. For thousands of children and youth already struggling with food insecurity, early school closures and job loss due to COVID-19 will have a lasting impact on vulnerable children and their families. $15,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards the purchase of grocery gift cards for children and families caught in dire circumstances. Understanding grocery store shelves will be stocked well before I Can for Kids food supply will be available, the provision of grocery gift cards is the most timely way to ensure kids have quick access to the food they need.

Another $50,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will enable I Can for Kids to extend their gift card program through the summer months.

Immigrant Services Calgary provides a wide range of settlement services to immigrants and refugees who made Canada their new home. The demand for counselling increased exponentially since the start of COVID-19. The counselors have been trying to keep up with demand through the creation of virtual culture/language specific therapeutic groups, family counselling, and individual support. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will allow Immigrant Services Calgary to expand counselor capacity and teams, hire interpreters, and continue providing vital mental health supports to the most vulnerable clients. Funding will also go toward mental health awareness training, increasing access to mental health services for newcomer populations by providing virtual resources and educational first-language mental health presentations.

$50,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward Immigrant Services Calgary’s Empowering Newcomer Women to Re-enter the Workforce program.

Inn from the Cold is a family emergency shelter that can house up to 20 homeless families at a time. With the arrival of COVID-19, the shelter has struggled with enforcing social distancing, as most families are in open/communal sleeping, eating, and bathroom facilities. The shelter has now been turned into a scatter-site shelter and some families have been housed in motels.

$41,700 in support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward Inn from the Cold’s home delivered meals program. Another $20,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will support employee time for preparing weekly food hampers that include household supplies and other essentials and deliver them to clients living in scattered-housing units across Calgary.

$20,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward continued security and janitorial services, to ensure the health and safety for the families staying in the shelter, as well as staff.

Inside Out Theatre is a Deaf and disability theater company that is equally invested in artistic excellence, community development, and deepening our cultures’ accessibility. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Inside Out Theater will be able to offer a series of programs that promote social inclusion and digital access for the Deaf community, people with disabilities, people living with dementia, and people living with mental illness.

Located in Morley, Alberta, the Iyahrhe Nakoda Food Bank assists impoverished community members in a respectful and confidential manner to access basic food supplies. Support from the Community Response Fund will be used to continue operations serving the Stoney Nakoda communities of Morely, Eden Valley, Big Horn, by covering costs for staffing, training, utilities, transportation, and food delivery.

Jewish Family Service Calgary (JSFC) provides social services to individuals, children, youth and families. JFSC serves some of communities’ most vulnerable populations including isolated seniors and families experiencing domestic violence. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, JFSC is seeing an increase in demand on resources including food pantry services, food gift cards, and mental health support. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards providing food, and domestic violence support services, and counselling services for families who are experiencing distress and crisis due to the pandemic.

Jumpstart Refugee Talent supports newly settled refugees to build a future in Canada by bridging the gap between refugee arrival and meaningful employment. With help from The Government of Canada’s Emergency community Support Fund, Jumpstart Refugee Talent will launch the Refugee Talent Hub in Calgary, an employment program that supports the economic inclusion and financial wellbeing of refugees, whose vulnerability has been significantly worsened by COVID-19.

Many kidney patients depend on financial assistance programs offered by The Kidney Foundation of Canada, Southern Alberta to help pay for transportation to dialysis, buying food to meet the dietary needs of end stage renal failure, and paying for prescription medications. In addition to financial assistance, the Kidney Foundation provides information, referral, and peer support to many Albertans with kidney disease and those awaiting kidney transplants. $25,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will support the Kidney Foundation to establish a special COVID-19 emergency program and to boost existing support services.

$20,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward extending The Kidney Foundation of Canada, Southern Alberta’s current program of providing basic needs (housing, food, etc.) to vulnerable kidney patients impacted by COVID-19, and will help establish outreach activities.

Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta offers programs that are uniquely designed to meet the needs of the whole family at each stage of the cancer journey, from diagnosis through treatment and beyond. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Kids Cancer Care Foundation of Alberta will be able to offer weekly virtual campfires allowing kids to interact with the counsellors and staff as they participate in singing and other campfire activities from the safety of their homes. The funding will also support carefully coordinated family visits to the camp, so that different families can each spend three days together there.

Another $10,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward helping Kids Cancer Care Foundation adapt their peer support programing to allow safe, physically distanced and/or virtual interaction that encourages the development of friendships among children with cancer and their families to support mental health.

The Komkan African Institute is a registered non-profit society in Alberta dedicated to building the capacity of the South Sudanese community for sustainable well-being and prosperity both in Calgary and Africa. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Komkan African Institute will be able to coordinate the delivery of essential supplies such as hand sanitizers, face masks, and food, support the parents of children struggling with online learning, offer spiritual support, create a family crisis line, and provide information on COVID-19 and other related health matters.

La Société du Centre Scolaire Communautaire de Calgary is an established community and cultural centre, supporting the francophone community in Calgary, as well as newcomers in their integration and settlement process. $20,000 in support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward supporting social inclusion and learning opportunities for the francophone community in Calgary. The organization is working to transfer their in-person learning activities, workshops, and social meetups into an online format, and extending activities to offer new learning opportunities for all francophone individuals in Calgary.

With $58,007 from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, the organization will be able to provide information and assistance in navigating supports related to COVID-19 to all francophone individuals and families irrespective of their status in Canada.

The Leftovers Foundation collects still edible food from restaurants and redirects it to those who need it most. Once COVID-19 began to impact our city, the Leftovers Foundation saw a substantial increase in donations as restaurants closed their doors and suppliers were left with food they could not sell. The Leftovers Foundation began picking up palates of food from distributors that would have normally gone to restaurants. Since March 13, the organization has redirected about 90,000 pounds of food within the Calgary area. $72,500 in support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund helps the Leftovers Foundation fund the emergency home delivery program for those who are in isolation or in urgent need of healthy food.

Another $19,500 will go toward on-going programs that redirect food from vendors to agencies that serve Calgarians, and to no-contact fresh food deliveries for high-risk populations and individuals in self-isolation or quarantine.

Legacy Place Society provides confidential support, including crisis phone lines, counselling sessions, and accommodation in times of crises, to the individuals and families of First Responders, veterans and military personnel. Since the start of COVID-19, Legacy Place has seen an increase in the number of families requesting support, especially in domestic situations, and a decrease in the amount of funding available to support the families in need. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will provide vital resourcing to the staff who are supporting the families facing crisis.

The Lionheart Foundation provides access therapy for adolescent girls, young women and their families facing mental health challenges in the areas of trauma, anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders. Through the provision of subsidies, the Lionheart Foundation provides a sliding fee scale to individuals and families who are unable to pay the full cost of therapy. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, the Lionheart Foundation will support individuals and families experiencing increased symptoms of eating disorders, trauma, or anxiety as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

March of Dimes Canada provides a wide range of services to people with disabilities throughout the country. They believe that everyone, regardless of physical or financial challenges deserves to be independent, able to work, learn, and participate fully in their community. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, March of Dimes will develop a virtual volunteer crew, which will help bridge the gap of social isolation that is currently being felt by many people in the community with disabilities. The program will match volunteers with local participants for virtual support, either to solve their problems with technology, and/or provide a friendly visit to adults with disabilities, stroke survivors, and care partners in Calgary and surrounding area.

Made by Momma is a food bank and community pantry in Calgary. When the Calgary Food Bank was shut down due to COVID-19, families were referred to Made by Momma, creating an overwhelming demand on their resources. Currently 90% of Made by Momma clients are facing adversity and crisis as a result of COVID-19. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go to purchase food and baby essentials, and to cover the cost of deliveries of emergency hampers for families in isolation.

McMan Calgary & Area helps children, youth, and families with complex needs, including mental health issues, addiction, homelessness, poverty, and disability, with the services and supports they need to thrive. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, McMan’s service delivery for all programs has moved online. Many clients have expressed concerns over scarce access to resources while clients with children have reported extra stress within their households due to children being out of school. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards the purchase of emergency basic needs hampers, and tablets for educational/mental health support purposes. Funding will also go towards a mental health clinician, who will provide support for any client in regard to mental health concerns including substance abuse and addiction that are linked to COVID-19.

The SE Calgary Community Resource Centre is located in Ogden and operated by the Millican Ogden Community Association Board of Directors. The Resource Centre offers basic needs support, counselling, and programming for people all ages. Sunrise Community Link Resource Centre collaborates with individuals and families in East Calgary to address vulnerabilities and facilitate personal development. BowWest Community Resource Centre serves individuals and families through support, referrals, and education. Together, these organizations will use funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund to expand their capacity to support individuals and families through this pandemic and the continuing economic crisis. Funds will be used for additional staff capacity and to strengthen operations with new data management and communications tools.

Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will also be used by the South East Calgary Community Resource Centre to expand their career and employment program to support and accommodate clients looking for work or training during the pandemic.

Working from a trauma-informed and strength-based perspective, Miskanawah offers supportive programs and services, guided by Indigenous teachings, to individuals and families in need. Most of the families Miskanawah serves cannot afford to stock up on necessary items during the COVID-19 pandemic, and/or are self-isolating due to illness or proximity to loved ones with underlying health conditions. $40,333 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will help Miskanawah assist families and Elders with items such as food, diapers, wipes, formula, 72-hour emergency kits, developmentally appropriate toys to keep little ones occupied at home, and other items as needed.

Another $60,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will enable Miskanawah to continue supporting the basic needs of Elders and their families. It will also be used to ensure staff safety through personal protective equipment and frequent cleaning, as well as provide necessary technological requirements for staff to support clients through virtual services.

The MitoCanada Foundation was formed in 2010 by a group of passionate Canadian parents whose previously happy, healthy children were given a diagnosis of mitochondrial disease. Mitochondrial disease patients have compromised immune, respiratory, and energy systems, leaving them extremely vulnerable to COVID-19. With support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund, The MitoCanda Foundation will be able to hire a part-time specialized support and outreach role, allowing the organization to continue serving and protecting their patient community through this period.

Momentum works with people living on low incomes and partners in our community to create a thriving local economy for all. With help from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund, Momentum will be able to offer helplines, financial coaching, and emergency loans to clients addressing immediate needs and concerns of Calgarians who are in a vulnerable place economically and need support. Momentum will also use the funds to activate their online learning strategy, making their financial education and employment training more readily available to vulnerable Calgarians.

MPC Foundation focuses on the celebration of aging, ensuring that seniors are valued and honored. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, MPC Foundation will be able to help immigrant seniors acquire the necessary digital skills to connect with family and friends, make new friends, participate in activities, and engage in learning through online mediums.

The Mustard Seed works to eliminate homelessness and reduce poverty. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, the Mustard Seed will be able to safely re-open services, with increased sanitization procedures, personal protective equipment for staff and clients, and other measure to ensure the safety of clients, staff and volunteers.

The National Zakat Foundation offers local support for vulnerable people, especially those who are marginalized and racialized, those with disabilities, the elderly, refugees in resettlement, and single parents. With support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund, the organization will be able to offer information navigation services to clients facing language barriers to navigate and access government benefits, as well as offer food hamper delivery to vulnerable populations who are unable to get groceries themselves.

Next Step Ministries (NSM) provides trauma-informed outreach support to meet the emergency needs, including access to resources, for women exiting sexual exploitation or sex trafficking in Calgary and the surrounding communities. NSM’s second stage housing offers women, who are stable from substance abuse, a place where they can feel safe and secure with having a private room. $15,000 in support from the Calgary Foundation will go towards outreach/case workers that provide day programming, in addition to responding to a steady increase of phone calls from current women in the program as well as dozens of alumni who are struggling with emotional and mental health issues.

$40,000 in funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will also go toward their trauma-informed outreach support to meet the emergency needs for women exiting sexual exploitation or sex trafficking in Calgary and the surrounding communities.

Nisa Homes is a group of transitional homes for immigrant, refugee, non-status, and Muslim women who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. They offer a haven for women experiencing domestic violence, poverty, homelessness, or seeking asylum. With help from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Nisa Homes will be able to continue offering shelter and assistance, adapting programs to support remote services where necessary, to meet the increased need in the community as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

North East Family Connections Society provides free individualized, community-responsive services and supports to families in North East Calgary communities. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards the purchase of emergency food, gift cards for groceries, and baby supplies for families in need. $44,693 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward wrap-around supports for people experiencing poverty, as well as grocery store gift cards to dispense to local families struggling with food security.

North Rocky View Community Links strengthens individuals, families, and communities of North Rocky View by providing them with and connecting them to services, supports, and resources. $24,400 from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, North Rocky View Community Links will match trained volunteers with vulnerable seniors in our community to provide social connections as well as follow-up support to help reduce social isolation. Another $14,535 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward outreach and front-line relief support to ensure community programs are fully implemented during unforeseen COVID-19 related factors.

NSTEP (Nutrition Students Teachers Exercising with Parents) provides fun and interactive nutrition and activity education to students, teachers, and families across Canada, making a positive change in the health of our communities. $2,700 in funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward purchasing grocery store gift cards for newcomer/refugee families in need who have children at St. Henry School, where 22% of the student population has come from refugee camps.

$5,400 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward putting together grocery bags of lunch ingredients for families whose children attend Connaught School.

OBAD Organization for Bipolar Affective Disorder s a non-profit organization promoting mental wellness through peer support, community education, and creative collaboration. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards the purchase of mental health resources such as books for socially isolated clients, as well as online facilitators, and internet costs.

Ogden House Seniors provides programming and services to help seniors in the Ogden area build new skills and connections, and special programs to help seniors stay safe in their homes. As many of the seniors visiting Ogden House are living on a low income, the onset of COVID-19 has made it extremely difficult for them to get the support they need. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards the purchase and delivery of basic needs, like food and other necessities, to isolated seniors in need. $5,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward Ogden House Seniors’ Christmas hampers and lunch delivery program, supporting local people who may be elderly, sick, isolated, or mentally exhausted.

Oxford House Foundation of Canada provides people in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction with safe, affordable housing and support to achieve a productive, rewarding, clean and sober life. With job losses and unemployment on the rise, Oxford House clients are afraid they will be unable to pay their rent, which may jeopardize their recovery and sobriety. Rental fees from clients fund Oxford House operations. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward the on-going operations of Oxford House and supplies such as disinfectant wipes, paper towel, toilet paper and hand soap for all our sober homes.

The Providing Avenues to Hope Society (PATH Society) provides care and support to help marginalized individuals or families who have not been able to access sufficient support in the community to meet their essential needs.

With the current escalation in domestic violence due to the stress of the pandemic, PATH Society had to shift how they offer their services to Calgary’s most vulnerable within the domestic violence sector. Help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will enable PATH Society to continue addressing needs within the community to provide personal protection, empowerment, and safety to people living under the threat of domestic/relational violence and stalking.

Parkdale Nifty 50’s Seniors Association provides a place where Calgary seniors ages 50+ can come together to enjoy social events, workshops, art classes, bridge, and other activities that match their unique needs and social interests. Help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will support Parkdale Nifty 50’s Seniors Association’s operations to meet their mandate of combating social isolation among seniors, ensuring they have access to groceries and other supports during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Established in 2000 by families of people with disabilities, PLAN Calgary’s mission is to empower people with disabilities to live good lives. The organization provides support to parents who have children with disabilities, helping them plan for the future, and helps individuals with disabilities participate in their community and develop a natural supports network. $10,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will help the organization continue to provide support for people with disabilities and their families.

Another $39,018 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will enable PLAN Calgary to address social isolation by increasing virtual supports for individuals with a disability, their families, and natural support networks.

Potential Place is a non-profit mental health agency dedicated to improving the lives of people with chronic mental illness. In partnership with The Calgary Food Bank, Potential Place’s food hamper program provides weekly food hampers to mental health clients who deal with food insecurity. Due to COVID-19, the food bank is currently limiting the organizations it provides food to, and because of this Potential Place has been left with no food items to share with their clients. $25,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards the purchase of bulk food supplies from grocery stores, which will then be delivered to the clients who are dealing with food insecurity.

$50,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward improving mental health and well-being through connection to food and self-care for mental health clients facing food insecurity.

The PREP Program (PREP) offers families who have a child with Down syndrome expert advice, innovative services, and best of all, hope for their child’s future. The goal is “inclusion for life” and that begins in the home, continues at school, then leads to an independent life with a meaningful job. As children with Down syndrome have been identified as a vulnerable population for COVID-19, many families are reluctant to return to PREP for in-person services. With support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund, PREP will be able to offer the remote delivery of occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and reading instruction for children with down syndrome, as well as facilitating virtual social opportunities for members.

Prospect Human Services offers programs and services that break down barriers preventing individuals from finding meaningful work. With support from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Prospect will offer remote art skill-building classes to vulnerable populations. These classes will help Albertans who are isolated due to COVID-19 connect with one another and learn new skills.

Punjabi Community Health Services Calgary’s mission is to empower individuals and families to nurture health communities. With help from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Punjabi Community Health Services Calgary will be able to offer a new access point to the South Asian community in our city to receive culturally-aware counselling supports in the areas of mental health, addictions and family violence.

Reaching Families is a humanitarian food outreach program that provides nutritional food hampers to people living in Calgary and surrounding area, filling the gap in hunger for those who would otherwise fall through the cracks with other traditional food bank and social supports eligibility criteria. With help from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Reaching Families will be able to continue providing food and outreach supports for our community’s most vulnerable, marginalized populations, those at risk, and struggling families.

Redefin’d is a recovery program for young adults dealing with the effects of trauma. Participants are given an opportunity to learn new life skills, communication, and how to navigate relationships of all kinds through activities, work experiences, and job skills training. With the closure of the program’s commercial kitchen, Redefin’d has pivoted to delivering food to families and seniors in struggling with food security. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards addressing the acute food insecurity issues faced by Bowness residents, and allow Redefin’d to continue operate the trauma recovery program for young adults who in turn remain connected and active in their recovery work.

Renfrew Educational Services Society provides inclusive education for children with special needs and their typically developing peers from Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten to Grade 6. With help from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Renfrew Educational Services Society will be able to acquire the technology needed to change the way they offer services and move to more virtual programming, so they can safely continue to work with families of children with special needs, providing emotional, social, and educational support.

Reset Society of Calgary provides comprehensive individualized support and safe housing to women and girls who have experienced sexual exploitation and/or sex trafficking. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Reset has had to change the operations of their program, running the virtual classrooms and one-on-one counselling over the phone, which has caused a huge disruption in the stability and recovery of the current 28 women and 6 children in the program who are isolated in their homes and suffer from increased anxiety. $15,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards program supplies, increased operational costs of the homes (utilities, gas, water, internet costs, etc.), food cards for clients, and other basic necessities to support the women and children in the program.

$25,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward the continuation of Reset’s EXploitation Intervention & Transition (EXIT) Program. EXIT provides a long-term continuum of support (safe-house, supported housing, recovery-based life-skills, counseling, employment) to enable women 16+ to successfully exit sex-trafficking.

Based out of Canmore, Rocky Mountain Adaptive’s goal is to provide individuals with any disability the chance to access all sport and recreational activities in the Canadian Rockies. With support from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Rocky Mountain Adaptive will be able to begin resuming their programming, taking extra precautions with PPE, specialized cleaning equipment, and adapting program models to enable individuals with disabilities and their families to participate. Funding will also be used to enable participants to learn and excel at winter sports in the Canadian Rockies and create a pathway to positive mental and physical health through outdoor activity and socialization.

Since the beginning of the COIVD-19 pandemic, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary has been focusing on the well-being of vulnerable populations, helping those experiencing homelessness or poverty access food, as well as assisting people in acute or long-term facilities meet their spiritual needs, regardless of their beliefs or practices. Support from the Community Response fund will allow the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary to continue reaching out and helping people in need of food or spiritual guidance.

Keeping families with sick children together and near the care and resources they need is the focus of Ronald McDonald House Charities Alberta. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization had to temporarily suspend taking in new families, but has continued to receive referrals from hospitals. Support from the Community Response Fund will cover the costs of alternative accommodation, meals, and transportation for these families accessing health/hospital care

Sagesse empowers people, organizations and communities to break the cycle of domestic violence through direct service, capacity building, education, or advocacy. Sagesse is transitioning its direct service and capacity building programs to virtual platforms, including encrypted zoom, texting, phone, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. $15,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards purchasing the required technology and IT support to enable the virtual support service.

Another $110,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will help Sagesse continue to offer individual and group support in virtual, safe, and physically distanced environments to anyone impacted by domestic violence.

Sankofa Arts and Music Foundation is dedicated to building healthier communities by providing youth of diverse backgrounds who experience barriers the opportunity to express themselves through art and music. Through current partnerships, The Sankofa Arts and Music Foundation will pivot in these extraordinary times to offer community members access various needs. Support from the Community Response Fund will help individuals access food and feminine hygiene products through locally organized pop-up food banks, as well as technology, including loaned laptops and internet service for client use.

Seniors Secret Service works with over 150 different care homes, supported living facilities, independent seniors housing complexes, and a variety of outreach agencies to enhance the quality of life for individuals 60 years or older who are alone or isolated in the community. The organization is currently running two COVID-19 related programs: Messages of Hope for Caring and Isolated Seniors, through which volunteers are sending cards and letters to isolated seniors, and a program that provides isolated seniors with basic needs items, such as clothing and toiletries. Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward program supplies and staffing, as well as postage and delivery costs.

Silvera has 16 independent living buildings throughout the city, which house approximately 1,000 seniors. Most of these residents are observing self-isolation and do not have the usual supports in place. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go to support additional Resident Support Coordinators (RSC) who will be working with volunteers to perform regular wellness checks on the residents, and respond to immediate needs.

Skipping Stone connects trans and gender diverse youth, adults, and families with the comprehensive and low-barrier access to the support they need and deserve. $25,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward helping Skipping Stone meet basic needs in the community, increase their capacity to meet the demand for services and supports, strengthen safety of staff and volunteers through increased cleaning, and help stabilize crisis situations of clients by providing food and personal hygiene supplies.

$75,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will help Skipping Stone run their peer support program, provided via phone, video, and in-person appointments where staff support clients from a shared lived experience perspective.

Soccer Without Boundaries (SWB) is a community development organization for newcomer Calgarians, offering a mix of grassroots-led engagement and support opportunities like youth leadership development, sports, after-school programming, gender-based programs, and senior programming. Currently, SWB directly serves over 2,200 high-risk Calgarians, including newcomers facing language, economic and cultural barriers to inclusion. These situations have now been exacerbated by school and daycare closures, work stoppages, and social distancing. $20,000 in support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward providing basic need supplies and one-on-one mental health support for youth, individuals, and families undergoing stress or trauma as a result of COVID-19.

Another $120,000 from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward a food delivery service and an online tutoring program. Another $35,000 will support the organization’s ability to respond to the greater need for services for newcomer seniors who are facing increased vulnerability during the pandemic.

Established in Calgary in 1933, The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul helps people in need, wherever they live—in their homes, on the street, in shelters, in hospitals, or in prison. This may include home visits, food aid, help accessing basic needs, educational support, or assistance for refugees and immigrants. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, requests for help have doubled. Support from the Community Response Fund will allow the organization continue helping Calgarians in need.

Sonshine Community Services operates the Sonshine Centre, a residential long-term shelter for women and children fleeing domestic violence. The children and youth that reside in the facility are already dealing with the trauma of domestic violence. While they have a safe place to call home within the Sonshine Centre, their isolation from any support system (extended family, educators, school, friends) will exacerbate the long-term impact of the trauma. Without access to technology to continue their online learning, the children and youth are put at a higher risk for long-term impact. $15,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will provide the children with the tools they need to continue their online learning.

$5,107.20 from Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will enable Sonshine Community Services to continue offering wi-fi to residents, so they may access services remotely.

Southern Alberta Brain Injury Society (SABIS) offers free, lifelong services, including peer-support groups, a companions support group for caregivers and a peer mentorship program, to brain injury survivors and their families. Due to COVID-19, SABIS has received an increased number of requests from clients seeking support with basic needs. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards the purchase and deliver of food hampers to clients n the community.

SouthWest Communities Resource Centre (SWCRC) provides resources, referrals, counselling, education, and prevention programs for vulnerable people living in south Calgary. Since March, the SWCRC Resource Workers have had an increase in the number of phone calls and electronic connections from individuals who are seeking information and support. $19,000 in funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will allow SWCRC to purchase laptops to establish social connections electronically, provide remote access supportive counselling, and ensure all clients have access to food.

$41,500 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will help SWCRC continue to work with vulnerable residents living in south Calgary and connect them with basic needs, information, mental health education, and local community connections in the aftermath of COVID-19.

The Mother Teresa community has been a contact point for many immigrants in Calgary for the last 10 years. The group organizes outreach programs through volunteers from each quadrant in the city, who connect with potential beneficiaries on a weekly basis to help them access food. Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward weekly food hampers to support the wellness of local immigrant families.

Starlight Children’s Foundation spreads joy to seriously ill children through a unique blend of hospital-to-home programs designed for the whole family. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada will assemble and ship Play From Home packages to sick kids that are immunocompromised and must stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic. The packages contain board games, crafts and other interactive activities and provide valuable distraction therapy to seriously and chronically ill children.

Located in Morley, Alberta, Stoney Health Services works to promote the health and well-being of all people in Stoney Nation. Support from the Community Response Fund will help vulnerable persons residing on reserve in the community of Morley—including some elders, children, and those experiencing challenges with substance use—access basic needs such as food, clothing, toiletries, and clean clothing, as well as mental health and well-being supports and services.

Start2finish’s mission is to break the cycle of child poverty by providing ongoing educational support to Canada’s at risk children throughout their school years, nurturing mind, body, and social health so they are empowered to succeed and become role models for change. With support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund, Start2Finish will be able to offer an 8-week virtual Summer Adventure Program to help children in Calgary combat long-term effects of COVID-19 by keeping them engaged in learning over the summer.

Sunrise Community Link Resource Centre strives to build a Calgary where all individuals and families are resilient, and all communities are sustainable and connected. Together with Aspire Calgary, Sunrise Community Link Resource Centre and 17 other organizations offer annual low-income tax clinics to assist Calgarians with filing their taxes. This year, due to COVID-19, the tax-filing clinics across Calgary had to be cancelled. Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward developing new ways to deliver tax-filing services and address current issues including the backlog of demand for tax-filing support, decreased number of volunteers, and the limited capacity of staff members. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will also go toward the Community Resource Centre’s Hub model, which provides basic needs support to those who need it.

$79,445 from Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will enable Sunrise Community Link Resource Centre to continue providing Calgarians in need with food, hygiene items, children’s items, and emergency financial help.

Synaptic provides progressive neuro rehabilitation in Alberta for those living with degenerative and life altering conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Cerebral Palsy, and others. This population already struggles with mobility and physical challenges, so with the additional barrier of physical distancing with COVID-19, Synaptic patients are at greater risk of mental health distress related to social isolation. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will allow Synaptic to continue offering mental health counselling services to those who are isolated and at greater risk of mental health challenges.

Located in Chestermere, Synergy Youth and Community Development Society (operating as Synergy) was established specifically to serve the needs of a community that has been growing at an extremely rapid rate since the early 2000’s. The demographics of Chestermere and area are very young with almost a third of the residents being under the age of 20 years. Synergy’s mandate is to deliver a continuum of leadership education opportunities to youth and their community. With support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund, Synergy will be able to offer barrier free mental health supports to families struggling with the challenges related to COVID-19 and its impact on their lives.

The Brenda Strafford Centre offers a safe housing environment and comprehensive support for people at risk of family violence. The COVID-19 crisis has created several new challenges for client families who are experiencing difficulty maintaining food security due to self-isolation and quarantine requirements, job loss, Food Bank closures, lack of childcare, and inability to use distance shopping methods that require credit cards, transport to pick up etc. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards acquiring necessary basic needs supplies to ensure food security and other household necessities (infant formula, diapers, personal hygiene), and ensure prepared foods, snack foods, and daily nutrition hampers are available to families who are quarantined with active COVID-19.

The Brenda Strafford Foundation’s core business is seniors care: the foundation operates long-term care and assisted living seniors care facilities that house about 800 Calgary and area seniors. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE)and iPads to support virtual visits for clients and their families.

The Doorway is a not-for-profit organization that works with homeless young adults (ages 17-24) to get them off the street and help them rejoin society. With the forced closure of access to The Doorway space due to COVID-19, staff re-designed the service delivery methodology to a distance approach, to continue offering a lifeline to participants by phone, text, and chat apps. $4,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward technology and IT to ensure vulnerable youth continue getting the supports they need.

Another $30,800 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will enable The Doorway to rely on additional front-line staff to connect with clients, ensuring IT security and confidentiality.

The Immigrant Education Society (TIES) helps new immigrants and low-income families learn the English language, employment skills, and settlement training. In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization was compelled to move its services to an online and distance delivery format. $20,000 in funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will allow TIES to increase its online counselling hours for settlement assistance and mental health support for students and clients in need.

$20,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward creating an online rapid response system to assess and support the emerging and urgent needs of clients in the face of COVID-19.

The Narrow Road Home offers support and care through customized residential recovery programs for women struggling with domestic violence, abuse, addiction and life crisis. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards housing costs i.e.. rent, utilities, food for the women housed in the recovery programs.

The Salvation Army Community Services in Calgary exists to combat homelessness and its effects through transformational services that help individuals, families, and children. The Salvation Army has continued to provide services to vulnerable Calgarians throughout this pandemic. While distribution formats of emergency assistance items has had to chance to ensure the safety of staff and clients, the support has continued while others in the area have closed their doors. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will provide basic assistance for vulnerable populations in the community, through emergency food and other household support.

The SHARP Foundation provides a continuum of care including housing, healthcare, and support to those living with HIV or at the highest risk of contracting HIV. SHARP operates five programs, which provide affordable housing as well as medical and psycho-social needs. Older people living with HIV or people living with HIV and heart or lung problems may be at a higher risk of becoming infected with the coronavirus and suffering more serious symptoms. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards covering the cost of transporting senior residents to appointments and assisting getting groceries, making sure basic needs are met.

Another $20,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward their Line4Life initiative, which aims to improve the mental health and wellness for residents by providing an in-home mental health aid offered through a dedicated phone lines system. This program helps to break isolation, keep residents socially connected, and rebuild their bonds to the community.

Support from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward providing care for school-aged children in the town of Banff, so that parents are able to return to work.

The Town of Banff also applied for funding on behalf of the Bow Valley Food Alliance, a group that works to build stronger more resilient community food systems. Since March the group has focused on meeting immediate needs and priorities related to COVID-19. Support from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will also go toward continuing the group’s first paid position, a COVID-19 emergency food response coordinator, who works with vulnerable communities, and expanding their outreach in the context of a possible second wave of the virus.

$30,814 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will allow the Bow Valley Food Alliance, which the Town of Banff is a member of, to continue work coordinating COVID-19 food responses across diverse communities in the Bow Valley while strengthening relationships and building capacity for a more resilient food system.

As a result of COVID-19, Bow Valley seniors that have historically accessed volunteer driver programs to attend specialist medical appointments in Calgary have been required to find alternative services that are often well above what many seniors can afford. With help from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, the Town of Canmore will be able to offer safe and affordable transportation to critical specialist medical appointments (usually in Calgary) for seniors from Canmore, Banff, and the municipal district of Bighorn.

The Town of Strathmore is facing an unprecedented crisis. In order to maintain its duty to citizens during the pandemic, the town requires resources to provide basic needs, shelter for vulnerable populations who are at high risk, those who are living with and who have survived domestic violence, and psychosocial supports (mental health, emergency response and support). $42,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will help the Town of Strathmore develop a psycho-social wellness program to support its vulnerable citizens affected by the crisis.

$72,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will help the Town of Strathmore provide financial literacy, basic needs, and mental health supports that will help people to address the immediate impacts of COVID-19.

Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward the Okotoks Family Resource Centre (OFRC), a community-based, multi-service agency, which seeks to help strengthen individuals, families, and community through improving access to social services and community resources. As a result of COVID-19, OFRC will adapt their services to include physical as well as virtual outreach services. The COVID-19 Community Response Fund will help cover the cost of technology and transportation for both staff and clients to make this transition possible.

On April 27, 2020, the Town of Cochrane’s Council approved Bylaw 17/2020 to create the COVID-19 Social Recovery Task Force (SRTF) to lead the social response and recovery of residents. The SRTF will be responsible for collaborating with local support agencies and government to create opportunities to support and enhance the wellbeing, safety, and resilience of residents. With help from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund, the SRTF will be able to increase public awareness of available resources and supports, and invest in the technology needed to support this group.

Tsuut`ina Nation has approximately 5,000 residents. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unforeseen difficulties for many, as residents struggle with mental health and making ends meet. With help from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Tsuut`ina Nation will be able to offer emergency support needs to residents, including counseling services, access to basic needs, as well as short-term house and utility supports.

Ultimate Wheelchair Sports Foundation provides a variety of recreational and competitive sport opportunities to wheelchair athletes, coaches, and volunteers. With help from the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, Ultimate Wheelchair Sports Foundation will be able to respond to their members’ needs, supporting their physical and mental well-being during these challenging times thorough virtual programs and Zoom socials.

Calgary’s Allied Mobile Palliative Program (CAMPP) provides dignity and compassion in health care for those vulnerably housed and homeless dealing with a terminal illness. The CAMPP team is a unique collaboration of a nurse, health navigator, and palliative consultant physician with shared administrative support from partners such as the O’Brien Institute at the Cumming School of Medicine of the University of Calgary and Calgary’s Urban Project Society (CUPS). Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward addressing the technology needs of the organization in the pandemic, such as ensuring patients, health care providers, and social providers have access to appropriate technology for communication and virtual meetings.

The COVID-19 pandemic is putting immense pressure on the health of Albertans who are at high risk of infection and have existing health issues. Surgical face masks can help to prevent the transmission of infection and are urgently needed for those who have underlying health conditions and are receiving in-home care. The University of Calgary – Cumming School of Medicine has been able to source surgical masks from a supplier and is delivering them to individuals and families that need them. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will provide face masks to vulnerable individuals and family households on an ongoing basis until the outbreak subsides.

When income supports and temporary mortgage deferrals taper off and expire this fall, the economic fallout of COVID-19 will create an enormous wave of secured and unsecured consumer debt defaults in Alberta. The expected increase in such cases, including foreclosures, will add to the backlog of cases before the courts that were delayed during the first phases of the pandemic. For that reason, creditors may be looking for alternatives to legal actions. In the short to medium term, vulnerable debtors will need legal assistance to successfully navigate those alternatives and efficiently and effectively deal with their debt. Help from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will support teams of volunteer lawyers and law students who will provide free, early intervention legal advice to defaulting debtors in coordination with other justice and social sector services.

Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth (USAY) provides essential programming and services to Calgary’s Indigenous youth aged 12-29. USAY supports more than 3,000 Indigenous youth each year, providing weekly program activities which include meals, transportation, and entertainment. $50,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards the purchase of gift cards for youth currently enrolled in USAY programs, and taxi chits for the youth and their families to obtain groceries and get to important appointments they would not be able to access otherwise.

Another $60,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward providing gift cards to Indigenous youth so they can purchase basic need items.

Ups and Downs’ mission, vision, and goals focus on individuals who have Down syndrome, their families, and inclusive community in Calgary and the surrounding area. $85.48 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund, and $1,517 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will go toward keeping staff, volunteers, and members with Down syndrome safe through purchasing personal protective equipment.

URSA provides 24-hour support for children, adults, and seniors with developmental disabilities and brain injuries. During the COVID-19 crisis, residential homes are closed to families, and the organization is relying on the support of healthcare workers to meet the physical and emotional needs of clients. $25,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will help enhance the organization’s technology needs, and enable them to purchase supplies such as gloves, masks, cleaning supplies, and personal protective equipment to keep staff and individuals safe.

Another $60,273 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will allow URSA to hire a dedicated staff member to support clients living independently as they navigate the current pandemic, social isolation, and the major changes it has created to their daily lives.

Persons with disabilities experience mental health concerns at a higher rate compared to the general population, and amidst the pandemic these issues are an even greater concern. Vecova Centre for Disability Services and Research has been meeting the lifelong and changing needs of persons with disabilities and the community-at-large since 1969 through services, research, and enterprises. $46,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go toward establishing the expertise, equipment, technology, and resources needed to set up a telepsychology program that will support persons with disabilities and complex mental health needs as they navigate this uncertain time.

$25,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will allow Vecova to expand its telepsychology program for persons with disabilities and mental health needs, developed in response to COVID-19, and continue to support this vulnerable population.

WeCare Canada offers social and community services through five Islamic centers in Calgary. Since 2005, WeCare has been serving Calgarian Muslim families in crisis with food, clothing, shelter, medicines, education and all emergency needs through Zakat and Sadaqa donations. Support from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will be used to provide emergency response to some of the most vulnerable families impacted by the pandemic through home care and crisis support. This may include transportation to help seniors or women fleeing violence, or get people to important medical appointments, offer supplies for unique needs like medical needs, unique food requirements like halal, used laptop for home schooling, or assistance and referrals to families to achieve financial wellness, or provide home care and personal support.

Wild Rose Community Connections has been supporting vulnerable families in rural communities for 21 years. $37,500 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will help

expand the organization’s home delivery services and supplement food hampers through their food rescue program, while adhering to safe practice protocols, such as a hamper delivery option for quarantined people and seniors.

$88,460 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will help Wild Rose Community Connects run their Caring Connections program, a rural response for anyone feeling disconnected, alone, and needing to chat and mobilizing supports for individuals/families to address basic and social-emotional needs

Women In Need Society (WINS) provides basic household need items, furniture, and clothing to women in poverty and their families. WINS also works with over 85 other agencies across Calgary to coordinate housing, access to food, and mental health supports for clients. Since the start of COVID-19, WINS has seen a dramatic increase in requests for support. In addition to clothing, household items, and furniture, WINS has also begun giving clients emergency food hampers and baby supplies, such as diapers, wipes, and formula. $150,000 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will allow program delivery in WINS’ retail locations, mainly supporting basic needs of clothing, bedding, shelter support, and mental health assessment for clients in all four quadrants of the city.

Another $185,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will help provide wrap-around supports including emergency food and baby supplies for families in crisis.

Women’s Centre of Calgary provides programming for support and community to women living in poverty, homelessness, unemployment, domestic violence, isolation and loneliness, life transitions and discrimination. Through the Food Bank’s Food Link program, the centre also provides direct assistance with food and personal care items for families in need. This is no longer available. With family members receiving layoff notices, and many already living in poverty, the need is escalating. $27,500 from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards the purchase of grocery gift cards for women and families in dire need of food, and cleaning supplies.

$49,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will allow for the review and enhancement of the Women’s Centre volunteer peer support program to ensure safety during COVID-19. Peer support volunteers provide an opportunity for a woman seeking services to discuss the issues that are impacting her and her family and assist in directing her to the appropriate resources to meet her and her family’s needs.

Another $30,000 from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund will allow the Women’s Centre of Calgary to continue providing food assistance for women and their families through the pandemic

The Workers’ Resource Centre provides free assistance to Alberta workers, helping them through advocacy, a casework program, and public legal education. With help from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, the Workers’ Resource Centre will be able to offer free representation to any Alberta worker needing assistance with provincial or federal employment law and/or benefits, as well as public legal education regarding employment law.

YW Calgary supports vulnerable women in Calgary by providing shelter and housing, child development support, language and employment skills, and counselling. Funding from the COVID-19 Community Response Fund will go towards supporting the essential services in transitional housing, emergency shelter, domestic violence shelter and community housing programs.

YWCA Banff focuses on empowering women, girls, and community. The organization serves vulnerable populations in the area of domestic violence, sexual violence, and precarious housing. At the outset of the pandemic, the YWCA created dedicated isolation units for local people at risk of contracting COVID-19 or who are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19. With help from The Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund, YWCA Banff will be able to continue offering this isolation programming.