Cass and Charles’ Story:
Warming Up to Possibility
Across Calgary, we see the need for safe, supportive spaces where young people can build connections.
Social isolation has serious physical, mental and emotional consequences, increasing the risk of health challenges and poverty. By removing barriers to social inclusion and creating opportunities for people to participate, connect and thrive in inclusive places to live, play and work, United Way of Calgary and Area (United Way) is helping build communities where everyone belongs.
Take the Inglewood Opportunity Hub, operated by Wood’s Homes and supported by United Way, that need for safe, supportive spaces is met every day through mental health services, employment support, housing assistance and a winter Warming Centre.
For Cass* and Charles*, that warm, welcoming space became the first step toward stability and belonging.
Both were facing uncertainty, including homelessness, when they first crossed paths at the Warming Centre. What they found there was more than shelter—they found people who saw them, welcomed them and created a space where they could begin imagining a different future. This is what social inclusion looks like: removing barriers so young people can participate meaningfully in their community and build relationships that help them move forward.
Cass was working hard despite not having stable housing. As a nineteen-year-old woman and new to Calgary, she struggled to find an accepting community. Through the Hub’s wellness activities, she discovered a space where she mattered and belonged. She joined group programs, connected with peer mentors and even assisted with activities, helping others find the same sense of hope she was building for herself.
Charles was determined to find employment but needed guidance to take the next step. Through the United Way-supported Linking Employment Abilities and Development (LEAD) program, he worked alongside a Youth Employment Counsellor to craft a résumé, practise interview skills and secure appropriate work attire. This support helped him land a job through a temp agency—a stepping stone that set him on a new path.
As Cass and Charles formed a relationship, they began saving for a place to call home. They pooled earnings to stay in motels, while staff at the Hub provided mobile food hampers and grocery gift cards that helped them stretch their income and build toward their goal.
This summer, they reached it. Cass and Charles proudly secured their own apartment in downtown Calgary. Charles now works full-time at a warehouse, and Cass has connected with a mental health counsellor through Wood’s Homes’ Eastside Community Mental Health Services, giving her space and support to focus on her well-being.
Their journey reflects a truth we see across Calgary every day: poverty, homelessness and isolation often go unnoticed behind strength and determination. But when young people find safety, acceptance and community, warmth takes hold—and possibility follows.
United, we can create a Calgary where everyone belongs.
*Names have been changed.
