George and Donna Coutts have been happily married for 46 years since meeting on a blind date in Estevan, Saskatchewan. For most of their married life they have been globetrotting the world working and living in 13 countries over 35 years. They both hail from Saskatchewan, but only George is a Saskatchewan Roughrider fan! George and Donna...
Kindness Matters volunteers spread cheer as they hand out wellness packs. Photo courtesy of Kindness Matters. Once a year for the last three years, Suzana Rymak has hit the streets of Calgary with a group of volunteers to pass out what she has dubbed as “wellness packs.” The packs, 200 of which were given out this year alone,...
Robyn Romano (middle left) at our 2015 Calgary Hitmen game is support of ConnecTeen. When Robyn Romano, Contact Centre Supervisor at Distress Centre, thinks about what drove her to pursue social work, she recalls back to when her mother was in palliative care and she observed the home care nurses who cared for her. “I realized I...
24 HOUR SUPPORT, 24 HOUR ANNUAL REPORT. As Calgary’s only 24 hour community support agency, the Distress Centre ensures everyone is heard — any time they want to talk, text or chat. For this year’s annual report, we’re giving you the chance to see what happens in 24 hours at the Distress Centre with the first...
Ever wonder what it’s like to pick-up the phone at the Distress Centre? Our volunteers answer over 100,000 texts, calls and emails for help a year. For this year’s annual report, we created a unique mobile phone experience that enables you to see what it’s like to sit in our call centre and answer the call...
Mental health is an important topic to local potter, Callie Beller Diesel. Growing up there was a lot of substance abuse and stress in her family. “It’s not always easy to find somebody that you can reach out to,” Callie says. “A lot of the time your family and friends may not be actually equipped to...
In October 2004, Lee Horbachewski was on the brink of taking her own life. She was suffering from post-partum depression after the birth of her second daughter and felt she could not go on. She sealed herself in her bedroom with bottles of prescription pills and, crying hysterically, began to open each one.* In a moment...
The Wild Elms were one of six bands that performed at the event. Hundreds came out to Dickens Pub on August 23 to attend Listen Up! Calgary and enjoy live, local music while supporting Distress Centre. All proceeds from ticket sales, the silent auction and a 50/50 raffle went directly to Distress Centre and totaled over $4000! The money...
Lynda, Basic Needs Coordinator at Distress Centre, has assisted Anne* in many ways, but says it's up to the clients to make change in their lives. Anne* called our 211 line in June, 2013 looking for housing assistance. She needed to find a place for herself and her young child to live by July 1, 2013 and...
'Listen Up! Calgary' features seven bands, including Free The Cynics, fronted by Distress Centre volunteer, Rich Paxton (right). Photo courtesy of Keith Skratins. Rich Paxton has been volunteering on Distress Centre’s 24 hour crisis lines since December 2013. He had recently moved to Calgary from Scotland with his wife and said getting involved with Distress Centre was...
