Since November 2015, over 27,000 Syrian refugees have arrived in Canada. 1,400 of those refugees have settled in Calgary. Welcoming refugees and newcomers isn’t new for our city. According to the City of Calgary, we welcome an average of 1100 refugees per year from around the world and in 2014 we welcomed over 19,000 immigrants and newcomers to our...
Thousands of Fort McMurray evacuees have made their way to Calgary to escape the devastating fires in the Fort McMurray/Wood Buffalo region. Upon arrival, they have a lot of questions around shelter, food and transportation. How do they get clothing for their kids? Where can they get financial assistance? Our 211 Information & Referral Specialists have been...
Ryan Costello has volunteered with ConnecTeen since he was 15 and said he went in expecting to give back, but didn’t realize how much ConnecTeen would give back to him. “When you think of volunteering you think, ‘I am giving and not getting anything back from it,’ but with ConnecTeen, what you receive from it, it’s...
At the unthinkable hour of 5am on May 9, 2015, 200 people huddled together shivering in the crisp, early morning air, each wearing a bright yellow t-shirt with “Darkness Into Light” emblazoned across the front. The blackness of night was still upon them as the signal was given for the event to start and the...
In November 2014, Mike Becker, Senior Manager of the Project Management Office for ENMAX, was looking for a volunteer opportunity. Through his research he found Distress Centre Calgary and knew it is a charity that ENMAX supports. He submitted an application, was accepted and took the 60 hours training in January 2015. He has been...
Four years ago, Simone Rousseau, a Realtor with Simone Rousseau & Associates with RE/MAX Real Estate (Central), received a call from one of her clients who was experiencing distress. She immediately helped her client connect with Distress Centre. “The call to Distress Centre was his turning point to getting the help he needed,” Simone said. Simone had...
Getting the bride and groom to kiss is a common and time-honoured wedding tradition. Usually this is done by tapping champagne glasses with flatware. At Celia Kopperud and Matt Sticksl’s wedding reception in October of 2015, they asked guests to make a donation to Distress Centre Calgary if they wanted to see the pair smooch. Three years...
The fight to end the stigma surrounding mental health and mental illness has largely centered on talking. Bell Let’s Talk encourages us to use communication to end the stigma, whether by sharing stories of how mental illness touches us all, being aware of the kind of language we use and how it can be harmful or listening...
NEED HELP? CAN HELP? For our 2015 Annual Report we wanted look back on our growth and accomplishments in 2015 while also looking ahead to 2016. Knowing what a difficult year 2015 was for many, and how it continues to be challenging into 2016, we wanted to focus on two pieces. Need help? We are here...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RE: Suicide rate in Alberta leaps 30% in wake of mass oilpatch layoffs December 8, 2015 Distress Centre would like to provide some context and clarification on the article released by CBC on December 7th on the 30% increase in suicides in Alberta. Sarah Hoffman, Minister of Health has confirmed that there has been a 30% increase in...
