CONFIDENTIAL CHAT

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COVID-19, Crisis, News, Press Release
May 6, 2020

CALGARY – Distress Centre Calgary is reporting a rising number of crisis contacts related to COVID-19, a caseload that is expected to continue growing over the coming months and even years as the pandemic, and its long-term effects, continue to impact Albertans. The Centre received its first COVID-19 related call on January 26, and as of April 28 received over 37,000 contacts on its 24 hour 211 and crisis lines, daily...

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50 Stories, News
May 5, 2020

Read - 50 Stories Part 16 Happy Anniversary! Twenty years after its beginnings as the Drug Information Centre, Calgary Mayor Al Duerr proclaimed Distress Centre/Drug Centre week, March 18-24, 1990. Jeanette commented on various highlights over time. After 20 years, staff with higher qualifications were being hired, responding to much broader crises concerns, and offering a more...

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50 Stories, News
April 21, 2020

Image: Volunteer in a 1982 newspaper. Read - 50 Stories Part 14 During the 80s, The Board of Directors was able to move slowly towards more of a governance-only role. Funding and fundraising were the exceptions; that remained hands-on. As noted in the 1981 Annual Report: “Financial management for the coming year will be a major challenge...

img text: Distress Centre's response to COVID-19 (coronavirus)

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211, COVID-19, Crisis, News, Press Release
April 17, 2020

On March 17th, for the safety of our staff and volunteers, we closed our office. Within a week, we mobilized 80 staff to continue 24 hour support to our community remotely from home. Altogether, we mobilized 115 staff to work remotely from home.   All of our services are still available by phone or online, including our crisis line, online chat, ConnecTeen, 211 and counselling...

img des: Five phones on a flat surface, each from a different time period to represent five decades.

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Crisis, Impact, News
April 14, 2020

Happy birthday Distress Centre! We first opened our doors 50 years ago on April 14th, 1970. We’ve changed names and locations many times over the years, but our focus on listening and volunteerism remains the same. Watch the video below to experience 50 years of answering the call for help. Distress Centre has an exciting and...

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50 Stories, News, Volunteer
April 7, 2020

Image: This image of volunteers appeared in our 20 year anniversary publication in 1990. Read - 50 Stories Part 13 At the 1980 AGM, Jeanette McEachern was proud to say the Centre had a solid volunteer training program, a good funding base and an active and responsible volunteer group. She also remarked that “other centres wrestle with...

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