Image: The Distress Centre staff and volunteer team at Outrun the Stigma 2019. Read - 50 Stories Part 48 A partnership between many different organizations and individuals created the initial Drug Information Centre in 1970, and partnerships continue to be vital in enabling the current Distress Centre to serve the community. Some partnerships provide financial and personal...
Image: 211 staff celebrate with cake after we successfully renewed our AIRS accreditation. Read - 50 Stories Part 47 The 211 service continued to expand in the last decade. It is still free, multi-lingual, and confidential. Certified Community Resource Specialists answer 211 calls 24 hours a day, seven days a week, helping callers find appropriate services and...
Image: Joan Roy speaking at our 2014 Lend An Ear Breakfast. Read - 50 Stories Part 46 The unfortunate passing of Executive Director Carol Oliver brought a period of leadership instability to Distress Centre, until the Board appointed 25-year staff member Joan Roy to the ED position in June 2013. Joan recalls the offer: [caption id="attachment_20871" align="alignleft" width="385"]...
Distress Centre continues to support Calgarians by providing 24 hour crisis and 211 phone support, daily chat and ConnecTeen text support. Counselling sessions are being conducted by phone and video. With new cases and restrictions increasing, you may find your stress level are increasing as well. If you need help, please reach out. Up-to-date information is...
Image: The 2018-2019 Board of Directors at our 2018 Annual General Meeting. Read - 50 Stories Part 45 Over the last decade Distress Centre’s Board has kept to its governance role, with a focus on strategic planning. They defined the organization’s primary role as crisis intervention, and with support from major funders FCSS and United Way, they...
Image: On June 2, 2017, SORCe was honoured with a Community Justice Award from Alberta Justice and Solicitor General. The award recognizes excellence and innovation in community partnerships, in the areas of victims’ services, youth justice, restorative justice and other crime-prevention efforts. Read - 50 Stories Part 44 In 2013, Distress Centre returned to its 1970 street-level...
Image: Riverfront Avenue in Calgary after the 2013 flood. Photo by Ryan Quan. Read - 50 Stories Part 43 In 1970, the idea of a two-day concert with accompanying sex, drugs and rock and roll was considered enough of a pending disaster to cause the formation of the Drug Information Centre. In 2013, Calgary faced an...
Some people know from early in their lives what they have passion for. The vast majority however, discover which areas interest them through experience and exploration. For Romit Panesar, a crisis line and leadership volunteer at Distress Centre, an unexpected introduction to mental illness is what drove him to find his passion in life. Romit spent...
Image: Distress Centre staff at the 2019 United Way Parade. Read - 50 Stories Part 42 Distress Centre has always depended on corporate, government and private funders in order to fulfill their mandate in the community. In 2019, for example, 40 organizations provided major funding to DC, many of them long-term partners. To list all those who...
Image: Distress Centre counsellors in 2017. Read - 50 Stories Part 41 The professional qualifications for Distress Centre counsellors have increased over 50 years, as has the complexity and number of clients they see. Less than 300 sessions in 1970 became 1,650 in 2010 and 2,900 in 2019. The majority of referrals now come from an online...
