Alpha House Launches ‘Give Hope Through Housing’ Campaign to Call on Calgary Landlords to Support Through Housing Shortage

By Michelle Brown

As Director of Alpha House’s Community Housing program, I have seen firsthand the dramatic impact of finding a home on our clients. There is hope, peace, and relief not only for our clients, but also for their families and loved ones who worry about them.

Every day, we see in the news headlines how the affordable housing crisis impacts Calgarians from all walks of life. Our clients need the community’s help more than ever, which is why we are asking the Calgary community to support our most vulnerable citizens through our ‘Give Hope Through Housing Campaign’. The campaign will raise awareness about the opportunities for landlords and property managers to partner with Alpha House and invites the Calgary community to make financial donations to help ensure we can subsidize client rent and basic needs once they are in housing.

For many years, landlords have been key stakeholders in ensuring our Community Housing program continues to grow and support our clients and I would encourage anyone who is a landlord to consider partnering with us.

A current landlord we have partnered with for five years shared recently, “We had an excellent experience with Alpha House. Their teams are very passionate, goal driven and dedicated to their assigned tasks. They are very reliable and easy to communicate with.”

Thanks to our current landlords who are committed to providing secure housing to those in need, Alpha House has been able to help our clients make healthier choices and find new hope for their future.

Our clients in the Community Housing program live in their own homes in communities throughout Calgary and sign their own leases. We are looking for a full range of suites, from one-bedroom apartments and legal basement suites to rowhouses and townhouses, for our clients in all areas of the city.

Our team works to help clients sustain their housing with case workers visiting them routinely – providing our clients with the support and life skills they need to be good neighbours and community members.

Our goal with the ‘Give Hope Through Housing’ campaign is to secure 20 – 30 additional units in Calgary to help us achieve our goal of housing 150 clients this year and raise $100,000 to support client rent subsidies and their basic needs. We believe in and hope the Calgary community will join us in helping our community’s most vulnerable people.

A landlord we have partnered with for five years shared with our team recently, “I love to see that a person’s life can start to change through offering them a place they can call their home. Giving them a second chance to start a new life and help them dream dreams again.”

In addition to knowing you are making a real difference in someone’s life, there are also practical benefits to partnering with Alpha House. Our clients sign their own leases in the Community Housing program and we subsidize lease payments to ensure consistent rent, as well as provide a home maintenance commitment to maintain the property’s condition.

Moazzam has been a landlord partner of Alpha House over the past four years and shared with us, “Alpha House has provided outstanding support and commitment. Their commitment to paying on time, maintaining cleanliness in the rental spaces, and ensuring the well-being of all clients while caring for other tenants exemplifies professionalism and dedication.”

It is a profound experience to be a part of changing someone’s life and I would encourage any landlord who is in a position to do so – to reach out here to learn more about our programs.

Chris is a long-term client of Alpha House and shared with us, “Being homeless is a very difficult way to live – to be able to get back into housing is very tough but when it happens, it gives you hope and joy and a future.”

We are asking all Calgarians to be a part of our campaign – whether you are a landlord, property manager, or a Calgarian able to donate, we hope you will join us as we work together to ensure everyone has a place to call home in our city.

Supporting Vulnerable Populations: Donating Services and Expertise

With the need out there so great, giving back to the community feels more important than ever. Monetary donations are one of the most common ways to donate, but giving back through pro bono work can be even more impactful. Donating professional services fills essential capability gaps for non-profits and is an effective way to break down barriers for vulnerable populations by providing access to services that they would otherwise be unable to access.

Non-profits often have few resources for extraneous programming (i.e. programming not specifically included in our Shelter funding). Volunteers with unique expertise, whether it’s legal advice, graphic design, or IT supports, can fill gaps and support programs in different ways, resulting in greater positive impacts for the community.

A few examples of professional services that has been donated to Alpha House in the past are haircuts, yoga classes, and acupuncture sessions. Here’s a few examples of professional services that have been donated, and how their impact goes beyond monetary support:

Legal Services

Pro bono work in the legal sector is a great example of how invaluable donating expertise can be to non-profits, and more importantly, the vulnerable populations that we serve. Accessing legal services is gatekept by significant financial barriers, making them out of reach for most vulnerable individuals and non-profits; having this expertise donated is often the only way they can access these services that are essential to improving their circumstances. Working directly with clients isn’t the only way to donate legal services either; providing your knowledge and expertise in how to navigate the legal system can be a big asset to non-profits working in this sector.

Acupuncture

Integrative Health Centre has been working with Alpha House to provide our clients acupuncture treatment based on the NADA Protocol, a treatment model developed in the 1970’s to help individuals with substance use disorder with their recovery. This acupuncture is effective in helping with trauma, anxiety, depression, irritability, and cravings. This treatment is a nonverbal, non-threatening intervention that is well suited for group sessions; this means that there is no need to talk about past experiences/trauma, making it accessible for a lot of our clients. Therapeutic services like these are important to the recovery process, and without practitioners willing to donate their time, they would be otherwise unavailable to vulnerable populations that need them.

“This partnership with Alpha House has been very rewarding and I’m honoured in providing treatments and supports for the clients.”

• Lynda Smith, Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Haircuts

Haircuts are a great example of an essential service that homeless individuals would otherwise not spend money on, in favour of prioritizing food or other essential items. When it comes to homelessness, and especially long-term homelessness, basic hygiene such as hair maintenance can become a big struggle. Improved self-esteem and dignity are huge benefits to receiving a haircut as an unhoused individual, but the biggest benefit is the improved health outcomes that comes with clean hair and a practical haircut that they can maintain. Long, unkempt hair over a long period of time can lead to issues like matting, causing that individual pain and discomfort until they’re able to access the resources they need to maintain their hair.

We want to encourage businesses to offer ‘Volunteer Time Off’, which gives employees their regular compensation for hours spent volunteering at a charity/community organization. Encouraging employees to volunteer their expertise gives them the opportunity to work closely with a cause they care about and to see the positive impact of their contribution firsthand. This can be a powerful motivator— giving employees the opportunity to work in different environments can bring fresh perspectives and ideas into your company and raise morale all around.

What if you want to donate your expertise but commuting or finding a schedule that matches up with yours is an issue? Virtual volunteering is a great way to volunteer when you need a more flexible opportunity. VolunteerConnector is a useful resource for Albertans looking to find virtual volunteering opportunities; there are plenty of volunteer postings that cover a range of professions under the ‘work remotely’ filter.

We as a society are more divided than ever before in a world that demands collective action to address modern social issues such as food insecurity, homelessness, and discrimination. Supporting your community through donating your expertise is a powerful way to make an impact and contribute to positive social change firsthand. Pro bono work bridges the gap between businesses and non-profits by addressing the resource, capacity, and skills constraints that many non-profits face. By coming together as a community, we can work towards breaking the cycle of homelessness, getting people the help that they need, and building a more sustainable future.

 

 

‘Tis the season for giving, and what better way to get into the giving spirit than by following along and joining in with us as we explore the many Ways of Caring available for those looking to do a little something for vulnerable individuals in Calgary! We’re very excited to be launching our Ways of Caring Campaign for a 3^rd year in a row; from December 1^st to the 31^st, across all of our social media platforms, we will be sharing different ways you can support Alpha House, our clients, the addiction and homelessness sectors, and other non-profits in the Calgary area.

It’s not all about giving money to our programs, or donating in-kind items for our clients (although, you’re more than welcome to offer your support in those ways); We recognize not everyone is in a position to give monetarily or physically, which is why this campaign will highlight a myriad of ways you can support your community with varying degrees of involvement. The Ways of Caring campaign is designed to be accessible, unique, and engaging— whether you’re looking to be very involved with your act of kindness or you’re looking to offer your support from the comfort of your own home, we’ve got you covered!

Alpha House has been doing the ‘Ways of Caring’ campaign for a couple of years now, because we love giving people the opportunity to show how much they care about social issues in the city and we are continually blown away by the number of people wanting to be a part of our community of giving! Ways of Caring originally started as “12 Ways of Caring”— a play on the classic holiday song titled 12 Days of Christmas. As we continued with this idea, we found that there were many more than 12 ways to do good in the community around the holidays, so we’re bringing you TWENTY-ONE meaningful Ways of Caring for the month of December. Participate in 1, participate in 5, participate in all 21! Whatever and however you choose to engage, we appreciate you coming along with us this holiday season.

In advent calendar fashion, we will be UNVEILING a new WAY of caring on select days in December Follow our social media channels to make sure you don’t miss a day!

However, and in whatever way you can help will make a difference.

Happy Holidays!

INDIGENOUS PROGRAMMING TO BENEFIT FROM GOLF TOURNAMENT

Tom Jackson spearheads Alpha House fundraiser

 

CALGARY, AB – On Monday, August 16, Alpha House will hold its Second Annual Golf Tournament at Bearspaw Golf Club in support of its Indigenous Programming in Calgary and Lethbridge.

 

Alpha House provides safe and caring environments for individuals whose lives are affected by alcohol and other drug dependencies. The non-profit, charitable agency is commited to help heal the systemic, inter-generational and historical trauma among Indigenous people that has occurred as a result of residential schools.

 

More than ever, the honoring of cultural traditions and the provision of cultural connection – like Alpha House’s Ceremonial Sweat Lodges and Indigenous Outreach – is crucial to the health and well-being of its Indigenous clients.

 

The tournament is spearheaded by Tom Jackson, a musician, TV personality, activist, producer, long-time volunteer and supporter of Alpha House. Tom holds the strong belief that Alpha House is doing important work to help those with alcohol and other drug dependencies, especially among the Indigenous community.

 

“This work can save lives, and we have an opportunity to play a part,” commented Jackson. “Through this tournament, we can enjoy an afternoon of camaraderie and meaningful connections, while knowing the funds raised will make a difference to Alpha House clients.”

 

“Cultural connection is essential to the healing journey, especially in the context of the past year and a half,” says Kathy Christiansen, Executive Director of Alpha House. “Now more than ever, funds are needed to help support our work. Donations ensure the sustainability of programs that can be life-saving for people made vulnerable by poverty and addiction.”

The 2nd Annual Alpha House Golf Tournament takes place on August 16, and is made possible through the generosity of Title Sponsor IG Wealth Management. Registration for individuals or foursomes can be completed here.

 

About Alpha House

The Calgary Alpha House Society was established in 1981 as a committed response to a marginalized population of individuals who are addicted to alcohol or other drugs and living vulnerable on the streets of Calgary and Lethbridge. Alpha House currently runs four programs: Shelter, Outreach (DOAP/Encampment), Detox, and Housing. Learn more at alphahousecalgary.com.

For more information:
Bonnie Elgie, Publicist
p: 403.630.6164
e: [email protected]

The Holiday Season is often a time of reflection as we look back on the year that was and anticipate what will be when the calendar turns on January 1^st. Without question, 2020 has been an extraordinarily challenging year for our city, our country and the world.

At Alpha House, we have done our best to minimize the impact of COVID-19 on the vulnerable people we serve, both in Calgary and in our new stabilization centre and shelter in Lethbridge. We’ve collaborated with partners to find and provide safe shelter that will meet all protocols and guidelines, asked our staff to go above and beyond in caring for clients, and we’ve taken every precaution we can to keep men and women seeking our help, safe.

Despite many new challenges, our priority remains the same as it’s always been: to meet the needs of individuals whose lives are affected by alcohol and other drug dependencies.

 With our resources being stretched thin, this year more than ever, we need your help. Since 2018, Tom Jackson – a beloved Canadian musician, actor and philanthropist and Alpha House volunteer – has dedicated one of his annual “The Huron Carole” concerts to support Alpha House. Last year’s sold-out concert raised funds for our Downtown Outreach Addiction Program, also known as the DOAP Team.

 On Tuesday December 1, the annual Huron Carole concert “Light Inside” is going virtual in support of our DOAP Team, and recovery programs in Calgary and Lethbridge.

As Tom so eloquently says, “Under the cloud of these challenging times, those less fortunate in our world are going to be the ones most impacted by the current economic fall-out from Covid 19. This Christmas season is going to be different from any other. It’s going to require us, as individuals and as a society, to look inside ourselves for a light of optimism. A silver lining. We must treasure that light and hang on to that silver lining with all our might.”

It is our request and hope that you will join us for this treasured holiday tradition celebrating the music and meaning of the season. Tickets are just $15 or $30 (includes a VIP pre-show experience with Tom).

We understand that this is an incredibly difficult time for our community. If you are able, please join us for an evening that is sure to lift your spirits and that will give hope to other Calgarians as we all reach for the light inside.

Tickets are available here.

You may also donate to Alpha House online.

With thanks,

Kathy

Calgary –  A beloved holiday season tradition, The Huron Carole, is dedicating its proceeds to helping to keep the Alpha House DOAP team on the street in 2020.

Tom Jackson, founder of The Huron Carole Benefit Concert Series, is a musician, beloved TV personality (North of 60, Star Trek, Law and Order), long-time champion for the marginalized and a volunteer member of the DOAP team. Having experienced life on the streets himself, he discovered music was a way to help others. This year’s concert on December 3^rd at the Bella Theatre takes on an urgent purpose as it raises money to continue funding the DOAP team that is impacted by an 8% reduction in provincial funding to the Calgary Homeless Foundation, which is a funder of the program.

“DOAP is an essential mobile and outreach service that is doing unique work within our city.  Team members travel throughout the inner city, Beltline and outlying communities to assist people under the influence of drugs or alcohol who need help navigating shelter, detox, medical services, housing and other programs and resources,” says Kathy Christiansen, Executive Director, Alpha House. “We are working to identify new sources of funding through various levels of government, corporate and community partners. Tom’s generosity in dedicating one of this year’s Huron Carole concert proceeds to DOAP brings our community together to continue to help the evolving and unique needs of vulnerable Calgarians. We are asking Calgarians to buy tickets and get involved through sponsorship and silent auction donations.”

The current shortfall is about $20,000/month to operate the DOAP team that averages 57 transports a day. The larger cuts projected for April 2020 without replacement funding will lead to a reduced presence of the DOAP team across the city and a much more limited response. DOAP will then be focused solely on the Beltline and downtown areas at reduced hours and will not be able to assist those who need help in surrounding communities.

“As a member of the DOAP team, I see firsthand the impact we have on marginalized people every single day. Dedicating one of this year’s Huron Carole performances is a way that I can invite Calgarians to be part of the solution in a meaningful and soulful way,” says Tom Jackson. “Path to a Miracle is our theme this year as we pay attention to the light inside all of us…the path we create and the path we leave behind.”

If you are interested in supporting the DOAP Team through The Huron Carole, you can purchase tickets, become a sponsor, or donate to our silent auction.

Concert Details:

The Huron Carole, Tuesday, December 3, 2019,  Bella Concert Hall, Mount Royal University

Tickets: www.tickets.mru.ca/huroncarole

• $55 – reserved seating  
• $100 – reserved seating and Tom Jackson meet and greet

Sponsorships and silent auction donations: [email protected]     

About The Huron Carole

The Huron Carole is a seasonal music tradition spanning more than 3 decades touring from coast to coast to coast. Expect an evening of contemporary and signature Christmas music, along with stories creatively crafted by Tom Jackson.  Award winning musicians Tom McKillip, Darryl Havers, John MacArthur Ellis, Kirby Barber and Diane Lines join Tom onstage.  This performance will be one of 16 across Canada raising funds for local food banks and family service agencies.  

Helpful links:

The Huron Carole: https://huroncarole.ca

Tom Jackson DOAP Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c-dJTPmv-A&t=13s

With Alpha House in mind, a unique hand-stamped mountain necklace was created by CoutuKitsch. The mountain range symbol represents “overcoming obstacles and challenges as well as being a prominent symbol for Alberta,” (CoutuKitsch).

Half of the profits from the sale of the necklaces will be donated to Alpha House. A BIG thank you to the team at the The Livery in Inglewood who came up with this creative way to raise funds for our clients.

To support this project or learn more, visit CoutuKitsch online: https://www.coutukitsch.com/products/mountain-necklace.

We have teamed up with Value Village for a FUNDrive in October and need donations of gently-used clothing and household items to help us raise funds for much needed winter items and to increase our client fund.

Items will be received for the entire month of October 2017 at Calgary Alpha House Society – 203 15^th Ave SE. We will gladly accept donations for our FUNDrive from 7am to 7pm; please come to our front door on 15 Ave SE and our staff will be happy to assist you. If you have a large amount of goods to donate, please call ahead so that we can be ready when you arrive, 403-234-7388 ext# 1.

Our goal is to raise $1000 in funds by collecting 400 bags of clothing. Our partnership with Value Village will help us to gain access to clothing all year round through the Get to Give Program.

Acceptable donations include clean clothing, shoes, accessories, books, CDs, DVDs, linens and working small household items the size of a microwave or smaller (no furniture please).

Calgary Alpha House Society is holding the FUNDrive in partnership with Value Village; a global thrift organization. Items collected during the drive will be sold to local Value Village stores and we will receive funds towards goods we need for our clients.

 

 

 

We are excited to announce that Alpha House received $250k from the CHBA – UDI Calgary Region Association towards our women’s building. This is a building we want to develop for vulnerable females experiencing homelessness. We are working towards this lofty goal through the the Resolve campaign.  We were presented this cheque at the SAM awards this past Saturday evening. Thank you CHBA!