Community Resources
Basic Needs:
- CUPS: Offers services integrating health, housing, and education for families.
Phone: 403-221-8780
Website: https://www.cupscalgary.com/
- Safe Communities Opportunity and Resource Centre (SORCe): access programs and services for families in need of support.
Phone: 403-428-3300
Website: https://sorcecalgary.ca/
- Little Warriors: https://littlewarriors.ca/
- Safe4life: https://safe4life.ca/public-programs/
- Child Safe Canada: https://childsafecanada.com/
- Community Education Service: https://community.hmhc.ca/sessions/?p=webex
- University of Calgary-Active Living: https://active-living.ucalgary.ca/programs/kids-programs
Emergency Shelter:
- Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter: The Calgary Women’s Emergency Shelter is focused on ending family violence and abuse in the lives of women, children, youth, and men.
Phone: 403-234-SAFE (7233)
Website: https://www.calgarywomensshelter.com/
- YWCA of Calgary: Dedicated to breaking cycles of family violence, homelessness, and poverty. Providing emergency shelter, housing, counselling, child development and support.
Phone: 403-263-1550
Website: https://www.ywcalgary.ca/
Food Support:
- Calgary Inter-Faith Food Bank: Offers emergency food hampers available for pick up at their locations.
Phone: 403-253-2055
Website: https://www.calgaryfoodbank.com/needfood/
- Community Kitchen Program of Calgary: Working with individuals, families, and communities to enable initiatives that reduce hunger. Teaches people to prepare affordable meals and develop sound economic management practices.
- Good Food Box: The Good Food Box (GFB) is a program under the Community Kitchen Program of Calgary whereby we purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at a very low cost from growers and distributors in Calgary.
Phone: 403-275-0258
Website: https://www.gfbcalgary.com/
Community Service Phone Numbers:
- 211: 211 is here to help you find the right community and social services. You can dial 2-1-1 to speak to an Information & Referral Specialist or search our online community resource directory.
If you need support and resources, please reach out to 211 via phone, text, or online chat. A Community Resource Specialist can work with you to see what community resources and services are available and work to get you connected with support.
- Inform Alberta: InformAlberta is a provincial on-line directory of publicly funded and/or not-for-profit community, health, social, and government organizations and services. The directory is maintained by the InformAlberta Partners – health zones and community information & referral services across Alberta.
- Website: https://informalberta.ca/public/common/search.do
- 811 (Calgary Health Link): Provides 24-hour, 7 day a week access to health advice and information from an experienced nurse or other healthcare professional.
Income Support
- Alberta Supports Contact Centre: Income Support can help you and your family with basic living costs and other necessities. Depending on your needs and situation you may be eligible to receive assistance through Alberta’s Income Support program.
Hours: 7:30 am to 8 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Toll free: 1-877-644-9992
Email: css.ascc@gov.ab.ca
Website: https://www.alberta.ca/income-support
- 24-hour Emergency Income Support Contact Centre: Get emergency financial assistanceto help with basic needs like shelter, food, clothing, and transportation.
Hours: 24/7
Toll free: 1-866-644-5135
Email: css.iscc@gov.ab.ca
Counselling Services
- Calgary Counselling Centre: Improving the well-being of individuals and families and strengthening communities by delivering best practices in counselling, training, and research. Fees are based on a sliding scale according to your income. Register online 24 hours a day
Phone: 833.827.4229, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Office: 403.265.4980
Email: contactus@calgarycounselling.com
Website: https://calgarycounselling.com/counselling
- Canadian Mental Health Association: Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA):facilitates access to resources people require to maintain and improve mental health and community integration, build resilience and support recovery from mental illness and addiction.
Phone: 403-297-1700
Email: info@cmha.calgary
Website: http://cmha.calgary.ab.ca/
Calgary Holiday Hampers and Food Support
Christmas Hamper Program
The Christmas Hamper Program provides food hampers to needy families one week before Christmas. Volunteers collect financial donations at all weekend Masses before delivery, liaise with the grocery stores, and pack and deliver hampers. Families are encouraged to participate in this event as an expression of the Christmas spirit of self-giving.
For more information, please contact the Parish office at 403-244-2741.
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Sacred Heart Church
1307 – 14th St. S.W.
Calgary, Alberta
T3C 1C6
Phone : 403-244-2741
E-mail: secretaries@sacredheartcalgary.ca
Salvation Army: Learn more at www.alberta.ca/emergency-financial-assistance
From food hampers to helping put toys and clothes under the tree, The Salvation Army is providing practical assistance to those in need this Christmas.
Families and individuals may register for holiday assistance by completing an application process, which usually starts during October or November, at their local Salvation Army.
If you are facing an unexpected emergency, you can apply for emergency financial assistance through the Emergency Needs Allowance program.
You can get help when:
- a situation is caused by unforeseeable circumstances beyond your control, and
- it presents a severe health risk, and
- you cannot access other resources or wait until your next pay-cheque or Income Support benefit cheque.
What’s covered:
The Emergency Needs Allowance can cover costs for:
- food
- clothing
- child care*
- transportation
- damage deposit*
- temporary shelter
- utility arrears*
*If you require these emergency benefits, please call the Alberta Supports Contact Centre at 1-877-644-9992 for more information on how to apply.
The Basic Needs Fund offers emergency support to individuals and families in financial crisis with a one-time grant to remedy an immediate need. Assistance through this program is meant to help individuals and families dealing with an emergency such as a sudden job loss or unexpected illness. This support can help individuals experiencing financial stress avoid having their situation get even worse.
To ask about getting help through the Basic Needs fund call 2-1-1
Emergency Financial Assistance (Through the Government of Alberta)
If you are facing an unexpected emergency, you can also apply for emergency financial assistance through the Government of Alberta.
This program may offer assistance when a situation that presents a severe health risk is caused by unforeseeable circumstances beyond your control and you cannot access other resources or wait until your next paycheque or Income Support benefit cheque.
This allowance can cover costs for food, clothing, child care, transportation, damage deposit, temporary accommodation, utility arrears, and eviction payments. If you need help with utility arrears or eviction payments more than once, you will have to repay any support money you receive.
To get information about this program, call the toll-free 24-hour Emergency Income Support Contact Centre at 1-866-644-5135
Helpful Resources & Supports
Institute of Child Psychology: https://instituteofchildpsychology.com/freewebinars/
Raising Children: https://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age
Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute: https://ctrinstitute.com/topic-category/children-youth/
Todays Parent: https://www.todaysparent.com/kids/
My Health Alberta: https://myhealth.alberta.ca/pediatric-rehabilitation/webinars?gclid=CjwKCAiAtt2tBhBDEiwALZuhAPRP_fpUN611nvf8Wgee5x4YC_NCgi-ZDZ4ouDmZU3G6oehQ-y4LvhoC1B0QAvD_BwE
Triple P-Positive Parenting Program: https://www.triplep-parenting.ca/alb-en/get-started/triple-p-courses-for-parents-of-children-birth-12-years/
Families Matter: https://familiesmatter.ca/family-resource-network/
YWCA Calgary: https://www.ywcalgary.ca/programs/family-resource-network/
Trellis Society: https://www.growwithtrellis.ca/families/parenting-support
McMan Family Development Program (FDP): https://mcmancalgary.ca/fdp/
The Conscious Kid: A children’s book list of the following categories: Muslim authors, Latinx authors, Rosh Hashanah, Indigenous authors, LGBTQ+, Asian American/Pacific Islander authors, Black History, Black authors, Passover, Hannukah, race/identity, bullying prevention/education, etc. https://www.theconsciouskid.org/book-lists
Looking for Summer Camps in Calgary?
Those long, hazy, lazy days are so much fun! This is when kids have lots of free time to spend outdoors, play with friends, and have new adventures. We have put together a great resource to share some of the amazing summer opportunities in the Calgary area.
If you are interested in summer programs available in the Calgary area please visit the links below!
University of Calgary: https://active-living.ucalgary.ca/programs/camps
City of Calgary: https://www.calgary.ca/parks-rec-programs/day-camps.html?
Heritage Park: https://www.heritagepark.ca/education-programs/camps
Camp YMCA: https://www.ymcacalgary.org/camp-ymca
Calgary Zoo: https://www.calgaryzoo.com/programs/summer-camps
Camp Evergreen: https://www.camp-evergreen.com/summer-camps
Mad Science: https://calgary.madscience.org/parents-camps.aspx
Telus Spark Science Centre: https://www.sparkscience.ca/for-kids/camps
Mount Royal University: https://mrucamps.ca/_pages/all-camps.htm
SAIT: https://www.sait.ca/youth-programs/summer-camps
YMCA: https://www.ymcacalgary.org/summer-camp
Heritage Park: https://heritagepark.ca/summer-camps/
Rundle College: https://rundle.ab.ca/summercamps/
Butterfield Acres: https://www.butterfieldacres.com/day-camp-information/
Good Time Sport: https://www.goodtimesmultisport.ca/?gclid=CjwKCAjw_LOwBhBFEiwAmSEQAVyFwK8OV7xd8-2qowfS_5CiHy8keo9HMhAoGWWuKxGJx5_qt2Q65xoCXzYQAvD_BwE
University of Calgary: https://active-living.ucalgary.ca/programs/camps
Winsport: https://www.winsport.ca/lessons-camps-and-clubs/camp-finder/
Between Friends: https://betweenfriends.ab.ca/camp-bonaventure/
Juvenescence Child Development Center: https://juvenescence.ca/
School of Rock: https://www.schoolofrock.com/locations/calgary?gclid=Cj0KCQiAn-2tBhDVARIsAGmStVlWCu9unJGmFBlhBh88Imd0y7rBkb9kL6FMSc_3S5g0X2tjzgvBDUwaAt-uEALw_wcB
OUR KIDS Summer Camp Resource List – https://www.ourkids.net/camp/calgary-camps
Looking for Summer Camps in Okotoks?
Those long, hazy, lazy days are so much fun! This is when kids have lots of free time to spend outdoors, play with friends, and have new adventures. We have put together a great resource to share some of the amazing summer opportunities in the Okotoks area.
If you are interested in summer programs available in the Calgary area please visit the links below!
As I know some parents are looking for summer programs available in Okotoks area, the links below are what I’ve found so far and I would like to share with you all 🙂
Town of Okotoks: https://www.activeokotoks.ca/TWNOKO/public/category/browse/DAYCAMP
Cavalry FC Regional Fieldhouse: https://www.cavsfcregionalfieldhouse.com/summer-day-camps
The Park: https://www.theparkonline.ca/camps
Airborne T&T Club: https://airborne.uplifterinc.com/registration/summer-programs/
Strathcona-Tweedsmuir School: https://www.strathconatweedsmuir.com/summer-camps/
Restorative Sports Therapy: https://www.restorativesportstherapy.com/camp-move-your-mood
Ace Volleyball Club: https://www.acevolleyballclub.ca/okotoks-programs/mini-aces-summer-camp
Okotoks Basketball Association: https://www.okotoksbasketball.ca/content/summer-camps—okotoks
Okotoks Dawgs Baseball Club: https://dawgsbaseball.ca/communities/dawgs-baseball-camp/
