Our View – The YW Blog
May 2014
5 reasons to volunteer with the YWCA of Calgary
Volunteers are the lifeblood of any non-profit organization, and the YWCA of Calgary is no exception. We would not be able to keep our doors open to vulnerable women without our dedicated and committed volunteers.[...]
YWCA BLOG: Client Success Story
Angela was a client of YWCA Mary Dover House transitional housing multiple times from 2004-2012. She suffered many traumas in childhood and managed her pain through the use of drugs and alcohol. Many of her[...]
VIDEO: Success of harm reduction in addressing homelessness
Last week was the end of the 2013-2014 YWCA Winter Emergency Response (WER) program. The YWCA WER program first opened in 2012, in collaboration with the Calgary Homeless Foundation, to prevent freezing deaths when shelters[...]
YWCA BLOG: MY EXPERIENCE OF KEEP A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS
On May 1, 2014, the YWCA kept our temporary winter shelter open for one more night to host our fundraising event YWCA KEEP A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS®. The event took participants through the experience[...]
April 2014
VIDEO: See one night through her eyes
You have seen her on the train, taking her children to a doctor’s appointment. She struggled to find enough money to pay the $3 fare. It came out of her budget for groceries. You have[...]
YWCA BLOG: Client success story
The YWCA of Calgary offers counselling services for parents and children to help deal with family violence and set a path to healing, learning and thriving in a safe community. Read a success story from[...]
YWCA Blog: How one man is helping homeless women
On May 1st, YWCA KEEP A ROOF OVER THEIR HEADS® participant Pat Walsh will line up outside the YWCA to guarantee a place to sleep in our former gymnasium, which has been converted to an[...]
YWCA Blog: Why the YWCA of Calgary needs a new building
This morning the YWCA of Calgary issued a request for an Expression of Interest (EOI), seeking submissions from property developers to partner in the planning and development of a new YWCA facility in Calgary’s city[...]
Homeless women find safe place to stay
Imagine trying to find a safe place to sleep during the cold nights in Calgary when the temperature dips down so low you feel the chill spreading through your bones. Your gloves are full of[...]
March 2014
YWCA Blog: Alternatives to burning money
Last week a radio station in Calgary burned $5,000 in a publicity stunt. The radio station asked Calgarians in a poll if they should incinerate $5,000 or give it away to the winner of a[...]
YWCA Blog: Prostitution laws should not punish vulnerable women
In December 2013, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down three key prostitution laws under the Criminal Code and gave Parliament one year to come up with new legislation, if it chooses to do so.[...]
YWCA Blog: Women staying longer in Alberta shelters
On November 6, 2013, Alberta’s women’s shelters recorded the number of women and children supported for the annual ‘day in the life’ count. Full provincial shelter results can be found online. […]
YWCA Blog: Celebrating International Women’s Day
YWCA CEO Sue Tomney and YWCA Board Chair Lori Van Rooijen address the audience at our first CELEBRATE event. On March 6th, 2014, the YWCA of Calgary hosted our first CELEBRATE event, in[...]
February 2014
YWCA Blog: 5 ways to give to the YWCA of Calgary
We would not be able to keep our doors open to vulnerable women and their families without the support of our wonderful donors! As you plan for the year ahead, we wanted to share the[...]
YWCA Blog: Ending violence against women a shared responsibility
Calgary is often heralded as one of the best cities to live in, not only in Canada but in the world. Recent incidents seem to point to a key caveat – it’s a great place[...]
YWCA BLOG: The role of business in ending family violence
The panelists included:Lana Wells – Brenda Strafford Chair, Prevention of Domestic Violence, University of Calgary;Lorna St. Thomas – Manager of Community Investments and Partnerships for Enbridge Pipelines;Inspector Steve Barlow – Calgary Police Service; and Rhonda[...]