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Never Give Up Gala co-chairs Ellie Smith (left) and Kata Acheson (right), flank Claire Parker and her two sons at this year's signature fundraiser, Sept. 10, at the Hyatt Regency Calgary.
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Gala speaker draws standing ovation
Claire, a mother of two young boys, had 450 guests at our Never Give Up Gala rise to their feet in praise and admiration after she shared her family’s journey through mental health challenges. This brave mom spoke of reaching out to Wood’s Homes for help and finding success in our Whole Family Treatment Program. Thanks to their courage and hard work with our team of professionals, the family has found new skills and confidence. Check out photos of the event on our Facebook page.
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Alberta Party Leader Greg Clark (second from left) visited the Whole Family Treatment Program on our Bowness campus recently. Clark requested a tour of the site, wanting to learn more about our work.
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We welcome tours of our campuses
Wood’s Homes is nationally recognized for its innovative programs and services – there are close to 40 in all. With several locations in the province and one in the Northwest Territories, we are a Calgary-based organization that works primarily on two sites in the city's northwest. Our Bowness campus is where Reverend George Wood first brought orphans in his care back in 1925. Our Parkdale campus is close to both Foothills and Alberta Children’s Hospitals. We regularly provide tours of our facilities and recently hosted Alberta Party Greg Clark (photo above) as well as Calgary Rockyview MLA Leela Aheer and Airdrie MLA Angela Pitt.
If you are interested in a tour, please call 403-270-4102.
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Board and committee members tour programs
Wood’s Homes recently invited its Board and committee members for a tour of some of our programs. Shortly after this photo was taken, this lively group boarded a bus to visit three sites. The CEO and Board chairs provided updates and answered questions about the agency’s work, projects and upcoming events as the bus made its way to northeast Calgary. This year’s tour included stops at Eastside Family Centre in Marlborough, the Family Support Network in Forest Lawn and one of our community homes in Temple. Staff and clients were excited and proud to host the group and to share their many stories of success.
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Fort Mac services back after wildfire
Wood’s Homes shelter and outreach services for homeless youth in Fort McMurray have resumed operations, following last May’s wildfire and the largest evacuation in Alberta’s history.
Although the shelter was not damaged, all staff and clients fled. Wood’s Homes had safety plans well in place and ensured that clients were in regular contact with their families throughout the ordeal. This program, called Stepping Stones is for homeless or at-risk young people between the ages of 12 and 21. Crisis counselling, school and employment support are provided as well.
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Alumni shares story of his time with Wood's Homes
In July of 2015, Chris (an alumnus) was watching CBC’s coverage of the Calgary Stampede Parade from his home in Ottawa. To his surprise, he spotted the Wood’s Homes float. Soon after, he gave us a call to tell us he would be coming to Calgary in July 2016 to visit – for the first time in more than 30 years. Chris helped serve at our Stampede breakfasts and enjoyed a tour of our Bowness campus, a place that holds many memories for him. It was an emotional homecoming – one that Chris decided to share in a blog post.
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We take great PRIDE - always have, always will
Wood’s Homes has been working with the LGBTQ population for several years and understands that this population can be most vulnerable when it comes to homelessness and mental health challenges. Marching with the 150 floats and displays along Calgary's 9th Avenue once again, we were proud to have joined the more than 60,000 attendees in a show of support for this community. All Wood's Homes programs are LGBTQ-friendly. Check out our Facebook page for more.
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Wood’s Homes has 500 staff and volunteers who serve 20,000 vulnerable children and their families every year. We are one busy place! Keep up with our news, stories and events through our blog. Click here, then simply hit Follow in the bottom right-hand corner.
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