Support CMHA Calgary This Holiday Season

It’s hard to believe that we are quickly coming to the end of 2021, and what a year it has been. Despite a year that has seen a lot of ups and downs in the world, CMHA Calgary has grown, changed, and seen some great successes.

Due to the diligence of our staff, we have been incredibly fortunate to have had our clients remain COVID-19 free in our Post-Discharge and Supportive Living Homes throughout this pandemic.

During this year, we saw a 24% increase in residents’ personal confidence and hope scores as measured from their initial pre-survey score through the Recovery Assessment Scale. This is all thanks to the hard work and dedication of our team who have been adaptable, flexible, and diligent.

We are eagerly anticipating the day when we can open and host clients again in our Welcome Centre and Recovery College, but during this time our courses and Peer Support have had consistent uptake through virtual means.

In fact, 88% of our Recovery College students identified easy access and 93% felt like they had opportunities to contribute to the activities and discussions held in sessions.

Our teams who have been able to work face-to-face with community members, including our Community Educators in workplaces and schools, and our Counsellors, have all been able to provide exceptional service while abiding by all health and safety protocols.

Our School of Peer Support expanded to have a Youth cohort of 27 graduates in the Spring, which shows we can grow and specialize our education and training in the future. As an organization, we have committed to our future with the completion of our Strategic Plan until 2025.

Included is the development and approval of five ideal future states and eight supporting strategies. These tactics will enable CMHA Calgary to achieve its key goals to become a mental health gateway for the community, to design inclusive, integrated client-focused services, to become a role model employer, to strengthen our reputation as a preferred collaborative partner, and to establish a sustainable, evidence-based funding model.

As part of our strategic planning process, we brought in an innovative process called Social Return on Investment (SROI), led by expert consultants who are certified by Social Value International. This allows us to demonstrate the value that our funders help us bring to community members, including generating $3.36 of social and economic value for every dollar invested based on our 2019 – 2020 fiscal year.

All of these accomplishments and plans are possible because of long-term supporters like you, who know and understand the importance of community based and barrier-free mental health programs.

As we move into 2022, we look forward to being that mental health gateway, to ensure anyone can find the mental health supports they need, when they need them, whether at CMHA Calgary or elsewhere in our city.

We look forward to furthering our partnership with like-minded organizations in Calgary, like The Distress Centre Calgary, The City of Calgary, and The Alex Community Health Centre, so we can play to our strengths and serve Calgarians together. By building strong partnerships, we can collaborate and ensure that our clients will have the opportunity to navigate their wellness journeys seamlessly.

Your financial support this holiday season will allow us to meet the needs of our community. With your dedication, CMHA Calgary will still be able to continue to provide our community mental health programs as we navigate through the pandemic.

As we wind down our second year in this pandemic world, we hope you are taking care of your wellness, while looking out for your friends and family. If there is someone you know who may need that extra support or someone to talk to, remember, CMHA Calgary is here for you.

Wishing you a happy and healthy season,

Your gift can provide same-day support to everyone who needs it; offer more people the opportunity to learn skills, make conversations and feel empowered to manage their own mental health.

Our Peer Support program services can be accessed over the phone at 403-297-1402 or through email at peer@cmha.calgary.ab.ca. We have teamed up with other Calgary agencies to help Calgarians quickly and easily access various counselling and social supports. Visit www.communityconnectyyc.ca, where you can book online for our Suicide Bereavement and Family Support Counselling, and other supports. If you prefer to still book through us, please phone (403-297-1708), or email (counsellingintake@cmha.calgary.ab.ca)