ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018 - Alpha House Calgary · members from the Stoney Reserve. We also were delighted to pilot some new program approaches with in our Downtown ... hidden homelessness

2017-2018

CONNECTING PEOPLE

ANNUAL REPORT

ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018

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Message for Annual Report: Board ChairIn Alpha House’s 37th year serving Calgary’s most vulnerable citizens, we’ve had a number of agency successes. We celebrated the opening of our new building that provides permanent, supportive homes to 24 women in need. We expanded our cultural programming to provide more opportunities for our clients to connect to their cultural traditions and spirituality. Our outreach programs have also expanded in order to continue providing a more appropriate social response to those in crisis on our city’s streets. We’ve developed new partnerships and strengthened existing ones, and have continued to advocate for our clients’ safety, wellbeing, and dignity in the community and beyond.

While data on the number of people stably housed, the number of outreach contacts made, the number of partnerships established and the like, do help determine whether or not we are effectively meeting our mandate, they somehow fail to capture the essence of Alpha House. That’s because this work is, at its core, relational.

In recognition, our agency focus this year has been on “connecting people”. Individuals who have been repeatedly traumatized, racialized, and marginalized do not move from crisis to stability on their own – it requires supportive, interpersonal relationships based on mutual trust and respect. These relationships are bidirectional and exist everywhere: between our clients and staff, our staff and the community, the agency and its partners, donors and funders. Each new relationship we make relies on and strengthens the others, weaving an interconnected web of supports without which we could not meet our clients’ needs nor achieve the successes we’ve seen.

This year, I would like to extend a special thanks to all of the people who work every day to build and maintain the relationships that are so integral to what we do. To the generous donors who turned our women’s building into a reality; to our funders who continue, year after year, to provide core support for our programs; to our interagency partners with whom we collaborate to provide services; to our municipal and provincial partners, the Calgary Police, EMS, Bylaw and Transit; to the community associations and private landlords we work with every day; and to our Executive Director, Kathy Christiansen, and the incredibly talented staff at Alpha House: to each and every one of you, I extend the Board’s deep gratitude for your dedication, professionalism, and support.

The last group of people I would like to thank are our clients, the men and women of Alpha House. Client relationships are the foundation of our work and it’s tempting to ascribe the success of those relationships entirely to the staff. But relationships don’t work when they’re one-sided. So, to our clients: I would like to thank each and every one of you for your courage and willingness to connect with us, to build the trust and respect needed to foster those critical relationships, and to teach us about the nature of the human experience. We still have much to learn and you are our best guide.Message from Alpha House Board Chair, Nicole Sherren

Message for Annual Report: Executive DirectorAs we reflect on the 2016-2017 year at Alpha House we are happy to celebrate another productive and eventful year. We supported 24 women into our new permanent supportive housing project in the community of Albert Park and we were able to expand our Indigenous program, adding new initiatives such as Wellbriety and Cultural camps in partnership with community members from the Stoney Reserve. We also were delighted to pilot some new program approaches with in our Downtown Outreach Addiction Partnership (DOAP team). The new projects supported our work with our local community associations on addressing street concerns in their neighbourhoods. Through another pilot, the team implemented a well-received partnership with Calgary transit expanding our outreach work on to the C-train lines in Calgary.

As an organization, we continue to be fiscally responsible and resourceful in our approach to programming. However, we also believe that our greatest asset, what we “really do” at the centre is connect to people. We are consistently in relationship with our partner agencies, community and we feel that our best outcome is the relationship we have with the men and women we serve through our work. We aim to genuinely be a part of people’s lives. Connecting with each other, clients, staff and partners, is the most human and humanizing component of our work and we see this as conducive to the resiliency and recovery of those we serve .

Along these lines, I would very much like to thank all of our stake holders, those in the community who feel connected to what we do at the centre and support us so generously. Donors through the Resolve campaign who made our women’s project a reality, our government supporters who ensure our operational programming year to year. The Calgary Homeless Foundation for allocating funding to a broad spectrum of housing options and programs in our community. Our amazing staff who make our day to day operations possible and our agency volunteers and Board of Directors who contribute their time and talents to every component of our operations.


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There are many factors that lead one to recovery, but connection is truly a significant part of this journey. On this note I will close with a quote by Brene Brown:

“I define connection as the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they derive sustenance and strength from the relationship.”

This is the essence of what we hope to offer through our work at the centre why so many of us, regardless of our role at Alpha House, feel a connection to the work.

Message from Alpha House Executive Director Kathy Christiansen

Alpha House Values and Services:Services at Alpha House are delivered from a social model that respects the clients’ right to self-determination as they address the impact of alcoholism and addiction in their lives. We strive to develop relationships of trust with our clients working on client identified issues from withdrawal management to mental health concerns, from treatment to housing. Our mission is to provide a safe and caring environment for individuals, whose lives are affected by alcohol and other drug dependencies, across a continuum of services. We seek to provide hope through direct service and the promotion of wellbeing. Through our partnerships with other agencies we seek to reduce duplication of services and to remove barriers for our clients. As a nonprofit charitable agency we remain indebted to our funders and to the governance of our Board.

Alpha House Programs:The Shelter at Alpha House is a 24 hour, 7 day a week program. Clients are welcomed at any time of the day or night and relationships of caring are developed quickly. In addition to self-referrals we receive daily referrals from other addiction services, police and emergency medical services, hospitals and other agencies.

Outreach at Alpha House is provided through our Downtown Outreach Addictions Partnership Team or the Alpha DOAP team. Over the years the DOAP team has evolved into a city wide community based outreach program that links the client with a broad range of services. Outreach includes our Encampment Team focused on rough sleepers and those wanting access to shelter and housing. We also maintain a worker at SORCe; a safer communities resource centre and have partnered with CUPS as part of the Connect to Care Team to assist clients with mental health issues move from hospitalization back into the community.

Our Detox Program at Alpha House provides residential care for 42 clients to safely withdraw from alcohol and other drugs and to move forward into treatment and recovery. Detox transitional beds have helped to safely place clients in treatment centers throughout the province and back into permanent housing in Calgary communities. The Alpha House Detox Program provides yoga and acupuncture for withdrawal, on site nursing as needed, weekly Sweat Lodges and staff driven presentations and referral services.

The Alpha House Housing Program strives to maintain its program accreditation and has housed over 400 people since its inception. Together with our Alpha House Encampment Team that works directly with rough sleepers and shelter clients, SORCe, and our Housing Locators the Alpha House Housing Program continues to meet and to support clients in placed based and community rentals. This year we opened the Women’s building thanks to the efforts of many and the RESOLVE Campaign. One of our housing mangers Zoe Logan offered this comment that speaks to the importance to us all of this building; “The biggest hope for myself within the housing program was the opening of the Women’s building. In the early days of housing we were quite aware that a program like this was needed for our women. They needed a space that they could call their own, where they would feel safe from stigma, and high risk situations. Some of the women who currently live at the Women’s building have been waiting many years to be offered stable housing. There are also ladies that are new to Alpha House and have overcome hidden homelessness and exploitation. Since Women are so resilient and have an innate ability to build strong interpersonal relationships it has been an honor to see the bond that is being built and trickling out in the day to day work that is being done at the Women’s building. I believe the Women’s building will become unwavering from both staff and tenant perspective and the relationships formed will be unique and unbreakable.”

Thank you to all who worked on the Resolve Campaign, our supporters and funders.

Volunteer services at Alpha House has provided many hours important to our programs. Volunteers helped served over 10,000 meals and made even more sandwiches. Client and volunteers have supported community cleanup and neighbor day efforts and have donated time and effort at our fundraising and other agency events. We are very appreciative of all our volunteers at Alpha House.


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Detailed Audited Financial Statements are available upon request.


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Shelter3,665 unique individuals received support through the Shelter program.

Shelter

Male75%

Transgender1%

Female24%

Percentage of Shelter clients by gender(2017-2018)

Aboriginal, 43%Caucasian,

45%

African/Caribbean, 5%

Other, 6%

Percentage of Shelter clients by ethnicity(2017-2018)

20

63

608

1353

1243

378

Declined to answer

65+ years

51-64 years

36-50 years

25-35 years

18-24 years

Number of Shelter clients by age group(2017-2018)

Aboriginal, 43%Caucasian,

45%


Other, 6%

Percentage of Shelter clients by ethnicity(2017-2018)

20

63

608

1353

1243

378

Declined to answer

65+ years

51-64 years

36-50 years

25-35 years

18-24 years

Number of Shelter clients by age group(2017-2018)


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OutreachThe DOAP Team experienced an average of 55 interactions per day.

Outreach

47294897

5121

5419

Apr-Jun (Q1) Jul-Sep (Q2) Oct-Dec (Q3) Jan-Mar (Q4)

Total pickups by quarter(2017-2018)

Alpha House Programs

50%

Community8%

Other Agencies

33%

Healthcare9%

Percentage of DOAP Team drop-offs by location type(2017-2018)


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DetoxAverage length of stay in the Detox program: 7 days

Detox

891

375

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Male Female Transgender

Number of Detox clients by gender(2017-2018)

20

225

468

431

126

65+ years

51-64 years

36-50 years

25-35 years

18-24 years

Number of Detox clients by age group(2017-2018)


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Housing241 individuals are currently receiving support through the Housing programs.

114

11690

182

Declined to answer65+ years

51-64 years36-50 years25-35 years18-24 years

Number of Housing clients by age group(2017-2018)

Female, 22%Transgender,

1%

Male, 77%

Percentage of Housing clients by gender(2017-2018)

Aboriginal, 44%

Caucasian, 50%


Other, 4%

Percentage of Housing clients by ethnicity(2017-2018)


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Volunteering

Volunteering

224 volunteers

2,689 volunteer

hours contributed


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Donations In Memory Of

Thank You to Our Partners

Thank You to Our Board Members

Barbara Ward

Chrissy Archibald

Christopher Hodgson

Cindy Kasperski

Dave Huestis

Gerald Zaleschuk

Krista Lee Karch

Sean Tarasoff

Walter N

Aboriginal Friendship Centre

AAWEAR Peer Support Group

Calgary Food Bank

Calgary Police Service

Calgary Urban Projects Society (CUPS)

Canadian Mental Health Association

Elizabeth Fry Society of Calgary

RESOLVE

Safeworks

The SCORCe

Nicole Sherren, Board Chair

Karen Pirie, Board Vice-Chair

Zulfi Ashrad, Board Treasurer

Bergis Mostaghim, Board Director

Bob Myroniuk, Board Director

Cliff O’Brien, Board Director

Heesung Kim, Board Director

Rita Dahlke, Board Director

Ryan Ayliffe, Board Director

Sarah Choudhry, Board Director


203 - 15th Avenue S.E., Calgary, Alberta T2G 1G4Admin P: 403.237.8341 Admin F: 403.237.8361 www.alphahousecalgary.com

Thank You to Our Donors

Alberta Community and Social Services

Alberta Health Services

ALSA Road Construction Ltd.

Anonymous

Anthem Properties Group Ltd.

Attainable Homes Calgary Corporation

ATB Emerging Leaders Network

Awards Group of Calgary

Emergency Department

Benevity Community Impact Fund

BILD Calgary Region

BMO Financial Group

Boston Pizza Foundation

Future Prospects

Bradley Chu

Calgary Emergency Department

Calgary Foundation

Calgary Health Trust

Calgary Homeless Foundation

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.

Canadian Western Bank

Carol & Brent Ellergodt

Cheryl Hamelin

Chris Bockmuehl

Christine Archibald’s Charity Fund

(organized by Dylan Fettes)

Christine Bennett

Cindy von Hagen

Crouse Family

Cummins Sales & Service

Darrel Martin

Ernst & Young LLP

Ginny Bannerman

Government of Alberta

Greene Family Charitable Foundation

Hope Smith

Interpipeline Ltd.

James Darke

Janelle Price

Jeffrey Neufeld & Brinna Brinkerhoff

Jo H Ruelle

Kathy Christiansen & Antonio Staffa

Kensington Commons Church

Knox United Church

Leopold’s Tavern

Lori Egger & Steve Laut

Matthew Robertson

Maureen Killoran

Murphy Oil Company Ltd.

N. Ellen Charge

Nadine MacDonald

Norris Family Foundation

Nova Kane

Numan Films

NVM Private Giving Foundation

Patricia Ann Mulvey

Phil Coggins

Ramound Salise

Ray Wilkinson

RESOLVE

Ricardo & Elizabeth Giammarino

Rita Dahlke

Robin Spooner, Live a Life that Matters

Ron & Diane Matthews

RSA Canada (Royal Sun Alliance)

SCOR Canada Reinsurance Company

Sean Lynch

Ship & Anchor Pub

Southland Registrations Ltd.

Stephanie Vandenberg

Sylvia Sandall

Targett Family Foundation

Todd Nickle

True Patriot Love Foundation

United Way – Donor Choice Program

Van T. Nguyen

Walsh LLP

Walter McAdam

William Yeung

This list recognizes donors at or above the $500 giving level. A special thank you to everyone who donated in memory of Chrissy Archibald. #chrissysentme


Documents

ANNUAL REPORT 2017-2018 - Alpha House Calgary · members from the Stoney Reserve. We also were delighted to pilot some new program approaches with in our Downtown ... hidden homelessness