CONNECTIONS
OCTOBER 2021
Share Your Feedback With Us!
Our annual Outcomes Survey launches October 1 and we want to hear from you.
If you have participated in any capacity at the Women’s Centre this past year, including used the services, volunteered, donated, or attended a workshop/event online or in-person, please complete the survey.

Your feedback and ideas are important for planning our future services, events and programs, as well as for reporting to our funders. New this year, we are also asking for your feedback on three questions to help vision the future of the Women's Centre.
The deadline to complete the survey is October 31.

Thank you for your time and your input. And thank you for supporting the Women's Centre community.
UPDATES IN AND AROUND OUR COMMUNITY
Social Issues Readings




We use our social issues readings section to share articles on current events and analysis on a variety of topics. Sign up for our Social Issues Readings newsletter for more!
Save the Date - Volunteer Appreciation

We will host our volunteer appreciation event on Tuesday, November 2, 2021.

Please stay tuned for more details closer to that date.
Did You Know That The Women's Centre is Now a Food Bank Depot?

Women can pick up their Food bank hampers on Mondays or Tuesdays at the Women’s Centre (39 - 4 Street NE). Please call 403-264-1155 or stop by the Centre for details and to make a referral.
Preparations for Toy Room 2021 Are Underway
Our annual, Holiday Toy Room program provides women the opportunity to select gifts for themselves and their children (ages 0 - 17). Last year, due to COVID, the program was limited by health restrictions, but we still distributed gifts for 800 women and 1900 children.

As we prepare for another busy Toy Room season we wanted to share all of the ways you can support or get involved with this program.

  1. Volunteer - volunteer as an individual, or group! We have opportunities for volunteers to stock the toy room with donations, assist women with gift selections, pick up toys and greet women for their appointments. For details and to sign up to volunteer please email Erika, erika@womenscentrecalgary.org.
  2. Organize a toy drive - this is a great way to connect with your friends, family and/or colleagues to mobilize around a good cause. Organize a toy drive through your workplace, sports team, book club etc. and drop off your donations (or schedule a pick up) from November 1 - December 17, 2021. For more details on organizing a toy drive please email Diane, diane@womenscentrecalgary.org.
  3. Donate - visit our website to learn of all the ways you can donate to our Toy Room. Back again this year, we are partnering with our friends from Castle Toys! Use promo-code WOMENSCENTRE2021 to receive 20% off your online or in-store order and to have your purchased items donated directly to the Women’s Centre. For full details please visit our website.
  4. Help spread the word - follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and share our Toy Room posts and callouts with your networks.
Municipal Election 2021
The Calgary general election will take place on Monday, October 18, 2021. Advanced voting beings on Monday, October 4 and runs until Sunday, October 10.

Stay tuned to your inboxes for a special e-newsletter from the Women's Centre around the municipal election. In the meantime you can visit the Calgary elections website for details on the mayoral candidates, your ward boundaries, who is running in your ward, and how to find your polling station.

Sisters in Spirit Vigil
Join us in October to honour the lives of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit People.

We will host drop-in sign making for the Vigil at the Women’s Centre on Friday, October 1 from 9:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.

On Monday, October 4, at 11:00 A.M. we will meet at the Centre (39 - 4th St. N.E.) as a group and walk to Olympic Plaza for the Sisters in Spirit Vigil. This vigil honours the lives and memories of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit People.

Please visit our website to register for the October 4th event.
Employment Support In Person
We are relaunching our Employment Support program in October.

Every Wednesday (6:00 - 8:00 P.M.) in October, one-on-one and group support will be available to help women with job searches, resumes and all employment questions. Computers and printers will also be available for each woman in these weekly drop-in sessions.

For more details, please visit our website.
OCTOBER WORKSHOPS SPOTLIGHT
October Workshops
For a full list of upcoming and ongoing workshops, and to register, view our calendar here.
Learn about the history of the Women’s Centre, the peer model, and why we do what we do. This workshop is required for anyone to volunteer at the Women’s Centre.
All supplies will be provided for this in-person workshop at the Women’s Centre. Come learn the basics of crochet or bring your own crochet project to work on as we gather to chat, laugh and crochet together! 
Join us online for this 6-part weekly series using breathing, visualization, simple body movements and sound to help balance energy. This gentle moving meditation is a grounding practice that promotes focus, calmness and peace of mind. You can join for one workshop or all six focusing on the 5 key elements of Qi Gong including water, wood, fire, earth and metal. 
Women's Centre of Calgary www.womenscentrecalgary.org