CONNECTIONS
OCTOBER 2022
We Invite You to Our
25th Anniversary Celebration!!!
Calling all community members!
We're celebrating 25 years of service to the Calgary community, and we're so excited for you to join us for our Anniversary Celebration, "Quilt of Connections," on Wednesday, October 19, from 12:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Women's Centre of Calgary (39-4th St NE).

We'll be kicking off our festivities with a community event featuring an opening prayer and smudge, a mix and mingle with our former Executive Director Susan Gillies, a series of artist-led presentations, lots of snacks, and more!

To RSVP, please call us at (403) 264-1155 or email RSVP@womenscentrecalgary.org. We can't wait to see you there.
If you could ask the Mayor of Calgary anything, what would it be?
Have your voice heard. Submit a question to get an answer from Mayor Jyoti Gondek this October, using the survey link below.
Panel Discussion Question Entry for Mayor Jyoti
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!

For our 25th Anniversary, we would like to make a quilt with your help. Come to one of our painting workshops to create your square to add to our paper quilt project. Paint what the Centre means to you on your square.

Your creation will become part of an art piece that will be highlighted during our 25th Anniversary celebration and will be admired for years to come. Snacks and all supplies will be provided. These workshops are open to all woman-identifying folks.

To register, please email RSVP@womenscentrecalgary.org or call us at (403) 264-1155

Join us at the Women’s Centre to discuss and explore ways of entering into entrepreneurship. This workshop is in partnership with Momentum. This in-person workshop is free and open to individuals who identify as women. Snacks will be provided.

For questions and registrations please email RSVP@womenscentrecalgary.org or call (403) 264-1155
Tax Clinics

Women’s Centre volunteers can prepare taxes for low-income women. While doing the taxes, volunteers provide information on how to access associated benefits such as:

  1. GST rebate
  2. Canada child tax benefits
  3. provincial child health benefits
  4. assistance with other forms

For more information and drop-in information this October, call us at (403) 264-1155 or stop by the Centre.
Girls' Afterschool Program

The Women’s Centre of Calgary’s FREE Afterschool Leadership Program is back! The programs provide individuals who identify as a girl safe space to build community, practice their leadership and activism. We facilitate various activities that include crafts, discussions, and most importantly, girl-led sessions where girls practice their leadership skills.

The Afterschool Programs will be taking place online or at the Women Centre (39-4th ST NE Calgary AB T2E 3R6)

Girl Power (grades 5-6)
• In-person WEDNESDAY 4:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M.
Starting Wednesday September 21

Girl Force (grades 7-9)
• Online TUESDAYS 6:00 P.M. - 7:30 P.M.
Starting Tuesday September 20
• In-person THURSDAYS 4:30 P.M. - 6:30 P.M.
Starting Thursday September 22

To register, please complete the online form here: Registration
Please email us at youth@womenscentrecalgary.org or call (403) 264-1155
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.
Outcomes Survey
Our annual Outcomes Survey has launched, and we want to hear from you.
If you have participated in any capacity at the Women's Centre this past year, including using the services, volunteering, donating, or attending a workshop/event online or in-person, please complete the survey.
For your convenience, we have provided a QR code above.

Your feedback and ideas are essential for planning our future services, events and programs and reporting to our funders. The survey is currently available in 3 languages⁠—English, French, and Spanish. 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.
Work For Change News
Did you know that the Women’s Centre is working toward an inclusive, gender-just and equitable recovery from COVID-19?

With funding support from Women and Gender Equality Canada, the Women’s Centre is engaging with diverse groups of women and organizations in our community to understand the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic better and to develop community-informed policy solutions toward an inclusive, just and equitable recovery.

As a key part of this project, we recently published a discussion paper that explores the Status of Women in Alberta, centred around five domains of wellbeing (financial security, basic needs, participation and choice, freedom from violence, inclusion and voice), and discussion on possible future directions for policy change. Please read the report and let us know what you think!
Status of Women in Alberta - Report Feedback
If you have lived experience as a woman and/or identify as a woman and would like to share your experiences of COVID-19, or your ideas on policy solutions, please contact Michelle James.
We Need Your Help!
Basic Needs Donation Callout
Thanks to you, we were able to assist over 7,000 women in Calgary last year. As our busiest time of the year approaches yet again, disadvantaged women and their families need our help more than ever. An important way to ensure the sustainability of our work is by donating.

Consider hosting basic needs drive in your community or shopping our Amazon wishlist to help us provide women with access to personal care items often regarded as luxuries, such as shampoo, pads and tampons, diapers, and more.

Please visit our website for an extended list of basic needs items, and to register a donation drive.
Shop our Amazon Wishlist here.

Thank you so much for supporting our cause!
Volunteer Opportunities
Are you looking for a fun volunteer role? We have new, flexible opportunities available!

Every so often, the Women’s Centre needs support from a flexible person to pick up various donations in Calgary and bring them to the Centre. Pick-up volunteers are essential to our ability to support the women in our community.
If this role interests you, please contact allison@womenscentrecalgary.org.

25th Anniversary Celebration Volunteers
Come celebrate with us! We are looking for volunteers to help us celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Women’s Centre on October 19 and 20.
If this role interests you, please contact esther@womenscentrecalgary.org.

For more volunteer opportunities, visit our website.
2022 Holiday Toy Room
We are very excited about our 2022 Holiday Toy Room program! Find this year's official Toy Drive Poster here.

The Women’s Centre has once again partnered with locally owned and operated Castle Toys to facilitate online gift donations for the Centre. Use promo code WOMENSCENTRE2022 to receive 20% off your online or in-store order and to have your purchased items donated directly to the Women’s Centre.

If you are interested in supporting women and their families this year as a donor or volunteer, please contact Linda at linda@womenscentrecalgary.org, Erika at erika@womenscentrecalgary.org or call us at (403) 264-1155. For more information, 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.

Join us every Wednesday at the Women’s Centre for relaxing Yoga sessions! We will enjoy physical, mental, and spiritual practices to calm the mind. This event series is perfect for all abilities. These workshops are open to all who identify as women.

Join us every week for a fun time as we connect with Zumba! Zumba class is the ultimate fitness party. It blends upbeat world rhythms with easy-to-follow choreography for an effective, total-body workout. Zumba is all about dance and groove, designed for everyone regardless of fitness level.

This workshop is open to all who identify as women. Women are welcome to come to the Centre for the session, and there is also an option of joining online.

Join us weekly to learn about the practice of Qi Gong meditation 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. This practice is easy to learn and can be done by everyone at any age and fitness level. It can be practiced standing, seated or even lying down.
For more information on these workshops and events or to register, please email RSVP@womenscentrecalgary.org or call us at (403) 264-1155
OPERATING HOURS
The Women's Centre will be open 9:30 A.M. - 8:00 P.M., Monday - Thursday,
and Friday 9:30 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.
Women's Centre of Calgary www.womenscentrecalgary.org