We grasp on to things that provide us hope so that we can heal, slowly but surely. The stories in this report, highlighting our clients’ journeys throughout the pandemic, provide us with good reasons to carry on. There is such evidence of courage in their telling, and you can feel the resilience through their words. They give us hope, which leads us to healing. The more hope that we have the more we know that we can pursue opportunities and overcome challenges. CJHS has had a multitude of successes in 2021. Enjoy filling your “hope cup” as you make your way through this Annual Report. You will feel like you are on a healing journey.
“I felt broken, lost and that I had wasted my years”, this is how Gary* describes his life while he was actively involved in crime which eventually led to him losing his permanent resident status.
Prior to being released from incarceration in August 2021, Ryan accessed support from the CJHS Reintegration Support program to develop an achievable release plan and find suitable housing.
Liam* shares this advice from his experience of creating a productive and happy life after prison.
Shortly after being released from prison, Jesse joined CJHS’s Building Bonds in the Community program; a volunteer-driven program offering support to individuals exiting prison.
After getting kicked out of multiple homes for property damage, Alex* was taken in by CJHS’s Roofs for Youth.
“The Council is a good thing working quietly without a lot of fanfare. A success story that needs to be celebrated,” – member of the Good Neighbour Council.
For many of Calgary’s vulnerable youth, Windsor Park is, and has been, a place to call home.
In the early 1980’s, just a few years after moving from Ontario to Calgary, Pamela received a phone call from her brother, who had just spent the past year in a Yellowknife prison.
The work of The Calgary John Howard Society is possible because of the generous contributions of our funders and donors. Their interest, involvement, advice, and resources continue to give us hope. Please look at this lengthy list and applaud each and everyone of them.