Give the Gift of Choice!
The annual Trellis Winter Breather Fund relies on the support of our community members, and we are grateful to be able to dedicate this page to you as a Nulli Team member.
Many families and individuals across our agency are facing increased rental and utility costs, and food insecurity. With your help, the people we serve will be empowered with the gift of choice to spend time and energy on things important to them: gifts for their children, a holiday meal with loved ones, or a meaningful family experience. Any remaining Winter Breather funds will help folks into the upcoming year.
Your gift will give people peace of mind over the holidays.
How It Works: Trellis staff working directly with clients nominate people in their program who could use a bit of a breather. Our staff is very aware of the barriers each person needs to remove, so they can grow. Utility payments and grocery cards are then distributed based on the individual’s or family’s needs. Trellis staff support each client directly through the process, and make it as easy as possible for them to access the program.
This year, we learned the story of a family who made incredible steps forward, thanks in large part to the support they received from Winter Breather.
Rhonda’s Journey to Growth: It’s important to say that it takes more than a house to help someone overcome homelessness and escape poverty. Many of us grew up in healthy homes with stability, and parents who were able to provide us with all the things we needed to grow up well. Too many Calgarians are growing up in chaos and in trauma because of the challenges their families face.
This is why Trellis invests in a whole person and whole family approach. Trellis staff work to ensure people have all the necessary skills and resources to never end up homeless again, and so their children won’t face those same challenges in the future. This is generational change.
On some days with her five children, Rhonda* found herself sleeping in her car to avoid shelters and the terrifying possibility of having her children taken from her. As a First Nations woman, Rhonda had experienced incredible hardship and trauma, and she was fearful and distrustful of professional help as they had experienced so many roadblocks to finding safety and a home.
In October 2021, Rhonda was connected with Trellis’ Sustainable Families program. Soon after, she and her family were connected to one of Trellis’ private partnership landlords, and they landed in a safe, affordable, and secure home. Immediately, Rhonda connected her children to schools, and began the hard work of budgeting, uncovering additional Calgary supports, and finding recreation opportunities for her growing children. Her family began to breathe, and Rhonda began to grow. Next steps for Rhonda included volunteering, which led to employment, and now she is entering college for counselling courses to help other people who are experiencing what she has.
Her commitment and resolve are strong.
We learned that months after requiring help with a utilities bill, Rhonda invited her Trellis caseworker to meet her at her bank. There, she proudly returned some of the money which she had been given, when she could give it back. Rhonda knew that someone else might need this help ahead.
She is now ending a cycle.
How Your Gift Counts: In 2022-23 Trellis Society supported
2,058 individuals out of homelessness; in some cases, helping them to prevent losing their homes
1,590 individuals in 500 families were supported out of homelessness
7,020 people were supported to grow across Trellis’ programs, with some folks accessing multiple programs to fully increase their chances for success; and of these people, 4% were gender diverse, 11% were Indigenous, and 17% were New Canadians
We are only able to continue to do this work, with your help as an important member of our community.
Thank you for everything you do as part of the Nulli Team, as a community member, and concerned neighbour. We appreciate having this chance to connect with you directly and wish you only the very best as you and yours move forward to a holiday with much love, light, and hope.
Winter Breather Founding Partner:
Two months of laundry supplies provided by:
