Trellis Society Report to Community 2021-2022

REPORT TO COMMUNITY 2021-22

ACKNOWLEDGING THE LAND

Trellis’ commitment to reconciliation starts with taking this opportunity to acknowledge our honour and privilege to live and work within the Treaty 7 territory.

We acknowledge the traditional and ancestral territory and oral practices of the Blackfoot Confederacy, which includes the Siksika Nation, the North and South Piikani Nations and the Kainai Nation.

We also acknowledge the other members of Treaty 7 First Nations, the Tsuut’ina and Ĩyãħé Nakoda (Stoney Nakoda) which include Chiniki, Bearspaw and Wesley First Nations. In addition, the City of Calgary is home to the Métis Nation of Alberta (Region 3).

Finally, we acknowledge all nations, genders and spirits who live, work and play in Moh’kinstsis, the Blackfoot name for Calgary, and Treaty 7 Region of Southern Alberta who help us steward this land, honour and celebrate this territory.

MESSAGE FROM LEADERSHIP

Mahatma Gandhi said that “the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable.” At Trellis Society, the meaning of these words have a daily impact on our work. Some might see a stressed mother at the grocery store, Trellis sees a parent trying to care for their child despite the profound isolation that poverty creates. Some might see a youth asking for money at a street corner, Trellis sees a young person who has lost the most critical connections with their family, their neighbours and their community. Some might see a Newcomer family living at the fringes of their neighbourhood, Trellis sees a family needing to be woven into community.

Poverty. Food insecurity. Precarious housing. Educational delays. Racism. The list goes on. But where exclusion exists, we work for belonging.

At Trellis, we advocate for inclusion and strive to be a place where all people are welcome. It is the very essence of who we are, and it is the trajectory of every program and initiative we offer. We work so that everyone belongs.

Over the past year, that purpose has guided us to be a consistent presence for people navigating the isolation of a pandemic. We remained open in every way possible to be there for our community in the safest way

possible – we closed no programs during the pandemic. That alone is a remarkable feat. We then went on and opened new ones, whether specifically focused on the needs of young people experiencing homelessness, expanding our work to prevent and divert more families from homelessness, or building on the entrepreneurial spirit of young people to affirm their resilience. We got behind Alberta’s re-opening when the pandemic began to slow by engaging with community at Neighbour Day, our Strathmore Pow Wow, Calgary Marathon, Walk for Reconciliation, Calgary Stampede and so much more. All of this to build a sense of belonging.

As you read through this year’s Report to Community, join us at events, follow us on social media or connect with us in person, may you discover Trellis to be made up of people who work for belonging. There is so much to be proud of this past year. Everything in this report is a direct connection to our shared community: our funders, our donors, our staff and volunteers,

and most importantly, those who allow us to journey alongside them during their most difficult days and their most rewarding celebrations. We all make up Trellis, we all belong here. On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Trellis leadership team, thank you for the role you play in supporting Trellis as we grow towards a world where everyone reaches their full potential.

Growing with you,

As a parallel to our Board of Directors, Trellis is guided by a Council of Knowledge Keepers. Thank you to the Council Members for your unwavering support, leadership and direction as we grow to be a responsive organization on the path of allyship and reconciliation.

Jeff Dyer, CEO (He/Him) & Karleen Batty, Board Chair (She/Her)

GROWING OUR IMPACT

Last year Trellis Society directly served 5,902 individuals and their natural supports, while creating 14,000 moments of connection and support for people in our community.

1000 Voices Community Development Worker Shelina Bata plants vegetables at our community garden.

What does it mean to flourish?

At Trellis, we believe that with the right supports, everyone can flourish.

We believe flourishing happens when we are engaged in an authentic life that brings inner joy and happiness through achieving life goals, being connected to our people and passions, and having the right supports and foundations in place that will help us during the difficult times. To measure our Flourishing Impact, we look at the three key domains of Economic Stability, Mental Health and Wellbeing, and Belonging and Connection.

ECONOMIC STABILITY

– which includes stable housing, employment, income, basic needs, education and equitable access to resources.

MENTAL HEALTH & WELLBEING

– which includes positive identity, social and emotional skills, optimism, healing from trauma, meaning and purpose, child and youth development and mental health wellbeing.

186 youth received counseling supports

95% of Ready, Set Go! preschoolers improved their emotional literacy skills

89% of YTA youth improved in their recovery from addiction and substance use

95% of Hera girls decreased their involvement in sexual exploitation

94% of Club kids say they have an improved sense of self-worth

1,460 individuals were supported out of homelessness (includes children, youth, adults)

276 youth were employed through Trellis

254 students were supported to complete high school

97% of Home Stay families said they learned the skills to resolve problems with their housing in the future

BELONGING & CONNECTION

– which includes relationships, cultural connections, family cohesion and reunification, resident belonging in community development and feelings of belonging to our people and places.

151 community events were held by our Community Development and Family Resource Network teams

Our Circle Keepers supported 133 cultural ceremonies for program participants

76% of our youth in group care improved their connection to family and positive natural supports

82% of Iiyika’kimaat youth felt positive and hopeful about their future as an Indigenous person

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

ROOTED IN RELATIONSHIP:

NORTHEAST CALGARY FLOURISHES TOGETHER

Creating lasting change in communities is beyond the strength of any one group or individual. It requires the voice of many. Over the last two years, the challenge of social isolation offered us a collective opportunity to build more resilient communities that not only survive through crisis, but also thrive after it.

Working with and listening to the community is key to ensuring that people feel empowered and valued. During the pandemic, the Community Development team heard a number of stories from northeast residents who were feeling secluded. One solution that came up in conversations was engaging residents in different activities that they could do from home.

Residents were excited to learn something new while connecting with others. As more people began attending, they also opened up about their own interests that they could share with each other. This began our popular Share Your Skill series where every month residents led their own activities that ranged from yoga classes to cooking.

Community Development Worker

Shalini Handa says these virtual programs were initially focused on serving northeast Calgary communities. But through word of mouth, their reach expanded. People began joining in from every

corner of Calgary. Some would even attend from across Canada or while they were traveling in countries like India and Pakistan.

“That was the beauty of virtual programming. Everybody could access it easily,” Shalini says.

BUILDING UP LEADERS

Individual gifts become powerful when they are connected together. This was true for Veena Bagai, who was able to grow while also building capacity for others.

Shalini first met Veena, a resident in northeast Calgary, when she attended drop-in programs at the Genesis Centre. The two formed a deeper connection when the

Community Development team began hosting virtual sessions.

Veena had many skills that could support residents in different ways, so Shalini encouraged her to start her own program sessions. Veena was a bit hesitant as she had never facilitated anything by herself, but with Shalini’s help Veena began leading regular sessions for residents to come and learn skills such as baking, jewelry-making and knitting.

During this time, Shalini says Veena was able to grow as a leader and a mentor. She was initially uncomfortable with using a computer for the virtual sessions, but Shalini took time to sit down with Veena and teach her how to use apps like Zoom and WhatsApp.

Veena leads weekly group sessions at the Genesis Centre where residents can learn new skills and make connections with each other.

As Veena’s confidence grew, she took opportunities to share what she learned with other residents. She jumped in whenever someone needed help with their computers. She even visited their homes to teach them how to set up Zoom so that they could attend programs.

Veena was very good at connecting with everyone, especially the younger residents from our Building Youth Connections program. One of the youth even took what she learned from Veena’s jewelrymaking sessions to make bracelets for a fundraiser!

“She was able to share her own experience with others and say ‘This is what I have learned. I can do it so you can do it as well.’ Developing that confidence level in other people was something she did very well,” Shalini says.

SUPPORTING EACH OTHER IN COMMUNITY

Many difficulties were brought on by the pandemic, but it was through people and relationships that the northeast Calgary community was able to pull together.

“Our residents have shown me their resilience. We have also learned from their openness to share what they have experienced in their lives.” Shalini says. “There were so many negative impacts of COVID, but I also see these positive effects coming out.”

Veena, who had become wellconnected with the people attending her classes, often asked Shalini about Trellis’ programs and resources that she could share with them. She says there weren’t a lot of resources available for newcomers when she came to Canada 31 years ago, but now she sees more places like Trellis where people can find support. They just need to be pointed in the right direction.

“Sometimes new people come, and they don’t even know where to go or what to do. I just try to connect them. If I can help them I’m more than happy to do it,” Veena says.

Left to right: Community Development worker Shalini Handa, northeast Calgary resident Veena Bagai, Booking and Contracts Administrator Suzanne Pointer

4,628 people attended events supported by our Community Development Program.

Because of Veena advocating on behalf of her community, we were able to connect with residents who needed support for their basic needs, utility bills, or even a device to stay in touch with friends and relatives. Shalini says connecting with people through ongoing community programs and supports has also provided a space where they can be open about their personal lives without the fear of being judged.

“One of our residents was going through domestic violence, and she was able to come forward to ask for support,” Shalini says. “That happened because we had built a relationship where she could trust us.”

Over this year, many residents formed a network of natural supports that have carried on beyond our scheduled programs. One resident, for example, had just returned to work after having a baby. She was finding it difficult to balance both at the same time, so one of the residents offered to babysit for her while she was at work. When another resident became ill, people brought meals for her and helped with chores around her house. There was also a senior resident looking to improve their financial situation, so someone found them a part-time job cooking for a family.

A community grows best when they grow together. And in Veena’s experience, relationships are the key to reducing isolation.

“Once they come out, they really love it here,” Veena says. “They connect with each other. They are more than happy because when they build friendships, their life is more comfortable.”

We are optimistic that this momentum in northeast Calgary will only continue to grow with time. Relationships are the heart of strong communities, and we look forward to connecting people through their collective strengths to help everyone reach their full potential.

1,464 community members engaged with our Community Development Program

Residents contributed

2,368 volunteer hours this year

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They are more than happy because when they build friendships, their life is more comfortable.

VEENA BAGAI, NORTHEAST CALGARY RESIDENT

A resident shows off the bracelet she made during Veena’s weekly session.

TRELLIS IN THE COMMUNITY

HOCKEY HELPS THE HOMELESS

Hockey Helps the Homeless is an organization that leverages Canada’s affinity for hockey to raise awareness and financial support for homeless-serving organizations. Trellis Society is fortunate to be a partner agency that receives support through their initiatives and last November the Calgary tournament raised $224,000 for local housing projects and programs. We are grateful to have been involved in the event and surrounded by such a committed hockey community!

BOWNESS STAMPEDE

Every year the Bowness Community holds their own Stampede celebration to kick off this great week in our city. Our Bowness Club jumped in with face painters, lawn games, candy and more, loving every moment of connection between the families in our programming, community members and our Bowness partners. We can’t wait until next year’s celebration!

NEIGHBOUR DAY

Calgary’s Neighbour Day began in June of 2014 to celebrate the incredible outpouring of support and generosity that neighbours demonstrated after the 2013 floods. It was important to continue celebrating one of the many things that makes Calgary such a great city — our strong and caring communities.

At Trellis Society we believe that when neighbourhoods thrive, the people who live there thrive too! On June 18th we were excited to be part of Neighbour Day events in Albert Park-Radisson Heights, Bowness, Pineridge and at our downtown Avenue 15 Youth Shelter. We were honoured to spend time in the communities we serve and celebrate this day with hundreds of Calgarians.

GRADTOWN

With in-person high school graduation ceremonies back this past year, Trellis was thrilled to partner back up with Malborough Mall and Makami College to host Gradtown after pausing it during the pandemic! Gradtown is an event for youth to pick out an outfit for their high school graduation at the accessable cost of $10. All of the graduation apparel and accessories are donated by stores in Malborough Mall and community members who wanted to give their clothes another life.

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Getting to see that look on their faces when they walk through the doors and see the amount of dresses and suits that have been donated ... These youth get to come in and get that piece of clothing that makes the day so special for them that they might not have otherwise been able to afford.”

AMANDA MAKI, ALL IN FOR YOUTH SUCCESS COACH

HOME STAY FAMILY PREVENTION AND

DIVERSION

CLOSING THE GAP FOR FAMILIES IN NEED

Most people know firsthand how challenging these last couple of years have been. At Trellis, we received a surge in calls from families struggling to meet their basic needs. For many of them, this was their first time reaching out for financial support. Seeing these needs along with the increased cases of homelessness, we turned to two of our existing programs, Home Stay and Community Connections, to determine how we could make our services go further.

LOOKING UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM

The experience of homelessness is traumatic for anyone, but it is especially damaging for families. When families are uprooted from their communities and sense of safety, it can lead to severe, longterm impacts on their entire family unit.

“We want to help families avoid these situations whenever we can,” says program director Jocelyn Adamo. “If we don’t prioritize prevention, we will see the scale tip to a place where the system is unable to manage all the families experiencing homelessness right now.”

Historically our Home Stay program primarily served families in need of immediate financial support to

Home Stay worked directly with 205 families last year and also provided over 350 instances of diversion support for people at risk of homelessness.

avoid homelessness. This could mean short-term assistance for families facing eviction or accessing shelters. A separate program called Community Connections focused on connecting people with resources for financial support and social inclusion. During the pandemic, however, we found that a large group of people had fallen in between where they were not yet at imminent risk of homelessness but still needed support to get to a place of stability.

The question then was how do we close the gap for these families?

Our team responded with a holistic solution that would expand the services we were already offering. By combining funding from the Calgary Homeless Foundation, Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) and ENMAX, we made the move to merge our two programs into Home Stay Family Prevention and Diversion.

“A big part of us wanting to build out the prevention side of Home Stay was to make sure that we’re looking upstream as well as downstream,”

Jocelyn says. “Our goal is to make sure that we’re able to provide families the financial support they need so that they don’t end up in crisis situations.”

SUPPORTING FAMILIES WHEN AND WHERE THEY NEED IT MOST

The Home Stay Family Prevention and Diversion program now provides financial support, short-term case management and connection to community resources for families experiencing financial instability, facing eviction or who have recently become homeless. This looks like:

Support with accessing housing

Rental and utility arrears

Support accessing basic needs

System navigation

Financial literacy

Connection to community resources, programs and activities

94% of families said their housing situation is more safe and stable after participating in the program

Expanding our Home Stay program means we are now connecting more families to the continuum of services across our agency as well as community partners like Inn from the Cold, Children’s Cottage and Distress Centre Calgary to provide families with the wraparound supports they need.

“So many families come to us for financial stability, but they’re also experiencing challenges within their family unit,” Jocelyn says. “The plan is to really leverage this as an opportunity to have that one big door for families that’s able to serve across generations.”

CHECK OUT OUR VIDEO INTRODUCING HOME STAY FAMILY PREVENTION AND DIVERSION PROGRAM

INDIGENOUS INITIATIVES

In everything we do, we strive to create a space of reconciliation and inclusion. All of our staff and foster families receive education on Indigenous culture, and we work to incorporate Indigenous ways of knowing and being into our programs.

We are grateful to the Elders, Knowledge Keepers and Indigenous coworkers who continue to walk with us on this path. Here are a few highlights of the work happening at Trellis over the past year.

ORANGE SHIRT DAY

Coinciding with the first ever National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, our Orange Shirt Day events brought many together to honour the experiences of Residential School Survivors, celebrate local Indigenous culture and discuss the essential roles of care and kinship. From musical performances to storytelling, our Orange Shirt Day Celebrations were full of moments for reflection, joy and looking forward to how we can continue to learn and take action every day.

HONOURING OUR CHILDREN: TRADITIONAL POW WOW

This spring our Strathmore Commons Family Resource Network in partnership with the Siksika Family Resource Network, hosted our first full Traditional Pow Wow. We welcomed over 400 participants, including dancers, drummers and young people and families we work with.

WALK FOR RECONCILIATION

Over 130 community members attended this year’s annual Walk for Reconciliation. This marked Trellis’ thirteenth year co-hosting the Walk, beginning in 2009 as a partnership with the Aboriginal Friendship Centre of Calgary. The Walk for Reconciliation has continued as an opportunity to reflect on the difficult history and atrocities of residential schools in Canada, survivors’ legacies and how we can all move forward together to overcome adversity.

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WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FROM THIS YEAR’S POW WOW EVENT

I think events like this are important because I want to provide my kids with as many experiences during their childhood as possible so that they can see and learn different cultures and ways of doing things.

POW

WOW PARTICIPANT

THE BOREAL

TRELLIS LAUNCHES NEW PILOT PROGRAM TO ADDRESS COMPLEX YOUTH HOMELESSNESS

After seeing this group of youth cycle through systems and repeat episodes of homelessness, Trellis staff realized another level of support was needed. By leveraging real-time data from our Impact and Evaluation team, we advocated to ministries and key stakeholders that a different approach was critical to help these complex youth. As a result, we were able to launch a brand new program called The Boreal.

FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS

Last year, our youth shelter Avenue 15 served 144 youth with over 2,800 bed nights of safe shelter. However, more than half of these stays were by the same 23 youth.

These youth all face common barriers, says Jen Hosie, manager of The Boreal. They live with a range of complex challenges that include mental health, addiction and severe childhood trauma. Almost all have been involved in gangs or exploitation and have spent time at the Calgary Young Offenders Centre. Because services are often not set

up for such high acuity needs, this small group of youth struggles to fit into programs and systems that usually work well for their peers.

Kim Ledene, a Trellis program director, adds that in some instances, these youth are at a high risk of being victimized. In scattered site housing, for example, youth have run into scary situations where guests, often adults with ties to gangs, take over their units.

There are also gaps in services when youth are not yet equipped with the life skills to live on their own.

“Many of them have developmental, cognitive delays where they’re not really functioning at the 17-yearold level, but the world is expecting them to be that way,” says Kim. “I think what’s most important about The Boreal is it really comes from a place where housing is a human right and people don’t have to earn their housing with good behavior.”

WHAT THE BOREAL OFFERS

The Boreal is a lodging-style house owned by HomeSpace and located in Forest Lawn. The program will start out as a one-year pilot and offer small apartment-style units paired with intensive case management to eight youth at a time. The space is designed to be trauma-informed and has lots of natural light so that youth feel safe and comfortable.

Young people with complex needs make up a small percentage of youth experiencing homelessness, yet require a much higher level of support and resources than other youth in the same situation.

“Our goal is for a young person who comes to our building to realize that they matter and somebody cares about them and cares about where they live,” says Kim. “I think The Boreal sends that message to the youth that we are serving.”

Working with community partners through the Complex Youth Collaborative Table, The Boreal will identify youth who need safe housing. While other programs like Avenue 15 serve as a temporary shelter, The Boreal is meant to be a home where youth can stay for as long as they need. The program’s low-barrier, harm reduction focus also means that youth do not have to meet any preconditions to receive help.

“Youth would be able to live there regardless of where they are in life,” says Jen. “They don’t need to be sober. They don’t need to be in school. There’s no eligibility criteria. We will walk with them no matter what.”

The Boreal will provide support that values youth’s choice, voice and self-determination. In addition to 24/7 on-site staff, The Boreal will be working with supports such as Trellis Circle Keepers, Alberta Health Services and addictions counselors so that youth are connected with whatever help they need.

The Forest Lawn Community is an ideal location for accessibility to transit, and it gets youth out of the

downtown core as a first step towards stability. The neighbourhood also already has protective factors and community resources, which will provide additional wraparound support for youth to achieve their goals. These resources include:

The Alex Youth Health Centre

Sunrise Resource Centre (lowcost counselling, community kitchen & free haircuts)

Trellis Forest Lawn Club, which runs youth programming and has youth employment opportunities

All in for Youth Support

Coaches in Forest Lawn High School, Jack James High School & Marlborough

Discovering Choices

Success will look differently for each youth. For some that might mean getting into school, and for others it might be working on sobriety. As youth transition to adulthood, learning to nurture healthy relationships and strengthening natural support networks is crucial, Kim says.

“A lot of the young people we work with have been apprehended, they’ve been put in foster care, they’ve been taken away from their family or their natural supports, and in that there’s a lot of judgment and shame,” Kim says.

“First and foremost, we believe relationship is the conduit to change. Building a relationship with young people where we care about them, no matter where they’ve come from

or what they’ve been through, is the first and most important step.”

With this new beginning, our hope is that these youth will finally have the support needed to improve their quality of life on a recovery journey that they define.

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Our goal is for a young person who comes to our building to realize that they matter and somebody cares about them and cares about where they live.

KIM LEDENE, TRELLIS PROGRAM DIRECTOR

READY, SET, GO! WINS THE MINISTER’S AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

The earliest years of a child’s life are some of the most important. At our Ready, Set, Go! preschools we support families in our communities by helping children learn through play so that they can grow to be the best they can be. Behind each of these essential learning experiences are exceptional teams who show up every day with expertise and passion.

In May our Bowness Ready, Set, Go! team was honoured to receive the Minister’s Award of Excellence in Child Development. This award celebrates early childhood professionals’ outstanding commitment to quality care for children –something our teams demonstrate on a daily basis.

We are incredibly proud of the Bowness RSG team! It is inspiring to see their dedication and resilience to help make life better for kids by fostering creativity, love of learning and positive development through play. We also wish to say thank you from the bottom of hearts to the parents who sent in letters of support. It is our privilege to be serving the families in our community!

98% of parents say RSG helped improve their child’s verbal communication skills

My daughter was extremely shy, quiet, reserved and had poor communication and emotional regulation skills when she started at Trellis. When I look back to how she was when she started preschool to where she is now, I am in utter shock. She has found her voice. She is significantly better at managing her emotions, and all of her gross and fine motor skills are improving daily. I feel included, comfortable, welcome, safe and supported in my parenting journey.

Lianne Wiebe, Lead Teacher at Bowness RSG! Preschool, accepts the Minister’s Awards of Excellence from former Minister of Children’s Services Rebecca Schulz in May 2022.

All of the teachers at the preschool (especially Ms. Lianne) are compassionate, knowledgeable, kind and extremely helpful. This preschool has become a second home to my child where she looks forward to going to preschool every day!

98% of parents say that RSG is a place where everyone belongs

100% of parents said they would recommend Ready Set Go to a friend

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF THE CALGARY YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM

Every summer, Trellis Society gives 250 youth a chance to gain valuable work experience at one of the largest annual events in the country. The Stampede Youth Work Experience program is the agency’s longest running program. This year Trellis and the Calgary Stampede celebrated a milestone fifty years of partnership.

The long-standing relationship between Trellis and The Calgary Exhibition & Stampede provides opportunities for youth to overcome barriers and develop confidence and skills for both life and work. This program means more than just a summer job. It is a place where youth are accepted and supported, sometimes for the first time in their lives, so that they can gain the experience and skills to become who they want to be.

TEAM EFFORT

Starting in February 2022, the Trellis Stampede Committee, consisting of staff members from across Trellis, got to work on planning for the upcoming summer. Together with Stampede representatives, this committee ensured our work experience program continued to be outstanding in its delivery and execution. They assisted with promotion, hiring, training, community engagement and onsite support. The committee was also supported by our People Services team to make sure all administrative and payroll duties were completed in time for Stampede.

OVERCOMING BARRIERS

Two friends were referred to the Stampede Work Experience Program from Calgary Catholic Immigration Society. They had only been in Canada for five months, and although they knew limited English, our team did not want this to hinder them from participating in the Stampede Program. With the support of a Trellis Staff who spoke Arabic we were able to successfully conduct their first job interview in Canada!

We saw to it that these youth were put together on the same crew, so they could support each other. They were very excited to be accepted into the Stampede Work Experience Program, and we were excited to have them! Over the next ten days of Stampede, both always had a smile on their faces and were able to create positive and memorable relationships. One youth then moved on to work with us at our Taste of Calgary Work Experience, and the other is now working in a barber shop.

2022 STAMPEDE SUCCESS

630 APPLICATIONS

353 INTERVIEWS OVER 3 WEEKS +

3 ONLINE WORKSHOPS

to support youth with their cover letter/resume, applying to the job posting and interview prep.

420 YOUTH

attended our “Stampede Work Experience Community Talk.” Youth and their guardians were invited to learn about the program, different positions available and what the application process looks like.

WE EMPLOYED...

261 YOUTH

84% said this was their first work experience

43 youth identified as Newcomers to Canada

38 ADULT SUPERVISORS

Trellis works to teach youth the value of employability skills which can include:

Responsibility, punctuality, interviewing, resume-writing, teamwork, respect, setting goals, problem solving and positive work ethic.

including 14 Trellis alumni from foster care, group care, housing and outreach, clubs or other community service programs

“LEARN TO WORK” PROGRAM

DONOR HIGHLIGHTS

THANKSGIVING DINNER SUPPORT

Trellis is proud that MEG Energy selected our organization as their regional partner for the first time in 2021. MEG looked at ways to meaningfully start the partnership and began by pulling together 110 bags of food, personal items and handwritten notes of encouragement for youth experiencing or on the edge of homelessness.

Over Thanksgiving, the team along with Trellis caseworkers delivered the bags and a delicious meal to youth around the city. We were so encouraged by the act of bringing extra joy and care to these youth who did not have family or groups to gather with during the holiday. Thanksgiving had been looking like a lonely time but the MEG Team changed that when they pulled together hours of service to let the youth know that they mattered and they had people who cared about them.

SPONSORING ORANGE SHIRT DAY

In the fall of 2021, Trellis was preparing to honour Orange Shirt Day and put out a call for sponsors to join in this time of reconciliation. TC Energy came forward to take on a leadership role with their sponsorship and an understanding that Truth and Reconciliation goes well beyond one day.

Because of the support of TC Energy and other key sponsors Trellis was able to host a two-day Orange Shirt Day event. With the guidance of an Elder, we opened the first evening with a beautiful Land Acknowledgement for children and a performance by puppeteer DerRic Starlight.

The next day we hosted an honest and open panel of both Indigenous and ally community members who spoke about the importance of kinship and rebuilding connections across generations. TC Energy participated in the panel discussion and we are humbled by the courage they showed in sharing their own journey towards reconciliation.

THE ORANGE DOOR CAMPAIGN, A SUCCESS TWICE OVER!

For over a decade, Trellis has proudly been a strategic partner with The Home Depot Canada Foundation. Together we are working to prevent and end youth homelessness in Calgary.

In 2021 the efforts of Home Depot Associates from seven stores across Calgary were enormously successful. Associates gave personally, the Foundation contributed for every store participating and Associates invited customers to also donate to Trellis to end youth homelessness.

By sharing their compassion and reminding customers that there is more work to be done in the city, the Home Depot Team truly steps up.

From July to August, and again in December the Home Depot stores raised a total of $138,786.68! Funds are supporting Indigenous youth

experiencing homelessness as well as the resources that help to divert youth from homelessness.

One Home Depot cashier shared how a donor said they had to give back because they had been supported at our Avenue 15 youth shelter when they were in trouble and lost. It was a full circle moment.

Trellis could not do the work that we do without the support of our funders, partners and the community.

Thank you for supporting the thousands of young people, families and communities who access our programs and services each year in Calgary and surrounding areas.

SPLASH IT FORWARD

Eighteen years, $6 million, thousands of lives changed.

For 18 years, the Splash of Red Gala has helped thousands of youth and families move beyond their experiences of homelessness, exploitation and trauma. Your support is critical to the generational change achieved by Trellis program participants. With your help, we can continue to show up for youth and families that rely on us

Double your impact! Building on last year’s success, Splash it Forward 2022 invites friends of Trellis Society to join the committee for a splash of DIY fundraising activities and events. Visit our website to buy tickets, donate and participate in Splash it Forward 2022. Every dollar raised is being generously matched by an incredible family in our donor community.

HASHIM’S STORY

Youth facing homelessness often carry the weight of family breakdown and trauma. At Avenue 15, the only youth emergency shelter in Calgary, every youth is offered a safe, supportive environment where they can heal and begin to build a strong future for themselves. This was the experience for one youth named Hashim.

When Hashim arrived at Avenue 15, he struggled with trauma and anxiety. It came to the point where Hashim’s mental health was affecting his daily life, responsibilities and overall happiness.

As Hashim began working with his case worker Ally, he was able to share honestly about his mental health and take steps towards his wellbeing. Hashim also started to think about his own happiness and what he wanted for his future.

Thanks to the Trellis team’s guidance and care, Hashim experienced transformational growth and healing. Today, Hashim is living independently and continues to work with our Youth Transitioning to Adulthood program as he pursues his dream of becoming a business owner.

With your help, more young people like Hashim will feel seen, know that they matter and grow to their full potential.

It made me feel like I had a sense of belonging that I could never have achieved without me being here.

HASHIM

FIND OUT HOW TO GET STARTED

INTRODUCING: STRUGGLE IS YOUR SUCCESS

We are excited to welcome another new and very exciting program at Trellis! The program is called Struggle Is Your Success (SIYS), and together we are partnering on an eighteen-month adventure to support racialized youth through mentorship and entrepreneurship.

SIYS’ motto is “Unearth Your Potential” which represents a commitment to empower youth through innovative solutions that help them overcome their struggles and discover their full potential. This aligns so closely with our vision at Trellis Society, and as we also seek to optimize our impact, SIYS is a perfect example of how we can intentionally build program capacity to support youth we are already serving as well as youth who we have yet to reach. We look forward to these upcoming opportunities for collaboration, learning and growth.

This partnership came from connections between Trellis and SIYS board members and our relationship with the Calgary Foundation. Thank you to everyone who contributed to bringing SIYS to Trellis!

The Struggle Is Your Success co-founders from left to right: Jill Drader, Abdul Basit Ahmed, Musap Abdel

Our very first group of SIYS youth celebrate graduation from the program.

GET TO KNOW THE HEART BEHIND STRUGGLES IS YOUR SUCCESS

THANK YOU

T O OUR AMAZING STAFF TEAM

Trellis’ collective identity shows up in the way that we bring value to our community and the people we serve. The highlights that you have seen throughout this report are a reflection of our work together as a whole team.

Trellis is more than just a metaphor for support. It is a guide for how we choose to dig in creatively and work towards generational change. Our work would not be possible without those who choose to be part of Trellis, showing up each and every day to do their best while actively helping people who are at the intersection of some of life’s greatest challenges. At Trellis we are honoured to work alongside these incredible, strong and resilient people.

For these reasons above and so many more, THANK YOU to each person on the Trellis team! It is your passion and commitment that truly contribute to the impact that Trellis is making in our community. You are the ones who are changing lives for the better and making growth possible across generations!

THANK YOU

T O OUR COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT

Despite another unprecedented year each member of the Trellis community found ways to support those that they may never know. This is the heart of philanthropy.

We hope that you feel a collective sense of impact and pride as you read your name in this report, alongside the stories of change activated by your generosity. Thank you!

FOUNDING PARTNERS

Burns Memorial Fund

Calgary Foundation

Charitable Foundation of the Family

City of Calgary

Evans Hunt

Kanovsky Family Foundation

PwC Canada

Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink:

Heartstone Foundation Fund

at Calgary Foundation

The Read Family Foundation

The Beddoe Family

The Byler Foundation

The Read Family Foundation

United Way of Calgary and Area

Viewpoint Foundation

TRELLIS FOUNDATION DONORS

Anonymous (2)

United Way of Calgary, Donor Choice program:

Anonymous Donors

Nancy & Dave Forbes

Paul Lee Family Foundation

Ledcor Industries Inc.

United Way of Calgary, Donor Choice program: Jim Samuel

CHAMPIONS

Anonymous Donors (2)

Beth Rankin

Calgary Foundation Donor: Anonymous Donor Designated Endowment Fund

Calgary Homeless Foundation

Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada

ENMAX

Gibson Energy Inc.

Government of Alberta

Government of Canada

Hanover Investments Corporation

MEG Energy

Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink

The Beddoe Family

The Home Depot Canada Foundation

CHANGEMAKERS

A Way Home Canada

Anonymous Donors (2)

Bearspaw Benevolent Foundation

BGC Canada

Burns Memorial Fund for Children

Calgary Foundation Donors: Cecil and Dorothy Vogan Fund

Ted & Enid Jansen Fund

William and Constance Topley Fund

Canadian Women’s Foundation

Collaborative Funders’ Table

Dr. Lori Egger & Steve Laut

Estate of William Warren Donahoo

Gift Funds Canada

Heartprint Threads

Hockey Helps the Homeless

Mealshare Aid Foundation

National Indian Brotherhood Trust Fund

Nulli - Identity Management

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP

P.E.A.R.L. Foundation

Shaunessy Family Foundation

Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink: Anonymous Donor

Social Venture Partners Inc.

Staples Canada Inc.

TOM Capital Foundation

United Way of Calgary, Donor Choice Program

FRIENDS

Anonymous Donors (2)

Benefaction Foundation

Carolyn McAlpine

Calgary Foundation Donors: D. R. Ashford Fund

David and Leslie Bissett Fund

City of Calgary

David & Barbara Johnson

David Boone and Jane Poole

Elaine & Murray Frame

Enterprise Holdings Foundation

Halverson Family Fund

iA Financial Group

Kinsmen Club of Calgary

Lily Street Foundation

Nickle Family Foundation

Qualico Communities Calgary

Sharon Martens

Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink:

770 CHQR and The Westin

Calgary’s Calgary Children’s Foundation

David Forbes

Gary & Leslie Peddle

Suncor Energy Inc.

TC Energy

The Donald & Eleanor Seaman Family Foundation

The Greene Family Charitable Foundation

The Michael R Shaw Outdoor Development Foundation

United Way of Calgary, Donor Choice Program:

Peter McKeen

Richard & Cathy Bird

Tim & Susan Hearn

Velvet Energy Ltd.

Viewpoint Foundation

Wheatland Family & Community Support Services

CATALYSTS

Alisa Sorochan

Annapolis Capital Limited

Anonymous Donors (1)

Aqueduct Foundation

Avenue Living Asset Management Ltd.

Bill MacLachlan & Inga Gusarova

Bob Wolfe & Carey May

C. Alan & Emily Smith

Calgary Foundation Donors: Brenneman Family Fund

DT Kayra Fund

Maja Foundation

Chad & Tammy Van Norman Foundation

Chestermere FCSS

Children’s Hospital Aid Society (CHAS)

Chinook Foundation

ConocoPhillips Canada Limited

CultureSmith Inc.

Enright Capital Ltd.

Frank Goodman

Hillcrest Financial

Husky Energy Club

Imperial Oil Limited

Jack & Louise Lee

Jan & Craig Bacher

Jillian Woolley

Michael & Heather Culbert

Mission Wealth Advisors - Raymond

James

Nancy & Dave Forbes

Peterborough K.M. Hunter Charitable Foundation

PETRONAS Energy Canada Ltd.

Roderick & Jean McKay

Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by

AltaLink: Suncor Energy Inc.

Shawn Cornett

The Byler Foundation

The Shawana Foundation

Velvet Energy Ltd.

Vermilion Energy Inc.

NEIGHBOURS

Advantage Energy Ltd.

Aidan & Karen Walsh

Aidan & Tracey Mills

Alan Hough

Alison Essery & Ken Gray

Allan Jackson

Amanda Pankonin

Amy & Barry Hensch

Andrew Trevoy

Angela Clarke

Anil Nayak

Anne & David Swain

Anonymous Donors (30)

ARC Resources Ltd.

Ashraf Jassani

ATCO Gas Employees Participating In Communities

Badwi Family Foundation

Bank of Nova Scotia

Barb & John Feick

Barbara Haggis

Benevity Inc.

Bob & Joan Martin

Brad & Laurel Farrow

Brian & Stephanie Felesky

Bruce Gauld

Buck Braund

Calgary Arts Academy Society

Calgary Area City Council of Beta

Sigma Phi

Calgary Foundation Donors: Aimee Beddoe Memorial Fund

Alex & Wendy Campbell Flow

Through Fund

Aspen Family and Community Network Society Fund

Boyce Family Gift Fund

Gibson Family Fund

Leonard and Faigel Shapiro

Family Fund

Lockwood Family Fund

Lohnes Family Fund

Mary Child Legacy Fund

Olwen Priestnall Memorial Fund

Robert and Grace Ruben Fund

Sheila McIntosh & Phil Ireland

Family Fund

Stanley Brodylo Fund

Willis Martin Fund

Calgary Properties Lions Club

Carl & Heidi McClintock

Carla Stoever & Kevin Power

Carol & David Byler

Carolyn & Bill Hyndman

Charities Aid Foundation of America

Charities Aid Foundation of Canada

Chris Burley

Christopher Simard

Christopher Sims Professional Corporation

Christy Elliot

Cindy & Gregory Royer

CKNW Kids’ Fund

Contemporary Office Interiors Ltd.

Copper Guild

Corinne & Merv Kirker

Creative Scrapbooker Magazine

CUPE - Calgary District Council

Cutco Gifts - Vonny & Liz Frazer-Fast

Dale & Cathy Ens

Dale Green

Dale Poloway

Dana Roman

Dave & Diane Guichon

David & Linda LaBarre

David Eremita

David Quinn

Diane & Randy Fleming

Dianne & Derek Cook

Dianne Seib

Dirk Baezner

Don Douglas & Laura Mcdonald

Donald Morrison

Donate a Car Canada Inc.

Donna & Lorenzo Donadeo

Donna Tone

Doreen Brault Dawson

Doug Bailey

Dr. Ambi Ray

Dr. Martha Cohen School

Dr. Mzikayise Tshatshela Medical Professional Corporation

Dr. Raymond Lippitt

Dr. Remo Di Palma

Drs. Jonathan & Alexandra Howlett

Dylan Kinnear

Edelman Calgary

Edith Cavell Chapter #25 Order of the Eastern Star

Eight Ounce Coffee

Elaine & John Reitmeier

Eleanor & Peter Landry

Ember Resources Inc.

Erin Ludwig

Estate of David Kelly Hale

Estate of Ian Fyfe

Greg & Elly Kwong

Gregory Brown & Catherine Pearl

Harry & Kris Klukas

Heninger Toyota

Henry Wise Wood High School

Hillcrest Financial

Holy Nativity Anglican Church

Horizon Housing Society

IKEA Calgary

Imperial Oil Limited

Jack & Patricia Glenn

James & Barbara Rankin

James Colburn

James Kusie

James McClellan Jr.

Janet & Ken McCacherty

Janet Roberts

Janice & James Shea

Jean Fulton

Jeff Dyer & Kristy Gauld Dyer

Jessica & James Tamblyn

Jim Booker

Jim Dinning

Joan Ing & Robyn Lore

John Brussa

John Gulak

John Jurgenliemk

Karen & Bill Kernaghan

Karleen Batty & Paul Sharp

Ken Havard

Kenneth Stickland

Kevin & Debbie Gregor

Kids Up Front Foundation

LaBarre Family Fund

Lane Olafson

Larry Goerzen

Laurel O’Leary

Linda Haymour

Lissi Legge

Lori & Dave Bacon

Lori Choma

Lorna & Glynn Hendry

Louise Roblin Campbell & Martin Campbell

Maggie Scott

Manchester Bottle Depot Ltd.

Marc Ereshefsky

Margaret & Matt Binfet

Mark & Jan Herman

Mark Mireault

Mark Smith

Mark Thorne

Martha Hunter & Claude Durand

Mary Alice Saunders

Matthew & Kathy Schamber

Mawer Investment Management Ltd.

Michael & Heather Giuffre

Michael Durrant

Michele Chiasson-Suart & Glenn

MR Imaging Corp. Canada Diagnostic Centres

Murray & Val Nunns

Murray Brown

Neville d’Eca

nFocus Solutions

Nigel Carr & Rolonde Marchand

NuVista Energy Ltd.

Paul Wanklyn

Peggy Lukye

Penny & Grant Fagerheim

Percy Rosenberger

Peter & Margaret Hayvern

Rachel Holloway

Rhonda Workman

Richard Bartrem

Richard Cones

Robert & Norma Farquharson

Robert Bietz

Robert Woodrow

Robin Moore

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 275 Ladies’ Auxiliary

Sarah & Reid Wuntke

Sarah E. Donnelly Professional Corporation

Scott & Shannon Chomistek

Serafino Tiberi

ServiceMaster of Calgary

Shaw Birdies for Kids presented by AltaLink:

Sam Ousher Switzer Charitable Foundation

Shone Thistle & Heather Shaw

Sinopec Daylight Energy Ltd.

SkipTheDepot

Stacey Monaghan

Steven Johnson

Strathmore FCSS & Strathmore and Area United Way Partnership

Suzan & Eric Olsen

Suzanne Tough

Sweep Holdings Ltd.

TD Bank Group

Ted & Kim Smith

Terry Owen

The Bakery

The Baobab Fund

The Barnes Family Foundation

The Bernie & Jan McCaffery Foundation

The Hyclan Foundation

The KPMG Foundation

Tom & Katharine Pinder

Town of Strathmore

United Way of Calgary and Area

United Way of Calgary, Donor Choice Program:

Anil Nayak

Melanie & Jason Deliman

Vance Makin

ViTreo Group Inc.

Wieland & Susan Wettstein

William O’Yeung

University of Calgary Students’ Union Committee of 10,000

West Island College - Community in Action Club

2,431 donations were made to Trellis in 2021-2022. Every contribution supports growth across generations. Thank you!

VIEW OUR AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENT HERE

We sincerely apologize if we have missed anyone or made a recognition error. If this has occurred, please let us know at donations@growwithtrellis.ca. Thank you so much for your support.

Suart