Mary found herself trapped in an abusive relationship. Mary faced demeaning and degrading comments daily, but when the abuse turned physical, Mary knew she had to leave. It was through her own knowledge of the non-profit sector that Mary found herself seeking refuge at YW’s Sheriff King Home crisis shelter. There she got the courage [...]
For Nelson Mandela's 100th birthday, we are featuring a blog written by a YW team member on her experiences with Apartheid and the institutionalized racism found in North American and Canadian culture. I’m black. I’m a cis female. I’m an immigrant. I’m a borderline millennial. And a whole bunch of other things beyond rhetoric. [...]
When you live in the hustle and bustle of big city life with access to hospitals, doctors, groceries and government agencies, it can be easy to take for granted the vital role safe and reliable transportation plays in our everyday lives. As city dwellers we have options, we can jump on the train to [...]
Ah Canada Day, the smell of fireworks and barbecue continues to linger in the air as many Calgarians have returned home to work after the long weekend. This long weekend also gave us an opportunity to pause and reflect on the past year and envision what we would want to happen in this next [...]
Last week marked five years since the June floods submerged Calgary and left many of citizens and organizations in crisis mode. The YW was deeply impacted by flooding, so we spoke with Sue Tomney, CEO, and Elsbeth Mehrer, VP People & Engagement, on the experiences of those nine days touching on the strength and [...]
You may know him as the face of Old Spice, or as Bedlam in Deadpool 2 or as the yogurt-loving Terry Jeffords in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, we know Terry Crews as an actor, an artist, one of the most thoughtful voices in gender criticism and our keynote speaker for our 8th annual YWHISPER Fundraising Gala. For many, a feminist, women-centred organization announcing Terry [...]
This week our newsfeed has been filled with anecdotes reflecting on the tragic death of designer Kate Spade and this morning we woke up to the news of Anthony Bourdain’s passing. Both individuals were beloved, celebrated and inspired millions of people around the world and both lost their lives to suicide. It seemed to be [...]
When you’re a 107-year-old organization, you’ve been around the block a time or two and there isn’t much that really shocks you. At least that was what we thought until yesterday when our history collided with our present-day evolution. Many of you may know that YWCA existed and work on behalf of and with [...]
YW Counselling provides tools and strategies to manage strong emotions and help build healthy families. Lana Bentley, Program Operations Director, shares more about the program and how it benefits YW clients: Q: When the YW says they work with vulnerable women what does that really mean? A: Vulnerability looks different for everyone. There are days when [...]
Mother’s Day is bittersweet day at YW. Women who find their way to YW are often fleeing abuse, experiencing poverty, homelessness or isolation. Some have left their homes because they’re no longer safe and some have stayed because they know leaving could make things worse or will enter them into the cycle of poverty. [...]
