On August 17th and October 20th CSEG members served dinner to the less fortunate at the Calgary Drop in Centre. We had 10 participants in August and 23 participants in October. The Calgary Drop in Centre serves over 3,500 meals and houses 1,100 individuals daily, heavily relying on volunteers to provide funding and support. It is truly humbling to see the DI staff accomplish this while creating a positive and supportive environment for those in need.
The Emerging Professionals Program (EPP), with support from the University of Calgary EAGE Student Chapter, have committed to serving a meal at the Drop in Center on a bi-monthly basis. Both groups exist to provide learning and networking opportunities to young professionals.
In these challenging times we are working to shift focus towards helping and supporting each other, and the greater community. Participants experience first-hand the challenges many Calgarians face to meet their basic needs. While serving dinner, participants shared their experiences entering industry, their passions and goals, and offered support and advice. Participants came from a wide range of backgrounds. It was a rewarding and unique experience for all involved.
The spectrum of homelessness in our city is broad and often misunderstood. Individuals range from those with mental illness, to those with full or part time jobs who cannot afford the high cost of living in this city. Most receive little to no help or respect. Everyone needs help sometimes, and any act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
As a reminder, the DI Centre accepts clothing and donations at all times of the year. A very convenient drop off location makes it quick, easy and meaningful. For more information on how you can help visit thedi.ca. We have also placed a drop box for non-perishable donations in the CSEG office. In addition to clothing and cash donations, CSEG members are encouraged to participate in the Mealshare program that many restaurants in Calgary offer. When you order a Mealshare item at your favorite restaurant, one meal will be provided for a youth in need.
Our next volunteer date is February 15th. We ask volunteers to arrive at 5:30pm and we will be finished around 7:00pm. This is a fun and powerful experience. We invite all CSEG members to attend. For more information or to register, please email elizabeth.ramsey@taqa.ca.
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