Giving Month 2021: Global Calgary Focuses on Mental Health and Food Safety with 4 Local Charities – Calgary | The Canadian News

For the second year in a row, Global Calgary will virtually partner with four charities over the holidays as part of its Month of Giving campaign.

In previous years, the campaign was held in the Global Calgary parking lot, but the television news station decided to feature it practically last year after the COVID-19 pandemic and decided to do it again this year.

Charities were chosen for this year’s campaign because of their involvement in mental health and food safety.

As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, many Calgarians have dealt with or know someone close to them who has dealt with a mental health crisis or who has needed to use the food bank for themselves or their pets.

Each week, the Global Calgary news team will share stories about the great work that is being done in our community and the diverse needs being served by the following charities: Pet parachute, Kerby Center, YMCA Y Mind Program and the Calgary Food Bank.

This holiday season, Global News viewers are invited to support Giving Month and donate online to any or all of the four featured charities.

More information on parachutes for pets

Parachutes for Pets understands and celebrates the human-animal bond and works proactively to build strong community support systems to protect the connection between people and their animals.

The charity helps low-income families within the Calgary area work for better health and wellness, not only for themselves, but also for their pets through accessible programs and resources.

Through your donations, Parachutes for Pets provides pet food baskets, vaccination and wellness clinics, grooming assistance, and emergency pet packs for those fleeing domestic violence, the homeless, low-income seniors, veterans and children who are in foster care with their furry friends.

Click here to donate to Parachutes for Pets as part of Global Calgary Giving Month.

Learn more about Kerby Center

The Kerby Center offers a safe place for seniors to call home while escaping financial, physical and / or emotional abuse. For the past year, the shelter has been operating at 99% capacity and has had to turn away 370 vulnerable older people in need.

Through two programs, the Adult Day Program and the Social Calling Program, the center helps medically fragile seniors connect with their peers, be creative and active, as well as unites volunteers with individuals. Isolated seniors for talks and regular check-ins, respectively.

The Kerby Center says that many older people in Calgary are food insecure and its programs offer free food markets, food baskets, frozen meals and grocery delivery along with support visits to low-income and vulnerable seniors.

Click here to donate to the Kerby Center as part of Global Calgary Giving Month.

Learn more about the YMCA Y Mind program

The YMCA Y Mind program takes a preventive approach for youth experiencing a mental health crisis and having thoughts of self-harm. According to the organization, one in five Canadians will experience a diagnosable mental health disorder in their lifetime, with anxiety and depression being the most prevalent.

And Mind is a free seven-week mental wellness early intervention program open to teens (13-18) and young adults (18-30). It is designed to help them develop healthy coping skills and psychological resilience so they can better recognize and manage stress before it becomes overwhelming.

Using techniques based on Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Commitment (ACT) therapy, Y Mind provides participants with an understanding of how the stress response works, why our brains and bodies react the way they do, and provides practical tools and strategies to overcome physical and psychological discomfort without disengaging from life.

Click here to donate to the Y Mind program as part of Global Calgary Giving Month.

Learn more about the Calgary Food Bank

The Calgary Food Bank is the city’s main charitable food center and relies solely on the support of the community. Once it addresses the food emergencies that clients face by providing food baskets, the food bank refers clients to partner agencies and programs for additional support.

The food bank can turn every donated dollar into $ 5 worth of food. The food bank says demand for its services increases in November and December and continues into the new year.

In December, holiday content will be added to food baskets so customers can enjoy a holiday meal.

Click here to donate to the Calgary Food Bank as part of Calgary Global Giving Month.