Women’s Centre Annual Report 2018 OUR 2018 YEAR IN REVIEW A Place for Every Woman “A place to learn, to get help, to share, to be with to participating in Women’s Centre programs and friends and to just be.” These are the words of volunteer opportunities. one woman who told us about her experiences at the Women’s Centre in 2018, but it is a To accomplish these goals, we set out to learn sentiment shared by many. In 2018 over 8,500 what reconciliation means to various groups different women came through our doors, each within the Centre. Our Reconciliation Coordinator woman with her own experiences, stories and led a series of Tea and Bannock group perspectives to be shared. It was thanks to these conversations, held one-on-one consultations 8,500 unique and incredible women that the with Indigenous women, and organized special past year has been another great one, as we events and issues discussions relating to the continued in our mission to be every woman’s topic of Truth and Reconciliation. In 2019 we place for support, connections and community. plan to turn our learning into action in the second stage of this ongoing project. At the beginning of the year, we set out on our own journey of Truth and Reconciliation by In January we launched Women Lead YYC, an launching our Reconciliation Project. This project intensive six-week leadership program for women was aimed at building stronger relationships with looking to build their networks, grow their skills, Indigenous women within the Centre, developing and work for positive change within their own new partnerships with other agencies that work communities. with Indigenous women, and identifying barriers 2 2018 ANNUAL REPORT With the support of program funder Alberta Status Our Social and Environmental Issues of Women we ran two cohorts of Women Lead Discussions provided opportunities for women to YYC, during which 39 participants came together learn about, and take action on issues that matter to build relationships, learn from community to them. Popular discussions included workshops leaders, and explore what leadership can mean on topics like grieving and homelessness, sexism at the community level. in the service industry, women and climate change, and public policy in urban planning. We have dreamed for a long time of running a day-long conference developed for girls, by We continued our work on provincial and girls, and in 2018 that dream came true with the municipal policy collaboratives, and our work to launch of our first ever Girl Connect Conference! add a gender-plus lens to public policy discussion 42 girls gathered at the Women’s Centre for and development evolved with Alberta’s policy Girl Connect, and attended sessions related landscape. We acted as a leading contributor to to the conference’s three themes of self-care, Basic Income Calgary, producing content and mental health and confidence. Girl Connect chairing multiple sub-groups. Our advocacy had multiple opportunities for girls to lead, and efforts included taking part in a successful public all of the sessions were planned and delivered call and letter-writing campaign by participants in our Girl Up program for high- for the province to address inadequate social school aged girls. assistance levels in Alberta, and sustained efforts to keep transit more affordable for low income With the support of funders City of Calgary Calgarians. FCSS, Alberta Status of Women, and the Collaborative Funders’ Table we continued to When our basement flooded at the end of offer programming for girls of three age groups. October, we were unsure how or if we would Girl Power for girls in grades 5 and 6, Girl Force be able to run our Girls Programs, or even our for girls in grades 7 – 9, and Girl Up for Girls in Holiday Toy Room! Thanks to the physical and grades 10 – 12 continued to be spaces where financial support of our neighbours Benevity girls were able to build skills, work on issues that we were able to host our Girl Programs at matter to them, and see themselves as leaders in the Benevity building for the remainder of the their communities. year, and a hard-working basement renovation crew completed repairs just in time for another In 2018 the Women’s Centre continued to be a successful Holiday Toy Room program. place where women can not only receive support, but also connect with one another, and work for Behind all of this, the continued support of our change. Our workshops program offered women major funders City of Calgary FCSS and United opportunities to connect with their community, Way of Calgary & Area has been vital in our work and we offered 289 workshops, including to be a space for every woman. We are grateful everything from car maintenance, to paint night, to our donors, our volunteers and our community to practice English classes. members for making the past year such an incredible one. Every act makes a In 2018 our programs and services were difference - thank you for being part of a place delivered by over 750 wonderful volunteers. We where women support communities, and continued to provide opportunities for women communities support women! to get assistance, by connecting women and their families with food, personal care items, tax clinics, legal advice, and referrals to community services. In addition to connecting women with services in the Centre and in the community, we provided peer support over 26,000 times! 2018 ANNUAL REPORT 3 2018 SNAPSHOT: OUR IMPACT In 2018, we collected input from 2,465 women to measure our impact and inform our work. “The Women’s Centre “The WC has helped 87% provides me with a place me with all I have ever of women needed help with: food, where I feel safe being reported they get myself and meeting clothing, furniture, help when they taxes, child minding and other women. It makes need it friendship. Thank you!” my life richer and more connected.” 97% of women reported they feel safe at the Centre 78% of women reported they know more about Women’s Issues “I have received “This is a place to incredible support 89% talk to strong and from the amazing diverse women women at the of women Women’s Centre. reported a about important It is an invaluable sense of issues.” resource and belonging at community space.” the Women’s Centre 80% of women reported they got more involved in “The Centre is the best! their community Volunteering is the best through the part of my week. The Women’s Centre “The Women’s Centre centre has allowed provides a much needed me to contribute to my safe and supportive space community, meet new that recognizes women’s people, and learn more strengths. It makes sure that about women’s issues in gender and diversity are my city.” discussed in policy and aims to ensure that they were incorporated into it.” 4 2018 ANNUAL REPORT STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS Women’s Centre of Calgary For the Year Ended December 31, 2018 Operating Fund FCSS Fund AB Law 2018 2017 Foundation Revenue City of Calgary Family & Community $ - $ 845,453 $ - $ 845,453 $ 892,466 Support Service Donations 216,047 63,649 - 279,696 348,520 United Way of Calgary 231,311 - - 231,311 229,717 Grants 107,382 - 37,797 145,179 121,313 Casino (Note 6) - 48,825 - 48,825 46,949 Earned Capital Contributions 31,236 - - 31,236 22,592 Interest Income 22,352 - - 22,352 18,165 Fundraising 18,210 - - 18,210 24,037 626,538 957,927 37,797 1,622,262 1,678,518 Expenses Salaries, wages and benefits 457,497 747,019 37,876 1,242,392 1,135,080 Rent and maintenance 8,801 148,096 6,000 162,897 144,896 Professional fees 13,731 35,609 1,000 50,340 42,326 Office supplies 12,700 29,276 601 42,577 25,452 Amortization 40,007 - - 40,007 38,389 Emergency Fund 5,150 - - 5,150 10,556 Equipment and software 2,961 12,460 1,885 17,306 16,863 Utilities 2,866 6,832 - 9,698 8,763 Insurance - 8,723 - 8,723 8,117 Travel 898 7,681 - 8,579 7,630 Training 2,716 4,648 1,000 8,364 4,430 Volunteer Appreciation 99 6,599 1,002 7,700 11,150 Printing 1,285 3,270 1,217 5,772 4,638 Interest and bank charges 1,815 2,044 - 3,859 3,376 Dues and memberships - 3,136 - 3,136 11,184 Fundraising - 2,213 - 2,213 1,431 Planning 232 474 468 1,174 676 Advertising and promotion - 645 - 645 1,461 550,758 1,018,725 51,049 1,620,532 1,476,418 Excess (deficiency) of revenue over expenses $ 75,780 $ (60,798) $ (13,252) $1,730 $ 202,100 Donations and fundraising dollars raised in the current year are budgeted in the following year. Full financial statements, audited by BDO Canada LLP, are available from the Women’s Centre upon request. 2018 ANNUAL REPORT 5 WOMEN’S CENTRE VOLUNTEERS In 2018, we had over 750 volunteers providing support to women, building connections, and working for change. Thank you for making a difference in your community! Aaisha Rahman Aimar Bracho Alison Kent Amber Matthews Abby Mercader Ainsley Kroeker Alison Pettigrew Amel Simonette Calderon Abby Pioch Aisha Boyce Alison Scott Amelia Buffam Abby Popowich Alana Backer Allie Laurent Amen Minhas Abigail Barth Alana Engler Allison Gaudon Amna Syeda Adele Reed Aleah Bowerman Allyssa Sicam Amy Armstrong Adele Sieber Alexandra King Amanda Aust Amy Heidman Ado Nkemka Alexandra Symes Amanda Fisher Amy Totten Adriana Romagnino Alexe Bernier Amanda Romeo Ana Zanella Ahyeong Yu Alexis Kroon Amanda Wilson Anand Hema Ailar Fallah Alexis Saulteaux Amber Bennet Andrea Cox Phillips 6 2018 ANNUAL REPORT Andreina Varela Beverly Norman Caroline Morrison Christie Walter Andrew Smith Bhakti Jani Carolyn Blasetti Christina Bueckrt Angela Cardenas Bill Foreman Carolyn Kahnapace Christina Stein Angela Florez