Rise Calgary Resource Centres
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Mission Statement
Rise Calgary is here for Calgarians when they need support and help. We work in East Calgary with more than 3,300 clients and their families each year, offering basic needs support and financial well-being opportunities. By providing sensitive, respectful, and consistent services, Sunrise has established a safe, accessible, and trusted centre that truly belongs to the community. We have earned a strong reputation for providing crucial basic needs, advocacy, and financial support services that significantly alleviate many Calgarians' financial and personal crises. We work with community members to provide opportunities to strengthen the community through acts of kindness (Pay it Forward Community Action Events) and building relationships through out Community Conversation Circles.
About This Cause
Rise Calgary has existed in Calgary since 2000 and supports over 3,300 community members each year, equivalent to 1,057 households, to address any personal crisis they may be experiencing or help people take the steps to get out of poverty. We are all susceptible and even if we have made plans and have savings in place, a tragic turn of events could change everything. Sunrise exists for people to navigate challenging times, whether that be the lose of a job, the death of a family member, or addictions challenges, we are here when you need. Sunrise Community Link supports community members in the following ways: Meeting basic needs: Sunrise assists vulnerable Calgarians to meet crucial basic needs by providing them with referrals for food, clothing, and furniture, information about services and programs in the community, support and crisis intervention, and facilitating access to counselling and other required services. We also assist community members in addressing housing related crisis with access to our Basic Needs Fund. We partner with the Calgary Food Bank to provide Emergency Food Hampers in house to Individuals and families in need, removing an additional step for them as they have previously had to go down to the Food Bank to pick up their hamper. Removing barriers: An integral part of the Sunrise mandate is to address access barriers to community resources, agencies, and active community involvement. Sunrise works with community partners to address barriers to adults and youth accessing these services. We work as systems navigators to assist clients in accessing the right services at the right time. Skill building: Sunrise provides the opportunity for clients to enhance their skills by providing educational workshops and volunteering opportunities. We host guest speakers from different agencies and businesses that focus on health and relationships, setting and maintaining boundaries, domestic violence, and healthy eating on a budget. A community workshop board is made available where we post opportunities and information regarding skill building and employment opportunities. We run a matched savings program called Sunrise $avings, where participants learn financial literacy skills and save money every month. Their savings are matched at a 3:1 ratio and these funds can be directed towards the purchase of an asset. We also run the Taking Charge! program, a 15-week life skills program that helps people gain the skills they need to set goals, resolve conflicts and move on to other educational pursuits. Promoting Community Economic Development: Sunrise recognizes the importance of assisting under-represented Calgarians to gain the education and skills they need to make more effective money management decisions. We partner with Momentum to deliver financial literacy workshops to clients that focus on budgeting, banking, assets, credit, and consumerism. We also work with local organizations to address debt management concerns for clients and assist them in accessing the programs and services needed in order to take control of their financial futures. These offerings improve economic development through an increased understanding of the financial factors that incite poverty and debt. Community Development: We partner with Action Dignity on the Greater Forest Lawn Community Connector Initiative and run leadership training for local residents, Pay it Forward Community Action Days, and monthly Community Conversation Circles. We work with residents to identify areas in their community they would like to see improvements, and work with them to develop a plan of action to create the change they wish to see. Financial Empowerment - We host regular tax clinics for Calgarians living on low incomes and assist in helping them navigate and apply for government benefits they may be entitled to receive. We help families open RESP's and access free government grants for their children's education. Financial Coaching is offered to individuals who are interested in identifying their own goals and work with a financial coach to achieve these goals. KMITT - We run a small social enterprise called KMITT (pronounced "mitt") that brings together community members to knit for a cause. For every item that is sold, one is donated to an individual in need. Funds raised go back into purchasing knitting products, feeding group members each week and providing them with grocery card incentives.