Connections reports on its successful 2014

Families in Calgary are stronger today because of the support provided to them by an incredibly talented, thoughtful and passionate In-Home team at Connections. In 2014, 109 families were supported by Connections. The families Connections support have at least one parent with a cognitive challenge. These families struggle to manage each day — not because of their cognitive abilities but because of poverty, isolation and the stigma of having a disability.

The families Connections support are gradually, and finally, more likely to be recognized as offering the best home for their children, relative to the alternatives of foster care and other unstable options. The scales are now tipping towards the benefit of helping a family to be stable and successful against the cost of breaking the family up — through the courts and into foster care — with poor outcomes that result.

We had fun in 2014 partnering in the community with our peer agencies, working together to support families with a broad range of referring agencies and funders, and building a new website (thanks, Freshwater Creative!) with the help of The Calgary Foundation.

Our successes, realized with the contribution of funders and volunteers, positions us well to enter our 25th anniversary year in 2015. We have a special Sunalta community, family picnic in August, original research underway to be presented at a conference in August and our first, annual Family Dinner in September to help us fund-raise to support more families.

More information about Connections 2014 results are here. If you have any questions, please contact Erin Waite at erinw@connectionscounselling.ab.ca.