With the holiday season just around the corner, you can make a difference for Calgarians in distress this holiday season.
While you’re relaxing with loved ones, or finishing up your holiday shopping, our dedicated staff and volunteers are responding to Calgarians in crisis 24 hours a day. Yes, even on Christmas Day, when you’re sitting down having Christmas dinner, or celebrating on New Year’s Eve — we are here, night and day to listen and support people in distress.
WE ARE BUSY. In 2017, the number of crisis calls, chats, texts and emails increased by 7.8% over 2016, and by 19.7% compared to 2015.
Increasing demand means we need to train more volunteers and hire more staff to respond to the hundreds of calls, chats, texts and emails we receive every day. We would love to increase the space in our contact centre, so we can increase our capacity and give our volunteers the tools they need to save lives.
We know that listening saves lives. In 2016, we intervened in 68 suicides in progress.
Our volunteers were able to de-escalate the situation, connect the persons-at-risk with help, and prevent these suicides from taking place.
You can help us prevent suicides, de-escalate crisis and save lives. We need your help to ensure that when someone is alone on Christmas Day, they have a place to turn and be supported.
Every time you donate $1 to Distress Centre, we are able to create $7.42 in value through our crisis services. That means your donation is multiplied seven times!
Help us save lives… Give now.
