The snow has arrived, the carols have begun to fill the malls...all signs point towards the beginning of the annual holiday season. What does the holiday season mean for you? For many of us the holiday season means presents for the kids and celebrating with family and friends. But Calgarians also have a strong tradition of caring for people living in poverty during the holiday season; donating to food banks, service agencies and gift foundations to make this time in people’s lives a little warmer.
Did you know that there is a strong relationship between poverty and HIV? With the cost of rent, utilities, food and other needs, there isn’t always money left to do something as simple as put together a special holiday meal. That’s why, every year at this time, AIDS Calgary collects supplies and donations for our Holiday Hamper program. Included in each hamper are toiletries, bus tickets, a hand-made holiday card, and a gift card that can be used for groceries to make a holiday meal to suit a person’s own culture and tastes.
This holiday season we ask that you make a contribution to AIDS Calgary’s Hamper program, and bring a smile to someone going through a tough time. For only $50 you can sponsor toiletries and personal care items, for $100 a family holiday dinner or for $150 an entire hamper for an individual or family in need this holiday season.
You can also donate some of the necessary toiletries that are included in our hampers such as: toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, laundry detergent (1.9 kg box or larger), shampoo & conditioner (355 ml or larger), body soap, 6 pack of toilet paper, razors, socks, or adult bus tickets. All items need to be dropped off at our office by December 10th.
You can help us to put together 130 Holiday Hampers. Donate online, in person at our Calgary Cares Centre at 110, 1603 – 10 Avenue SW or by phone at 403-508-2500.
Thank you again for making this holiday season truly special for those who may feel forgotten.
Showing posts with label giving. Show all posts
Showing posts with label giving. Show all posts
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
A local company gives back
Why a local company has supported Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life for four years.
Sorrenti’s Catering opened in Calgary in 1987. A family operated company, started by Jordan and Kerry Sorrenti; Sorrenti's Catering is a full-service off premise caterer.
It was an easy beginning for Sorrenti’s and AIDS Calgary. Paddy Sorrenti (the son who now oversees most business operations) was approached by an AIDS Calgary staff member who worked with Paddy on a different event. Paddy jumped at the opportunity to help out and decided to sponsor the AIDS Walk.
Sorrenti’s receives and considers many letters and emails each year asking for sponsorship for different charitable events. The company usually sponsors ten events a year, at which his staff volunteer 10-15 (for a total of 150 hours each year).
Paddy commented that when times are tough financially (as they have been the past few years) he makes a conscious choice not to cut back on corporate giving. He displays a keen understanding of how charities can actually feel the recession worse than the corporate world.
When asked what it means for Paddy, the family, and Sorrenti’s to support AIDS Calgary he simply replied that “it’s important to be out there and to be active in my community.” As a native Calgarian, Paddy is passionate about this city and the community.
Our heartfelt thanks go out to longtime sponsor; Sorrenti’s Catering, for their ongoing support of the Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life. Join us, and Sorrenti's, at the 2010 Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life on Sunday, September 12.
Sorrenti’s offers a full event planning service from business breakfasts, luncheons and evening receptions to sit-down catered dinners. Calgary is famous for its Western hospitality and Sorrenti’s is famous for our Western fare. Stampede breakfasts, BBQ's, and their themed Fajita parties are legendary.
Sorrenti’s Catering opened in Calgary in 1987. A family operated company, started by Jordan and Kerry Sorrenti; Sorrenti's Catering is a full-service off premise caterer.
It was an easy beginning for Sorrenti’s and AIDS Calgary. Paddy Sorrenti (the son who now oversees most business operations) was approached by an AIDS Calgary staff member who worked with Paddy on a different event. Paddy jumped at the opportunity to help out and decided to sponsor the AIDS Walk.
Sorrenti’s receives and considers many letters and emails each year asking for sponsorship for different charitable events. The company usually sponsors ten events a year, at which his staff volunteer 10-15 (for a total of 150 hours each year).
Paddy commented that when times are tough financially (as they have been the past few years) he makes a conscious choice not to cut back on corporate giving. He displays a keen understanding of how charities can actually feel the recession worse than the corporate world.
When asked what it means for Paddy, the family, and Sorrenti’s to support AIDS Calgary he simply replied that “it’s important to be out there and to be active in my community.” As a native Calgarian, Paddy is passionate about this city and the community.
Our heartfelt thanks go out to longtime sponsor; Sorrenti’s Catering, for their ongoing support of the Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life. Join us, and Sorrenti's, at the 2010 Scotiabank AIDS Walk for Life on Sunday, September 12.
Sorrenti’s offers a full event planning service from business breakfasts, luncheons and evening receptions to sit-down catered dinners. Calgary is famous for its Western hospitality and Sorrenti’s is famous for our Western fare. Stampede breakfasts, BBQ's, and their themed Fajita parties are legendary.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
AFQOL supports AIDS Calgary
What is AFQOL?
AFQOL (or Artist for Quality of Life) is a volunteer driven non-profit group that raises funds annually for AIDS Calgary Awareness Association in memory of Donnie Peters. Past AFQOL fundraising events include: Endless Summer, Days of Disco, Women in Rock & Roll and the well known AFQOL Cut a Thon.
AFQOL fundraising supports AIDS Calgary’s nutrition programs (such as our Friday Lunch program) as well as other quality of life initiatives for our clients.
Who is AFQOL?
AFQOL is lead by Linda Eckess, Volunteer Team Leader and Event Organizer. Linda works tirelessly to build each fundraiser, create community partners, source donations, work with venues and sponsors and above all advocate for AIDS Calgary any chance she gets.
The AFQOL Executive Committee consists of several volunteers that dedicate many hours to the success of their fundraising events.
Why do they do it?
The majority of AFQOL volunteers have a connection to Donnie in one way or another but above all, they care about HIV/AIDS in our community and they want to help make lives better for everyone that is affected by this disease.
Ken Scobel has been an AFQOL volunteer for five years and he does a great job capturing the AFQOL volunteer experience. “My involvement is about giving back to the community! It’s not about you, it’s about other people…My heart is with the community still, after all these years. To me, being a part of the community is being part of a family”.
Donnie Peters always said: “one person can make a difference!” The team at AFQOL has definitely made a difference at AIDS Calgary these past six years. We are very grateful to have such a dedicated group of volunteers working to raise funds and create awareness.
To date, AFQOL has raised over $40,000 for AIDS Calgary ~ Thank you for your ongoing support!
AFQOL (or Artist for Quality of Life) is a volunteer driven non-profit group that raises funds annually for AIDS Calgary Awareness Association in memory of Donnie Peters. Past AFQOL fundraising events include: Endless Summer, Days of Disco, Women in Rock & Roll and the well known AFQOL Cut a Thon.
AFQOL fundraising supports AIDS Calgary’s nutrition programs (such as our Friday Lunch program) as well as other quality of life initiatives for our clients.
Who is AFQOL?
AFQOL is lead by Linda Eckess, Volunteer Team Leader and Event Organizer. Linda works tirelessly to build each fundraiser, create community partners, source donations, work with venues and sponsors and above all advocate for AIDS Calgary any chance she gets.
The AFQOL Executive Committee consists of several volunteers that dedicate many hours to the success of their fundraising events.
Why do they do it?
The majority of AFQOL volunteers have a connection to Donnie in one way or another but above all, they care about HIV/AIDS in our community and they want to help make lives better for everyone that is affected by this disease.
Ken Scobel has been an AFQOL volunteer for five years and he does a great job capturing the AFQOL volunteer experience. “My involvement is about giving back to the community! It’s not about you, it’s about other people…My heart is with the community still, after all these years. To me, being a part of the community is being part of a family”.
Donnie Peters always said: “one person can make a difference!” The team at AFQOL has definitely made a difference at AIDS Calgary these past six years. We are very grateful to have such a dedicated group of volunteers working to raise funds and create awareness.
To date, AFQOL has raised over $40,000 for AIDS Calgary ~ Thank you for your ongoing support!
Thursday, November 26, 2009
'Tis the season...
The holiday season is typically a time of year when people step up their charitable contributions of time and money. Sometimes, people may ask why; why should they give? Who are these people less fortunate than I? Why can’t these people just get a job like everyone else? Why should I help someone who did this to themselves?
I believe that what people are struggling with is the ability to relate. They can’t quite step into another’s shoes, as it were.
My very simple statement to these people is just this: compassion.
Compassion is a challenge to all of us to help those who are hungry, homeless, and just less fortunate than ourselves. Compassion is a human emotion prompted by the pain of others. Compassion is being able to see that someone has a need and you can help with that need.
We sometimes get so overwhelmed by statistics; numbers that remove us from the people at the heart of the issue. So I am not going to list HIV statistics for you. I am not going to quote numbers or percentages of our growing demand for holiday hampers.
Mother Teresa once said “if you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”
On the advice of Mother Teresa, that is how I will approach giving. I will find my compassion by focusing on feeding just one person.
This holiday season I ask you to look into your heart. I challenge you to reflect on what you can do to help just one person.
So go ahead and reach out. Give simply because you have the compassion to give.
This post was submitted by Tracie Seeley, Development Coordinator at AIDS Calgary.
I believe that what people are struggling with is the ability to relate. They can’t quite step into another’s shoes, as it were.
My very simple statement to these people is just this: compassion.
Compassion is a challenge to all of us to help those who are hungry, homeless, and just less fortunate than ourselves. Compassion is a human emotion prompted by the pain of others. Compassion is being able to see that someone has a need and you can help with that need.
We sometimes get so overwhelmed by statistics; numbers that remove us from the people at the heart of the issue. So I am not going to list HIV statistics for you. I am not going to quote numbers or percentages of our growing demand for holiday hampers.
Mother Teresa once said “if you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”
On the advice of Mother Teresa, that is how I will approach giving. I will find my compassion by focusing on feeding just one person.
This holiday season I ask you to look into your heart. I challenge you to reflect on what you can do to help just one person.
So go ahead and reach out. Give simply because you have the compassion to give.
This post was submitted by Tracie Seeley, Development Coordinator at AIDS Calgary.
Friday, January 9, 2009
The Impact of the Economy on Charitable Giving
Currently the global economy has taken the spotlight away from many of the issues that affect our lives from day to day. In times like these we often think about what we can do to cut back and save money. For me it has been reducing my cable TV package and cell phone usage. For many of our clients, cutting back is no longer an option; it is having enough to survive that has become the real challenge.
Many charities are aware that donations generally decrease during a recession; this has been the experience in the last four recessions. To put additional pressure on this historical trend, Calgary is in the wake of a boom and population increase. Many non-profits, like AIDS Calgary, are still struggling to catch up with their services. The effort to expand our programs to reach the number of people that require our services has now become ever more challenging.
Please take a moment to better understand the needs of our community and how much we rely on charitable organizations that exist within it. The programs and services provided by the range of not for profits in Calgary benefit our community in many ways. The work is often invisible and goes without notice. To simply cut back or remove programs offered by many organizations due to lack of funding would have a devastating impact on the quality of life for all Calgarians.
Just imagine a Calgary without homeless shelters, a food bank, or a Red Cross. The people that need the most help will suffer because we are trying to save a few dollars. We may all be scared to give because of the tough times ahead. We may all be feeling the impact of our current economic slowdown. We must remember that for many members of our community, these difficult economic times will be increasingly difficult to endure.
We all may have to make cuts and sacrifices to get through these tough times. The cable TV and cell phone package can endure a temporary cut, people living in your community may not. Please do not cut out your annual contribution to your favorite charitable organization.
To support the important work that AIDS Calgary does please click here to make a donation.
Many charities are aware that donations generally decrease during a recession; this has been the experience in the last four recessions. To put additional pressure on this historical trend, Calgary is in the wake of a boom and population increase. Many non-profits, like AIDS Calgary, are still struggling to catch up with their services. The effort to expand our programs to reach the number of people that require our services has now become ever more challenging.
Please take a moment to better understand the needs of our community and how much we rely on charitable organizations that exist within it. The programs and services provided by the range of not for profits in Calgary benefit our community in many ways. The work is often invisible and goes without notice. To simply cut back or remove programs offered by many organizations due to lack of funding would have a devastating impact on the quality of life for all Calgarians.
Just imagine a Calgary without homeless shelters, a food bank, or a Red Cross. The people that need the most help will suffer because we are trying to save a few dollars. We may all be scared to give because of the tough times ahead. We may all be feeling the impact of our current economic slowdown. We must remember that for many members of our community, these difficult economic times will be increasingly difficult to endure.
We all may have to make cuts and sacrifices to get through these tough times. The cable TV and cell phone package can endure a temporary cut, people living in your community may not. Please do not cut out your annual contribution to your favorite charitable organization.
To support the important work that AIDS Calgary does please click here to make a donation.