Calgary Alpha House Society

Why do we need this building?

Experiencing homelessness as a woman is dangerous. It’s an extremely vulnerable position to be in – yet the needs of these women are often overlooked because they represent a small portion of the homeless population. Addiction, mental health issues, past trauma and domestic violence are all factors that can contribute to homelessness. These, coupled with the risks of living on the streets, leads to higher rates of assault, illness and mortality of women.

RESOLVE Project

• Alpha House purchased an apartment building in summer 2017 for 24 women who have experienced addiction and long-term or frequent homelessness. They are now raising funds through RESOLVE to pay off the mortgage.
• Tenants pay rent based on their income so that it’s affordable.

Design:

• Counselling rooms and office space provide a safe place to work through the trauma women have faced during homelessness.
• Common areas and kitchen are places to gather and socialize with other tenants. These rooms will also have shared computers for tenants.

Support:

• 24/7 onsite support with intensive support.
• Gender-specific building allows women to heal together.
• Trauma-sensitive programming designed with differences in culture in mind.

*Rendering and project features are subject to change

Kathy Christiansen, Executive Director

“For a woman who is dealing with homelessness and addiction, your choices are extremely limited. This project we are building through RESOLVE will not only give women opportunities to make safer choices — it will give them hope for a better future.” — Kathy Christiansen, Executive Director