An investment to support our Justice System Initiative

We’re thrilled to announce that Distress Centre Calgary has received a generous grant of $243,690 from the Alberta Law Foundation to support our Justice System Initiative!

Many Calgarians accessing our Coordinated Entry Program face justice-related barriers that can hinder their access to essential needs like housing and income. While our System Navigators have traditionally provided basic information about justice resources, we recognized the need for specialized support to help individuals navigate the complexities of the justice system.

With this funding, we have successfully hired two Justice Navigators and a Justice-Focused Team Lead. Our Justice Navigators assist individuals with a range of needs, including victim navigation services, support for residential tenancy disputes, and in-person court assistance.

This initiative promotes equitable access to justice for the vulnerable populations we serve. Since launching in June 2024, we’ve already helped 155 unique individuals, providing a total of 232 services.

Thank you, Alberta Law Foundation, for helping us make a meaningful impact in our community! 

How This Help Makes a Difference: Casey’s Story

Casey*, a participant of Coordinated Entry’s services since 2023, has struggled with multiple barriers including houselessness, substance use and memory loss due to a traumatic brain injury. In October, they sought help from our Justice Navigators to file legal documents for access to funds, which would support their efforts to secure stable housing, healthcare, food security, and income support. 

After notarizing the paperwork, Casey missed Coordinated Entry’s closing time and couldn’t submit the documents electronically, putting them at serious risk of losing access to the much-needed funds due to the missed deadline. Justice Navigators advocated on Casey’s behalf, explained the situation, and emailed the administrator with the application. A few days later, Casey revisited Coordinated Entry and confirmed the administrator accepted the application and granted more time for additional paperwork to be sent in. Casey was very relieved and grateful for the support.

Thanks to Alberta Law Foundation’s investment in Coordinated Entry’s Justice System initiative, Casey is just one of many Calgarians getting help navigating the complex justice system, which helps them move forward to find stable housing and address their ongoing needs, in order to thrive.

We are deeply thankful to Alberta Law Foundation for making this possible and helping us serve those in need.

*Name has been changed to maintain confidentiality.

Interested in supporting Distress Centre Calgary’s programs and services? Visit our Donate page to learn about ways to help.