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50 Stories Part 42: Face-to-Face for 50 years
October 27, 2020Image: Distress Centre counsellors in 2017. The professional qualifications for Distress Centre coun...
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50 Stories Part 41: The 5th Decade
October 20, 2020Image: Jerilyn Dressler (middle) accepting the City of Calgary Award for Community Advocate Organiza...
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Q3 Update from our Executive Director, Jerilyn Dressler
October 14, 2020See this update as a video! Hello everyone! I hope you all had a lovely long weekend and that you we...
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50 Stories Part 40: Carol Oliver – Woman With A Vision
October 13, 2020Image: Carol Oliver at the 2008 Distress Centre picnic. With the retirement of Barb Litchinsky, Caro...
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50 Stories Part 39: You Can Never Have Too Many Lawyers
October 6, 2020Image: The Distress Centre Board with Executive Director Barb Litchinsky at the 2004 volunteer banqu...
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50 Stories Part 38: Teen Line Goes On-Line
September 29, 2020Image: Teen Line volunteer Christmas party in 2000. In 2005 the Distress Centre’s youth program wa...
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We miss you!
September 23, 2020Today would have been Lend An Ear 2020. A message from Roxanne Cote, Resource Development Manager: &...
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50 Stories Part 37: Just To Hear Another Voice – Volunteers in the 2000s
September 22, 2020Image: Volunteers receiving recognition for their years of service with Distress Centre at the 2004 ...
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50 Stories Part 36: Out is Okay
September 16, 2020Image: Volunteers in the Contact Centre in 2006. For many years, Distress Centre volunteer and staff...
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50 Stories Part 35: Information Please – the launch of 211
September 8, 2020Image: 211 staff in 2006. Many people who call Distress Centre are looking for information to solve ...
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Roxanne Cote reflects on 10 years of Lend An Ear – Distress Centre’s signature fundraiser
September 7, 2020Guest post: Roxanne Cote, Resource Development Manager at Distress Centre (DC), started at DC in 200...
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50 Stories Part 34: Why We Were Doing All This – Counselling in the 2000s
September 1, 2020Image: Counsellors at a team building event in 2000. Counsellors in the first half of the 2000s cont...
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September is Lend An Ear Month!
September 1, 2020Since we can’t gather in person for Lend An Ear’s 10th Anniversary, we’re spending the month c...
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50 Stories Part 33: Moving and Money
August 25, 2020Image: Distress Centre staff if 2004. In 1998, Distress Centre was located just off of MacLeod Trail...
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50 Stories Part 32: Social Returns on Investment – Distress Centre in the 2000s
August 18, 2020Image: Volunteers in 2006. In the early 2000s, a new vision statement was crafted for Distress Centr...
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50 Stories Part 31: Modeling By Example – Barb Litchinsky
August 10, 2020Barb Litchinsky, the new Executive Director in 1996, brought her own strengths to the organization. ...
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Q2 Update from our Executive Director, Jerilyn Dressler
August 7, 2020See this update as a video! Hello and good day everyone! I hope you are able to take some time to en...
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50 Stories Part 30: Ready Or Not – Technology to 2000
August 4, 2020Image: A staff or volunteer in the early 2000s. During the ’80s, the Distress Centre/Drug Cent...
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We are reimagining Lend An Ear this year!
July 29, 2020As the COVID-19 pandemic first unfolded, we remained hopeful that we would still be able to celebrat...
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50 Stories Part 29: Nowhere Man – Men’s Lines 1998-2005
July 28, 2020Image: Created from the graphic used in Annual Reports to report on the Men’s Line. As the Boa...
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Chip in for Kids and turn your $10 donation into $30!
July 21, 2020The Shaw Charity Classic has unfortunately been cancelled this year, but Shaw is committed to contin...
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50 Stories Part 28: Doing what you need to do – youth lines in the ’90s
July 21, 2020Image: Teen Line volunteers in 1996. The Teen Line was still going strong in 1990/91 with a new 264-...
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50 Stories Part 27: Collaborate or else – service integration in the ’90s
July 14, 2020Image: From a newspaper in the early ’90s. A second major focus for Distress Centre/Drug Centr...
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50 Stories Part 26: World’s Largest Garage Sale – Fundraising in the ’90s
July 7, 2020Image: A musician performing at the 1993 Megathon. As requested by the Board, leadership began to lo...
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50 Stories Part 25: Money and Leadership – Board direction in the ’90s
June 30, 2020Image: AADAC Chair presenting plaque to DC Board Chair, Dell Stephens in 1995. Funding was an ongoin...
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50 Stories Part 24: Connecting with seniors
June 23, 2020Image: From a summer newsletter in 1996. Meeting the specific needs of seniors for crisis interventi...
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50 Stories Part 23: That’s Dedication – Glenda Nyberg, Volunteer from 1983 to 2002
June 16, 2020Image: Glenda Nyberg in her home in 2018. From the beginning, volunteers have been the backbone of D...
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50 Stories Part 22: Getting needs met – volunteering in the ’90s
June 9, 2020Image: Volunteers at the 1994 Christmas party. 150 volunteers were on the lines in 1990, with a new ...
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50 Stories Part 21: Saving a life – Judy’s story
June 3, 2020Client confidentiality has always been foundational to Distress Centre’s work. Occasionally caller...
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4 ways to be a better ally
June 1, 2020All over the world, people are coming together in support of the black community and in protest of o...
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50 Stories Part 20: You Just Felt Honoured – Counselling in the ’90s
May 26, 2020Counselling and public education continued to be a significant part of the Distress Centre/Drug Cent...
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50 Stories Part 19: Know When to Fold ‘Em – The Gambling Line
May 19, 2020In January of 1994, AADAC added a province-wide Gambling Line to their services. The government had ...
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Donor Spotlight: Simryn and Praveen Thind
May 14, 2020Guest Post: Simryn Thind Mental health is often a topic that is neglected or not prioritized, when i...
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2019 Report to the Community
May 13, 2020Every second counts when you’re in crisis. That’s why we’re always here to listen....
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50 Stories Part 18: High Hopes – The Youth Drug Line
May 12, 2020With its roots as a Drug Information Centre, Distress Centre has always had addiction support as a m...
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Distress Centre Calgary sees spike in crisis contacts due to COVID-19
May 6, 2020CALGARY – Distress Centre Calgary is reporting a rising number of crisis contacts related to...
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50 Stories Part 17: Celebrating the 20th Anniversary
May 5, 2020Happy Anniversary! Twenty years after its beginnings as the Drug Information Centre, Calgary Mayor A...
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Q1 Update from our Executive Director, Jerilyn Dressler
May 4, 2020See this update as a video! This is not the quarterly update I planned on writing. When I thought of...
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How does Distress Centre manage a fully remote contact centre?
April 30, 2020Image: Dakota Douglas, Crisis Team Lead, working remotely from home. As the severity of the COVID-19...
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50 Stories Part 16: More Than a Warm Heart: Counselling in the 80s
April 28, 2020Counselling continued to be a key aspect of the Distress Centre/Drug Centre services. At the 10th an...
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April 24 Update: Distress Centre’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic
April 24, 2020Our office remains closed but all of our services are still available by phone or online, including ...
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50 Stories Part Story 15: Taking care of business
April 21, 2020Image: Volunteer in a 1982 newspaper. During the 80s, The Board of Directors was able to move slowly...
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April 17 Update: Distress Centre’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic
April 17, 2020On March 17th, for the safety of our staff and volunteers, we closed our office. Within a week, we ...
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Distress Centre turns 50 TODAY!
Happy birthday Distress Centre! We first opened our doors 50 years ago on April 14th, 1970. We’ve ...
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50 Stories Part 14: Lending an Ear in the 80s
April 7, 2020Image: This image of volunteers appeared in our 20 year anniversary publication in 1990. At the 1980...
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50 Stories Part 13: Bye bye Old Y
March 31, 2020Image: Appeared in our 20 year anniversary publication in 1990. By 1980, the first location of the D...
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50 Stories Part 12: Just Between Teens
March 24, 2020In the early 70’s, most Drug Information Centre callers were adolescent. By the early 80’...
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March 19 Update: Distress Centre’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic
March 19, 2020Distress Centre closed our doors on March 17th, but we continue to provide 24 hour phone and email c...
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50 Stories Part 11: A time to grow, Distress Centre in the 80s
March 17, 20201980 marked the 10th anniversary of the Distress Centre/Drug Centre. At the Annual General Meeting...
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UPDATE: Distress Centre’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic
March 16, 2020CALGARY, Alta, March 16, 2020 – At Distress Centre Calgary, we’re closely monitoring the COVID-1...
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Distress Centre Calgary’s response to COVID-19
March 13, 2020At Distress Centre Calgary, we’re closely monitoring the COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) situation. T...
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50 Stories Part 10: A force of nature – Jeanette McEachern’s time as Executive Director
March 10, 2020In 1979, Board Chair Hilde Houlding proclaimed the departure of Dr. Stew Clark as Executive Direct...
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50 Stories Part 9: Money, money, money
March 3, 2020Throughout the 70s, funding was an ongoing challenge. Ken Low noted that generally: “Funding is a ...
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50 Stories Part 8: Day and Night, They Were the Ones
February 25, 2020From the first days of the Drug Information Centre, volunteers have been key to its success. Since m...
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Donate through Birdies for Kids and have your donation matched up to 50%!
February 20, 2020We are excited to announce that we have been selected to be a part of Shaw Birdies for Kids presente...
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50 Stories Part 7: Moving towards the 80s
February 18, 2020Image: A contact card from 1979. Some information removed to protect confidentiality. Compared to th...
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50 Stories Part 6: Venturing out
February 11, 2020In the early 1970s, outreach to clients, to the local community and to other professionals formed si...
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50 Stories Part 5: From drugs to distress
February 4, 2020Image: From a 1972 newspaper. At the end of 1971, the Drug Information Centre (DIC) continued at its...
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Self-care tips from crisis line volunteers
January 28, 2020Self-care is any activity that we intentionally do in order to take care of our physical, mental and...
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50 Stories Part 4: Rocky Mountain High(lights)
January 28, 2020While smoking dope and ‘finding themselves,’ Canadian youth were crossing the country in large n...
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50 Stories Part 3: Sex, Drugs and Rock and Roll
January 21, 2020Although it was the general concern for youth encountering the drug culture that prompted the origin...
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50 Stories Part 2: In the beginning… there were drugs
January 14, 2020Pictured: The Drug Information Centre logo. Distress Centre got its start in 1970 as the Drug Inform...
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Distress Centre is moving!
January 13, 2020We are moving! As of February 1st, our new address will be: Suite 500, 999 8th Street SW, Calgary, A...
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50 Stories for 50 Years: Exploring the history of Distress Centre Calgary from 1969 to present
January 7, 2020Welcome to 50 stories for 50 years, the history of Distress Centre Calgary from 1969 to the present....
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Q4 Update from our Executive Director, Jerilyn Dressler
December 18, 2019See this update as a video! As 2019 comes to a close, we look back on the year’s successes and cha...
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Staff Spotlight: Natasha Dharshi
November 20, 2019Natasha Dharshi began volunteering on the Distress Centre crisis lines in 2014. The experience she g...
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Over $24,000 raised for teens in distress at Outrun the Stigma
November 7, 2019Pictured: The Distress Centre team at Outrun the Stigma 2019. This year marked the 7th annual Outrun...
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Keynote speaker shares his struggles and his triumphs
September 13, 2019Bob Wilkie, a native Calgarian, fell in love with playing hockey as soon as his dad introduced him t...
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World Suicide Prevention Day: More people comfortable talking about suicide online versus on the phone
September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day and Distress Centre wants anyone experiencing suicida...
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Q3 Update from our Executive Director, Jerilyn Dressler
August 6, 2019See this update as a video! After a rainy start to the season, it feels like summer is finally here....
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Distress Centre’s Impact Part 2: Stories from our service users
July 30, 2019Distress Centre has responded to over 38,000 crisis calls, chats, texts and emails so far in 2019 (a...
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Indigenous people in need of support can contact 211 to connect to services
June 21st is National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada, a day to celebrate the heritage, diverse cul...
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Volunteers honoured at our semi-annual appreciation night
May 30, 2019Twice a year, Distress Centre holds an evening to show appreciation for the amazing volunteers that ...
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2018 Report to the Community
May 9, 2019We’re here for you when things seem dark. Everyone has dark days, dark thoughts and dark moods...
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Walk with us at Darkness Into Light Calgary
April 25, 2019At the early hour of 5am on May 11, 2019, hundreds of Calgarians will gather in the darkness at Prin...
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Volunteer Spotlight: Dee Bardsley
April 8, 2019Dee Bardsley, a retired schoolteacher, began volunteering on our crisis lines in 2013. She still rem...
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Q1 Update from our Executive Director, Jerilyn Dressler
April 1, 2019See this update as a video! It was a very long winter for all of us here in Calgary and across Alber...
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Distress Centre’s Impact: Stories from our service users
Each month, we receive around 10,000 calls to our crisis line. Here are three stories highlighting t...
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What to do when you’re worried about someone’s mental health
January 29, 2019According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 1 in 5 people in Canada will personally experie...
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Distress Centre takes over City of Calgary Information Centre’s database
Despite the large number of social services available in Calgary, people who need help often don’t...
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How the very busy Karen, from Stresscase, builds self-care into her day
January 8, 2019Karen Pickles first called Distress Centre’s crisis line six years ago. As a single mother of two ...
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Why Distress Centre Matters: “Calling this line helps me feel less isolated.”
December 27, 2018“Distress Centre, Gwen speaking.” “Hello, my name is Mary*,” said a soft voice on the other ...
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Why Distress Centre Matters: “I just filed for bankruptcy. I want to thank you.”
December 20, 2018“Distress Centre, Omar speaking.” “Hello, my name is Adam*,” said the voice on the other end...
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A message from our Executive Director, Jerilyn Dressler
December 18, 20182018 has been another challenging year for both Calgarians and our agency, due to the economy and th...
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Why Distress Centre Matters: “I’m trying to call shelters, pack my stuff and tend to my son – it’s all too much.”
“211, Marcus speaking. How can I help you?” “I’m trying to get into a women’s shelter,” ...
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Why Distress Centre Matters: “I’m writing a suicide note to my sister right now.”
November 27, 2018“Distress Centre, Mei speaking.” “I am worthless,” said a low voice on the other end of the ...
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Why Distress Centre Matters: “I’m having a panic attack right now.”
November 21, 2018“Thank you for contacting Distress Centre. This is Anne.” “I’m having a panic attack right n...
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$94,650 raised for teens in distress at Outrun the Stigma
November 15, 2018This year marked the 6th annual Outrun the Stigma, a walk/run in support of mental health awareness ...
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Jerilyn Dressler named Top 40 Under 40 Class of 2018
October 29, 2018Congratulations to our Executive Director, Jerilyn Dressler, who was named in Avenue Magazine‘...
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Michael Kirui: From Kenya to the Distress Centre crisis lines
October 16, 2018In loving memory of Martha. “My grandma was so loving and caring. She always said to me ‘Do ...
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Our Impact Funders:
