For Sarah*, it started with a setback she couldn’t have planned for. Working two jobs to support her three young children, she was managing to stay afloat — until a sudden medical issue forced her to take time off. Within weeks, the bills piled up. Within months, the rent went unpaid. Soon after, she and her children had nowhere to go.
“I felt like I’d failed them,” she says. “I’m their mom. I’m supposed to keep them safe.”
For many families, the path into housing instability is not a single moment, but a series of events that escalate quickly — a job loss, an illness, a rent increase or the need to leave an unsafe situation.
When she arrived at Inn from the Cold, Sarah wasn’t looking for charity. She was looking for a chance to rebuild.
With access to safe shelter and comprehensive supports, she was able to focus on her health, secure stable employment and create a sense of normalcy for her children. Today, her family is in a home of their own. Her children are back in school, and Sarah is rebuilding her life with confidence.
“You gave me more than housing,” she says to Inn from the Cold. “You gave me back my dignity as a mother.”
Supporting families in crisis
For almost 30 years, Inn from the Cold has been helping vulnerable families find stability in times of crisis. As the largest family shelter in Alberta, The INN works from a simple but powerful belief: every child and family deserves a safe and stable place to call home.
Through its three core programs — Prevention and Diversion, Family Shelter and Supportive Housing — The INN provides both immediate relief and long-term solutions. Families facing eviction can access support to remain housed or find a new home quickly. Those with nowhere else to turn can access an emergency shelter designed specifically for families. Supportive housing helps families build stability and independence over time.
As housing costs rise and affordability becomes increasingly out of reach, the need for these services continues to grow. Families are increasingly experiencing housing instability in Canada, and more are turning to The INN for help.
A campaign rooted in community
To meet this growing need, Inn from the Cold is calling on the community through its annual A Village Can campaign.
Running until June 7, the campaign is built on a simple idea: when a community comes together, meaningful change is possible. Last year, The INN saw 1,335 families reaching out for support through its 24/7 Helpline. Of families who completed a Triage and Housing Solutions assessment, 65 per cent were calling because they couldn’t afford rent, didn’t have stable housing or were facing eviction.
These numbers reflect both the growing need and the impact of collective action.
This year, the goal is to raise $1.2 million. Thanks to a generous group of donors, all gifts up to $700,000 will be matched, doubling the impact of every donation.
Funds raised through the campaign go directly toward supporting families like Sarah’s — providing safe shelter, meals and the wraparound services needed to help parents regain stability and plan for the future.
At its core, A Village Can is about more than fundraising. It’s about ensuring no family faces crisis alone.
Because when a community shows up — with compassion, generosity and a shared sense of responsibility — it can change the course of a family’s future.
Learn more or contribute at AVillageCan.ca
* Name has been changed to protect the source’s identity.
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