inn from the cold

Sometimes, we forget how fortunate we are to have the simple things- a roof over our heads, food to eat, and a warm bed to sleep in at night, Many Calgarians, however, are not as fortunate. There are individuals, families and kids that, for whatever reason, can not meet these basic needs for themselves and their children, or who are struggling to get back on their feet and to find a safe, warm place to stay.

Inn from the Cold is an agency that helps by providing emergency shelter and meals to guests in need. They recognize that homelessness can happen to anyone. It may be a young child whose family is splitting apart, or a hard-working adult who just lost a job and cannot make ends meet. Whatever the reason, Inn from the Cold provides a refuge where homeless families can go and stay together while they rebuild their lives.

Inn from the Cold is made up of a network of over 70 churches, synagogues and organizations and nearly 4,000 volunteers that provide emergency shelter for guests every night of the year. Guests are also provided with meals, showers, toiletries and social opportunities. They are also offered the services and programs they require to rebuild their lives and break the cycle of homelessness through partnerships with other social agencies.

YVC Volunteers who volunteers for Inn from the Cold projects help out in many ways. Volunteers work together to set up beds, arranging cots and bedding and setting out toiletries. We then help to set up tables and chairs for dinner, arrange utensils and condiments, prepare beverages and assist the other group of volunteers who are preparing the dinner. Often, we prepare bag lunches for guests to take with them the next day. Once guests begin to arrive, we welcome them and help sign them in, and make sure that everyone is comfortable and has found a bed. When guests are seated for dinner, we help to serve the food, and then afterwards, we are invited to enjoy dinner along with the guests. Afterwards, we help clean up and wash dishes, and then any time left over we have the opportunity to visit with guests or play games with the children. It is always a fun and rewarding project, and many volunteers return again and again to help out because they enjoy it so much.

If you would like to volunteer for Inn from the Cold projects, please be open to helping out with a variety of tasks, working independently and with a team, and please have a positive and accepting attitude towards guests and other volunteers. Together, we can help those in need and make a world of difference!

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