The Samaritan Club of Calgary was started 115 years ago.

We were founded in 1910 by Mrs. Lenora Woods, wife of the publisher of the Calgary Herald who had seen young women getting off the trains with nothing but a suitcase. Leonora felt compelled to help them and assembled a small group of women who drove a team of horses with a buckboard around the city collecting junk, rags and paper – the sales of which benefited new arrivals to Calgary.

The Samaritan Club of Calgary continues to be volunteer-run, which means no office rent or paid staff.  All administrative costs incurred to run the organization, which are minimal, are paid for by annual membership dues. As a result, 100% of the money that we raise or that is donated to us goes into our assistance programs.

The Samaritan Club of Calgary is dedicated to providing a “hand up” to Calgarians in need. The Club provides support to families in crisis or out of options only by referral from health care professionals such as nurses, social workers, and occupational therapists. Each request for assistance must come to us either by phone call or written request for assistance. Our programs help with:

• Groceries and medications via our Family Assistance Program
• Layettes for newborns via our Layette Program
• Aids to Daily Living via our Special Requests Program

2024-25 Results:

• 691 children and 619 adults were helped to purchase groceries and prescriptions at local Co-op stores, usually within 24 hours of the request.
• 710 Layettes (a bundle of necessities for a new baby) were assembled and distributed to hospitals and postpartum support groups.
• $63,224, was spent in providing aids to daily living (such as wheelchairs, hospital beds and mattresses, raised toilet seats, and walkers) to 58 low-income Calgarians.
• $10,000 given to send kids to camps run by Calgary Apraxia and Youthlink Calgary Police Interpretive Centre.
• $6,000 in scholarships for students who attend the Louise Dean High School or the Discovering Choices program to pursue post-secondary education.

The Samaritan Club of Calgary provides much needed support to Calgarians in need.

The following was received from a maternity/child Social Worker after distributing a layette to a new mom:

“They were not born in Canada and are here with no family or friends. Mom had a very traumatic delivery, and they have not been sleeping well since then.  They have also encountered a series of financial stressors prior to delivery, and even though they have been working, they have been struggling. I brought them a beautiful layette for their precious baby girl.  They cried and were so grateful.  They said that this was the first "gift" their baby has received.”

In addition to the Layette, the family was given a grocery voucher to help them through this difficult time.

Fundraising efforts:

Samaritans raise funds throughout the year. All of the money raised goes back into the community via our three Programs and support of Summer camps and scholarships. Funds are raised through the Super Thrift Sales, a Bridge & Games luncheon, an annual golf tournament and donations.

DONATE: We ask that you assist us in supporting an ever-increasing population in Calgary suffering from food insecurity and an inability to support their families with aids to daily living.

Please visit here to donate: www.samaritanclub.ca

Attend a fundraiser:

• Semi-annual Super Thrift Sale is held on the last Saturday of April and on the last Saturday of September at Hillhurst Sunnyside Community Association (continuous since 1947).
• Golf Tournament is held in August.
• Cards & Games Luncheon and silent auction is held in late October.

Please visit our website for more information on our fundraising events.

Become a member:

Please EMAIL US to see if becoming a member is the right fit for you.