Who We Are + Our Mission:
The Heart Home Network serves people at risk of family violence by providing a safe housing environment and comprehensive support services for its residents, so that they can transition to living stable lives free of abuse in the community. We provide essential services such as safe housing, first necessity items, counseling, and educational/recreational programs.
All financial support received will be used to carry out our mission: to support people at risk who have experienced family violence to live safely and successfully in our community. Currently, our Top 3 Priority Areas are Mental Health, Programming, and Child Development Relief Staff.
“The Network is all about discovering what’s already in you; it’s there for you to learn about yourself, from yourself.” – Former HHN Resident
Our Programs
Secure Housing: Second-Stage Shelter (34 units) and Progressive Housing (51 units). Primarily two-bedroom units for mothers and their children. Home Décor volunteers ensure that upon moving in, each family feels welcome.
Food Program: Food Pantry with staple foods, fresh refrigerated food, spices, and non-perishable items from the Calgary Food Bank are stored. The Hillhurst-Sunnyside Community Centre located nearby provides free fresh produce weekly.
Adult Services: Counsellors help clients settle into the building, provide emotional support, and assist with finances, education, and employment. Parenting Group and Women’s Support Group is a judgement-free place for women to learn more about themselves and how to care for their children. Workshops are available for resume building, interview preparation, and legal matters. Our Brighter Futures program helps foster workplace and life skills development.
Child Services: Child and Youth Counsellors offer play and art therapy for kids ages 4+ as well as mental health referrals. Outcomes targeted in counselling range from mental health to social skills, confidence, and education.
Our Child Development Center (CDC) provides trauma-informed supervised programming for children 0-12, free of cost. The curriculum focuses on attainment of positive attachments as well as developmental and social-emotional milestones. We provide a safe environment where children can engage in positive learning opportunities, which values children as co-creators of their environment and the world around them. HHN’s CDC works collaboratively with both internal and external organizations to enhance better outcomes for our children, families, and our communities. In addition, we run volunteer-supported homework help and tutoring, Walk2School, and school snack programs for elementary school students.
Counseling and Case Management
Counsellors and Case Managers address needs, set goals, and develop programming to help our clients build resiliency. Depending on need, residents typically attend at least one appointment per week. If a client has a need or is facing a barrier, the team will work creatively to find resources and support to meet that need or to remove the barrier.
Recently, the demand for counseling services at our shelter has increased. We are looking to expand our counseling service to provide more frequent counseling sessions for clients with immediate needs, achieve improved youth engagement, and sustain our current programming in collaboration with our community partners.
“The staff and management meet the resident families where they are – honor and listen to their struggles. They provide resources and support(s) thereby, inspiring residents to make changes, grow and confidently start rebuilding their lives to become future thrivers.” – HHN Client
Housing Locator and Landlord Coordinator
After the Second Stage period has ended, clients decide whether to move into Progressive Housing or find alternative housing in the community. Our Housing Locator helps clients decide what is best for them and their families, based on their monthly finances. Our Landlord Coordinator is here to help clients with day-to-day matters, necessary repairs, signing leases, move in and move out inspections, and ensuring timely payment of rent.
What you can do to support
We believe that the path to a healthy, violence-free society starts with people getting involved.
1. Join our digital mailing list at the bottom of our website! You can also follow us on Instagram and Twitter to keep up to date on updates and emerging needs.
2. Consider donating your time to the HHN! Volunteers are extraordinarily important. Check out our volunteer page for current openings or email us at [email protected].
3. Attend our events and fundraisers! Keep an eye out on our website for impactful events. See updates on our social media or on our News and Events page.
4. Donate today to support women and children leaving family violence.
5. Support our 2024/25 Areas of Need (listed below) and make a direct and lasting impact on vulnerable women and children.
Do you have other ideas for fundraising? We would love to hear from you! Email our Director of Resource Development at [email protected]
Thank you for helping us work towards a community free from family violence.
Current Areas of Need – 2024/25 – Programs
The Brenda Strafford Foundation is passionate about providing programs and services that fulfill our guiding philosophy of The Preservation of Dignity and The Pursuit of Happiness. Currently, we are looking for community support to continue these initiatives:
Brighter Futures
Seeking $129,000 of Support
The Heart Home Network’s Brighter Futures program is an eight-week essential skills training initiative designed to support women impacted by family violence in the Calgary area. By offering training and certification in administrative occupations, mentorship, coaching, and employment support, the program aims to help marginalized women achieve economic self-sufficiency. Collaborative partnerships with the post-secondary sector, local businesses, and guest facilitators enhance the program, while participant feedback ensures its continuous evolution. Launched in 2022 with funding from the Government of Alberta’s Civil Society Fund and other generous supporters, Brighter Futures has successfully graduated over 30 women across four cohorts, demonstrating its effectiveness in addressing isolation and poverty.
To continue offering Brighter Futures in the 2024-25 fiscal year, we seek $129,000 in funding to cover program lead and facilitator salaries, engagement activities, guest speaker honoraria, promotion, travel for offsite components, and educational materials. Serving approximately 275 women and children annually, the Heart Home Network relies on this program to empower new clients and support the evolving goals of current ones. Brighter Futures not only builds participants’ confidence and employability but also promotes positive interpersonal skills, helping to break the cycle of intergenerational trauma and create more resilient communities. This initiative is crucial for ensuring that women and their families can achieve financial stability and provide a nurturing environment for future generations.
Rainbow Room
Seeking $49,000 of Support
The Rainbow Room is our Family Counseling Room, designed to provide a safe space for mothers and children to work through mental health and attachment challenges in an age-appropriate way. Our counselors support children using play, music, and art. Specific needs and goals are identified by mothers and the children themselves. We are always looking to keep the Rainbow Room well stocked with therapeutic aids, staffed with specialized Family Counsellors, and available to every mom and child in need, and are seeking $25,000 to support in this work.
Heart Home Network has begun exploring a new service, Canine Therapy, in the Rainbow Room and is looking to pilot a year-long program to enhance our existing core offerings. To actualize this idea, we have been trialing our in-house Facility Dog, Swell, a six-year-old PADS certified Labrador Retriever, in the space since Fall 2023 for 16 hours/week and are seeking funding of $24,000 to support the pilot-project for 2024/25. This funding would primarily support staffing costs associated with Swell’s certified second-handler (a licensed Family Counsellor) in the Rainbow Room.
Current Areas of Need – 2024 Capital
Heart Home Network has been providing services in our current location since 2010. With the growing age of the building, we are looking to complete some vital upgrades to improve the space and increase the quality of life for families. Currently, we are looking for community support to continue these initiatives:
Air Conditioning
Seeking $60,000 of Support
With rising temperatures in Calgary, air conditioning for our large building is necessary for the comfort of clients, staff, and volunteers. While some areas of the building have been updated, there is a need to install new air conditioning units in the common areas of floors 2 to 6 of our building.
Common areas are crucial spaces of our building and are used hundreds of times daily. From moving clients in and out of the building, to creating muster spaces for floor mates, common spaces are necessary for the efficient functioning of our building. We are graciously seeking $60,000 to support the purchase of new units to improve the common areas and create more welcoming and comfortable spaces for families fleeing domestic violence.
Elevator Motor Replacement
Seeking $26,000 of Support
Heart Home Network’s elevator system (comprised of 2 elevators) is the backbone of our building. In addition to being the main elevator for all clients and staff to access units, it is vital for many daily operations of the building including move ins/outs, cleaning, and donation/food deliveries.
One of our elevators needs a motor replacement due to the age of the unit. We are graciously seeking $26,000 to support in the purchase of a new motor for our elevator, ensuring families, staff, and volunteers can use the building to the greatest capacity.