TAKE ACTION
You Don't Need Money To Make A Difference.
The most powerful thing you can give someone experiencing homelessness is dignity. The simple and radical act of seeing them as a person is worth so much; you can do that today, for free, anywhere in Calgary. Here's how.
Seven ways to help right now
Small acts. Real impact
None of these requires a donation to us, a signup, or special training. They only require you.
Say Hello
Stop And listen
Buy them a meal
A genuine greeting goes further than you'd think. Make eye contact, smile, and use their name if you learn it. These small acts, though maybe uncomfortable, can make someone's day.
Carry Something to give
A granola bar, socks, a bottle of water, for example. Small items in your bag can meet a real need in the moment. These are things that don't require extensive preparation or donations to an organization, but make such a difference in our overall mission.
If someone wants to talk, give them a few minutes. Being truly heard is something many homeless individuals rarely experience.
SPeak Up
Push back when someone dismisses or dehumanizes a homeless person. Support starts with love, and advocacy builds love in the advocate and those around them. It also expresses love towards the homeless population.
Ask what they'd like, and mean it. Don't think they should to be happy with whatever you hand them. Letting someone choose is a small act of dignity with real effects.
Share our Mission
Tell a friend, follow us on social media, or pass the story along. Awareness helps us reach more people and make our city a better place.
And most important of all
Pray for them
If you're a person of faith, pray for them- especially by name if you know it, which you should ask. Lifting someone before God is never a small thing.
The Heart Behind It
Why this matters
HFI was built on the belief that every person, regardless of their circumstances, carries inherent worth and dignity. That belief comes from our faith:
"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'"
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Matthew 25: 35-36, 40