One Step Closer to Shelter

Dear Stakeholder

We have big news we want to share with you! Yes, we have been sort of quiet for the past few months, but we have been very busy behind the scenes. Plans have changed, and in an amazing way for the prospect of folks having emergency shelter this winter!

A generous community member has donated a building and property to our cause. The former Bell building (the historical Royal Café and boarding house) has been gifted to ACCHS by Mr. Bob Edgar and we couldn't be more appreciative!

And while this generous gift will be perfect for all of our proposed operations, there is a lot of work to be done to get it there. Transferring title, getting utilities set up and having development permits approved all need to happen before we can even think about opening the doors. We are committed and well on our way to seeing these items through.

Our vision for this location is to eventually provide all levels of service (emergency shelter, temporary housing and low-cost rentals) to unsheltered and unhoused folks in Athabasca, and that it will become a vibrant hub of the downtown community. There is space to offer programming like Nar-anon meetings, service referrals, crafting, counselling, education and even to start a small business to provide employment for our clients.

We know there have been concerns in the community about which building is involved and what impacts it will have on the Downtown neighbourhood. We understand and want to address those concerns. We will be attending some events in September and holding our own info session to speak face-to-face with community members. Check out our list of events below.

We have and will be applying for grants to cover some operational costs, but we will be fundraising to cover the capital costs such as repairs and utility hookups. The more funds we can raise, the more we can do to make the building safe, healthy and secure for our clients and our neighbours. Take a look below at our online fundraising platform or if you can, donate directly to us via E-transfer to athabascacares@gmail.com. We can't issue receipts at this time, but we're working on that, too!

Once we have the keys to the doors, we will also be calling out to our supporters for material donations and volunteers for some good ol' elbow grease.

With your support, which we appreciate so much, we can turn this historical building into a pathway to the future for our clients. A place they can start their journey into having permanent housing and their own bed to sleep in at night.
 

- The ACCHS Board of Directors

Safe and secure online fundraising with Crowdfunding Alberta

The Government of Alberta has partnered with Fundrazer, a well-known crowdfunding platform, to offer Alberta non-profits and charities a safe, secure, and reputable way to crowdfund their projects.

Organizations can keep all the campaign funds raised (minus transaction fees) and can run multiple campaigns at the same time.

The real bonus though... the Government of Alberta will match up to 30% of funds raised in the first 8 weeks of the campaign, up to $15,000, so the more we can raise in the next few weeks, the better!

We know that not everyone is financially able to donate, but sharing the campaign with your family, friends and associates is a great way to support us too!

PS If you are a non-profit and sign up, be sure to let them know that we referred you and we could get a referral bonus!

Thanks for the Support

We'd like to thank the following community supporters:

• Bob Edgar

• Mayor Balay and Town Council & Admin

• Reeve Hall and County Council

• Athabasca Native Friendship Centre

• Stingray Radio (Have you heard our ad?)

• Due North Property Inspection

• Athabasca RCMP Detachment

• Athabasca United Church

• Taking Care Counselling and Consulting

• Aspen Primary Care Network

And all the generous folks who have donated to our campaign so far!
You're the best!!!

We're looking for Directors

If you are passionate about ending homelessness in Athabasca, have a couple of hours to spare each week (we're a working board and there is a lot to do) and have skills to share, we would love to hear from you! Please email athabascacares@gmail.com for more information.

Why Have I Received this Newsletter?

At some point in time in the past, you have had communications with ACCHS and indicated that you would like to be kept up to date on our organization and activities. This will be the main way that we communicate with stakeholders and partners. If you do not want to receive further emails, please unsubscribe below.