In the face of adversity
2020 changed our community and the world in ways that we never expected. Our “normal” was replaced with uncertainty. As we shifted the way we live and work to adhere to public health measures, businesses and livelihoods were challenged, and our mental health was significantly impacted.
As lockdowns were put in place, all of our social interactions came to a standstill. Schools, offices, restaurants, places of worship, sports activities and other recreational venues were all closed. To make matters worse, as we lost the opportunities for socializing and recharging, we also lost our support network of friends and family, all the while having to take on additional stressors. Parents had to adopt the role of educators, kids couldn’t play in playgrounds, and families and friends couldn’t see each other. Many experienced isolation, distress, and anxiety.
As the world and our community faced the disruption brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Calgary Counselling Centre (CCC) took assertive and quick action to ensure that Calgarians could get the support they needed. Our purpose of improving the well-being of our clients has always been our driving force, and during these trying times when the mental health of Calgarians was under increased stress, that purpose only intensified.
On March 16, CCC completely transitioned to delivering all of our services and programs remotely. We immediately began the transition when the announcement of the lockdown was made on Friday, March 13. Within 36 hours over the weekend, we completed the transition. We ensured our clients received uninterrupted support while keeping the same level of privacy and quality as in-person counselling.
Our community has faced hardships in the past — economic instability, natural disasters, changing political landscapes — through it all, CCC has continued to provide barrier free mental health services to those who need it. Our commitment to the mental health and well-being of our community has driven us since 1962. And when our community faces adversity, our resolve only grows.
Although 2020 was a year of adversity, we served more Calgarians than ever before. In 2020 we received 11,831 requests for service, a 5 per cent increase from 2019. Even with this increased demand, we provided over 44,000 hours of counselling without a wait list.
Our Annual Report
Message from the board
“With a team of skilled staff, the needed technology, and support from generous donors and community partners, we were able to quickly adapt to providing counselling services over the phone and online. CCC faced the challenges presented to them with unshakeable dedication to ensure clients received the help they needed.”
Message from the CEO
“I’m incredibly proud of the dedication and commitment of our staff, who worked tirelessly to ensure our clients received the help they needed. The support of our Board and the generosity of our donors was paramount in our ability to serve more clients than ever before without interruptions to our services and without a wait list or financial barriers.”
Year in review
Get a snapshot of what 2020 looked like at Calgary Counselling Centre — for our clients, staff, interns and residents, board members, and volunteers.
Our pillars
This past year may have changed the way we serve our clients, but not the quality of care they receive or the outstanding results they see from our services.
Finance
See our financials.
Our donors
This year, more than ever, we are truly grateful to our donors whose generosity helped thousands of Calgarians get the mental health support they needed in such a challenging year.