Equipping and Mobilizing a Community to Respond to COVID19 

"It is amazing how when relationships have been built and when people know how to work together how quickly they can respond" -

When COVID19 hit the relationships, training, and work already done on community issues paid off quickly in Calgary. Leaders put their training into action. The first thing they did was to build a team in their institutions who would listen and care for their members.

Because of the research, and conversation, they had already done they knew mental health would be an issue - so they put into action a plan they had been developing to train community leaders in mental health support skills. As a result, they trained hundreds of leaders who then made thousands of calls to provide support and connection. 

What a powerful evening

Knox United Church was full.

Full of people. Full of energy. Full of possibility.

It started with the beautiful singing and dancing of our children. A blessing and song from Elder Good Eagle. Then came the roll call. Organization after organization came up to not only demonstrate the power they represent but also why being a part of the Calgary Alliance for the Common Good was important. Then, everyone stood and with some good whooping and hollering years of leadership training and hard work by local leaders culminated in the formal founding of The Calgary Alliance for the Common Good. Congratulations to all the local leaders who made this a reality.