Even the most troubling issues can be solved with a simple, pragmatic approach.
Yesterday, the United Way of Calgary and Area distributed 10,000 Hope in Hard Times guidebooks city-wide, offering recently unemployed Calgarians or those facing financial hardship a where-to-turn tool to navigate difficult times.
“What we tried to convey in this is, no matter how desperate your situation might feel, there’s something you can do,” said Loreen Gilmour, poverty director for the United Way.
Gilmour said information from their Resiliency Report indicated a need to provide clear, concise information for Calgarians who are struggling with job loss and financial uncertainty for the first time.
Michelle Wickerson of Distress Centre Calgary believes the United Way’s recent endeavour has not only responded to the needs of Calgarians, but also to those of city support organization by providing a mechanism to alleviate or reduce the sense of being overwhelmed with their circumstances.
“People are calling us very overwhelmed — they’re going through circumstances they haven’t dealt with in the past,” said Wickerson.
“Hope in Hard Times is allowing people to go through step-by-step what things they might want to consider in where their next steps might be.”
The booklet is being distributed throughout the city, at banks, public libraries, government and social agencies, and can also be found online at calgaryunited way.org.
