Despite the trails and tribulations of 2020, December was an exciting month for our organization. With so many of us facing tough times this year, we were amazed by the unwavering kindness of Calgarians during the holiday season. It’s situations like Covid-19 that test our collective resiliency – and time and time again, we witness the incredible strength of Calgarians as they rally together to support some of their most vulnerable citizens.
The second half of the year held several “firsts” for our organization- In August we unveiled our new brand, Forward Housing, to the world for the first time. In December we successfully executed #PayitForwardYYC, our first ever social media campaign.
#PayitForwardYYC was focused on the importance of home and structured around engaging the real estate and housing related industries in Calgary to support the affordable housing sector. 100% of funds raised during the campaign were directed towards our G.A.P. program- which provides direct rent relief to our tenants paying the highest percentage of income towards rent. Without the support from the GAP Program many of these households struggle to afford their housing, and report having to chose between basic needs to make ends meet. At Forward Housing we believe that no one should have to choose between keeping a roof over their heads or putting food on the table. Thanks to the success of #PayitForwardYYC, and the generosity of the many Calgarians that participated, we will be able to offer stability to more households in 2021 than ever before.
#PayitForwardYYC surprised us in so many ways. While unsure what to expect from our first online campaign, we are proud to have raised just over $30,000 from a total of 26 charitable donors! We also were given the opportunity to meet so many amazing people and build relationships that will last far beyond the lifespan of the campaign.
A huge shout out to all our supporters and our new friends- thank you for joining us in the pursuit of creating homes where everyone can thrive! We look forward to putting your generosity to work in 2021 and giving vulnerable Calgarians the best gift of all- a safe and affordable home.