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Capital Campaign

Help Us Rise: More Hands, More Room, More Calgarians Helped

Every day, more Calgarians come to Rise in moments of crisis. We're raising $350,000 to grow our team, extend our hours, and one day open a home of our own — and every dollar will be matched.

$1,000 raised

of $350,000

21 months to go

Donate now

We're Out of Room — and Calgarians Are Waiting

Every day, more Calgarians turn to Rise in moments of crisis. They line up outside our doors — sometimes past two or three neighbouring businesses — for tax help, benefit applications, and support. We meet them where they are. But we've outgrown the space and staff we have, and right now, the limits of our building are becoming limits on who we can help.

You can help us:

  1. Secure Our Own Space

    Rent on our current facility consumes money that should go to clients — and the space itself is working against us.

    • We run Calgary's largest tax clinic, but our clients have no privacy when sharing sensitive financial and personal information.
    • Staff have nowhere to hold a quiet, confidential conversation with someone in crisis — and no dedicated space to even eat lunch.
    • Our largest office has room for just two client computers, in a service built around helping people complete applications online.
    • Our aging facility costs more to keep running every year.

    A permanent home of our own means privacy for clients, dignity for everyone who walks in, and every rent dollar redirected to the people we serve.

  2. Expand Our Team

    Demand is rising faster than our staffing can keep up — and it's already costing Calgarians access.

    • We recently had to close our Bowness office entirely to keep our other locations running.
    • Our Forest Lawn office just expanded from three days a week to five — but our team is stretched thin keeping it open.
    • Some locations still operate only three days a week, leaving people waiting when they can't afford to.
    • We rely heavily on student volunteers, but don't have enough staff to properly train and support them. More staff means students are set up to succeed — and clients get better help.

    Your gift puts more trained, supported people on the front lines — and keeps our doors open five days a week, everywhere.

“Being able to get through the period where it was a struggle and things were very tight. Gave the breathing room to regroup and get back on track.”
Rise Calgary Client
Rise Calgary ClientBasic Needs Fund Recipient
Rise Calgary staff member at information booth with red telephone banner at community event.
Two volunteers paint an orange accent wall in an interior room during renovation work.
Woman with curly black hair speaking in an office setting, gesturing with her hands.

Double Your Impact

A group of generous Rise Calgary donors has pledged to match every gift to this campaign, dollar for dollar, up to $350,000. Give $50, and Rise receives $100. Give $500, and it becomes $1,000 — moving us twice as fast toward a permanent home and a fully staffed team.

Donate — Your Gift Is Doubled

Considering a leadership gift, corporate gift, or gift of securities? Contact Salimah Kassam at Salimah.Kassam@risecalgary.ca — larger gifts go even further with the match.

The Demand Is Real

Last year alone, stretched across part-time hours and borrowed space, Rise Calgary delivered:

24,000+

support interactions with Calgarians in crisis

2,658

new clients last year — and demand has grown every year since 2021

$2.4M+

returned to low-income Calgarians through our tax clinics

$404,655

in emergency assistance for rent, utilities, and basic needs

This is what we accomplish stretched thin. With your support, imagine what we could do at full strength.