News & Stories

2025-2026 Report to Community

July 6, 2026

This year’s Report to Community highlights our organization’s 65 years of building pathways to community. Read our full report here.

While the cost of living continues to rise and affordable and deeply affordable housing remains a critical challenge, the DI continues to advocate for the importance of increasing our housing supply, increasing staff wages, and improving mental health and addictions supports for people living independently. 

The DI firmly believes that accessible, affordable, and supportive housing is the solution to end homelessness. Our housing-focused approach prioritizes providing appropriate and permanent housing solutions, with or without support, depending on the unique needs of each individual. Since adopting this model in 2017, the DI has seen remarkable success – we have found housing for guests 3,619 times. This accounts for an approximate 63% decrease in long-term shelter stayers, which we define as someone who has stayed in one of our shelters for more than 70% of the past year.

Summary of Our Impact in 2025-2026:

• We helped people find a home 581 times and connected people to natural supports 226 times for a total of 807 successful outcomes.
• Our Episodic Medical Care Clinic provided19,845 appointments for 1,117 people.
• Our Rapid Response team provided emergency health support to 1,913 unique people.
• Our internal response to the drug crisis reduced Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and Calgary Fire Department calls to the DI by 83%.
• We had 690 admissions into our Withdrawal Management program and 335 admissions in our Recovery Transition Program.
• We helped 3,018 households furnish their new home and improve their standard of life.
• We were exceptionally resourceful with community donations to our Free Goods Program and saved the organization $2.1 million in expenses.