Calgary Pop-Up Care Village

The Cause

The Calgary Pop-Up Care Village (C-PUCV) is a festival for anyone experiencing systemic vulnerabilities such as homelessness, addiction, mental health concerns, poverty, language and cultural barriers, etc. This biannual event is set up in a central location close to inner city Calgary. We have case management services, social agencies, healthcare organizations, entertainment, food, clothing, and the art sector all in one location for easy access. The C-PUCV is a free, family-friendly event that is open to the general public. Everyone can access tangible items such as low income transit bus passes, birth certificate applications, or housing applications. Furthermore, the event serves as a networking opportunity for volunteers and agencies alike to learn more about one another’s services.

Who Will it Benefit?

According to the last homeless Point-in-Time count conducted by the Calgary Homeless Foundation, there are 2782 individuals experiencing visible homelessness in Calgary (Calgary Homeless Foundation, 2023). Additionally, 1 in 10 people in Calgary lives under the poverty line (LiveWire, 2022). This festival will benefit anyone experiencing poverty and other systemic vulnerabilities: people experiencing homelessness, people experiencing food insecurity, people fleeing from domestic violence, people experiencing mental health and addiction concerns, vulnerable youths, vulnerable seniors, refugees, immigrants, the LGBTQ2S+ community, and more. The festival has an array of services ranging from medical checkups to housing application referrals, as well as free haircuts and free massages for anyone. We are making the festival as inclusive as possible to ensure everyone’s unique needs are being met.