Face it Calgary Oct 10th Homeless Awareness Day Event; 11:30-1:00 @ Olympic Plaza

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - Oct. 8, 2013) - This Thursday, October 10 is World Homeless Day. Here in Calgary, non-profit agencies are launching the Face It Calgary! campaign to increase awareness of homelessness in our city and the role affordable housing plays in ending it. Mayor Nenshi will kick-off the event with guest speakers providing background in affordable housing and lived experience of Housing First - the housing model at the foundation of Calgary's 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness.

This year's Face it Calgary campaign focuses on affordable housing and provides concrete actions every Calgarian can take to help end homelessness. The campaign leverages outdoor signage, social media and volunteer-driven guerilla marketing.

Sponsored by Calgary Action Committee on Housing and Homelessness (CACHH) and the Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) along with support from dozens of non-profit agencies, the Day's events will include Planting the Seeds of Change and members of the Youth Sector providing entertainment.

This year's Homeless Awareness Day is a clear example of non-profit agencies working together on the goals of the 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness. It creates a cohesive voice for those experiencing homelessness and everyone working on the frontlines to end it.

"None of us can end homelessness by ourselves. We have to work together and support each other to ensure every Calgarian has access to the vital resources necessary to end homelessness in their lives," says Walter Twiddy, Chair of the CACHH.

"This campaign is reflective of the role affordable housing plays in the achievement of the goals of Calgary's 10 Year Plan," says Dr. John Rook, President and CEO of the CHF. "Keeping Calgarians aware and engaged is critical to ensuring we have the necessary housing available to move people out of shelter living or struggling to exist on our streets."

This year's Face it Calgary! Homeless Awareness Day activities will kick off at 11:30 at Olympic Plaza with reading of the Proclamation by Mayor Naheed Nenshi. Over 15 homeless serving agencies will be onsite to provide information on what they are doing to end homelessness in our city, and how every Calgarian can play a role.

Please visit www.faceitcalgary.com, for more information on the day's events and to find links to the websites of partner agencies to see how you can help by volunteering, donating and speaking out to fight homelessness. You can also help spread the word by following the campaign on Facebook and Twitter.