In 2020, Aspen Family and Community Network Society merged with Boys and Girls Clubs of Calgary to form Trellis Society. As such, this charity profile will no longer be updated.

Founded in 1984, Aspen Family and Community Network Society (Aspen) works to support single parents, new immigrants, Indigenous Peoples, children, youth and families in the Calgary area. Aspen focuses on three major program areas: family, youth, and community.

Aspen recognizes that when families struggle with poverty and other social challenges it can have a lasting negative impact on children. By improving access to food, affordable housing, and financial literacy coaching, Aspen grants families with the necessary skills and supports to be successful. Programming works with families to prevent or escape homelessness and provides foster care services to ensure that children are placed in safe, nurturing, and supportive homes.

With eight youth-focused projects, Aspen aims to break unhealthy patterns of low education, poor health, social isolation, and lack of support networks that young people inherit from their parents. Some of the programs assess and treat mental health issues including addiction and eating disorders. Youths who have difficulties living with family can access support in developing healthy relationships with families, live in Aspen group homes, or receive guidance in living independently through Youth Transitions to Adulthood. In F2018, 95 youths participated in the Element program where they learned job skills and had access to internship opportunities.

Aspen Family and Community Network Society believes that to sustain changes made in the lives of families and youths, they must be surrounded by a supportive community. Aspen works with more than 60 local organizations to ensure that Calgarians can access services including employment training and housing resources. In particular, the 1000 Voices space is 10,000 square feet, containing offices for social service organizations, six meeting workshop rooms, and five private counselling rooms.

Aspen Family and Community Network Society is a medium-sized charity with donations of $3.8m in F2018. Aspen received $6.9m in government funding, representing 62% of total revenues. Administrative costs are 13% of revenues and fundraising costs are 1% of donations. For every $1 donated 86 cents go to the cause, which is within Ci’s reasonable range for overhead spending.

Aspen has $641k in funding reserves of which $10k is endowed. Excluding endowed funds, the charity could operate for less than one month using reserves.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Aspen Family and Community Network Society for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on June 13, 2019 by Madison Kerr.