How a simple gift led to a mission with Elizabeth House

I grew up in Calgary and graduated from St. Mary’s High School. I currently teach at St. Francis where my daughters both graduated. I don’t remember exactly how I first heard about Elizabeth House, likely during the Together In Action campaign at St. Michael’s Parish, Calgary, where I attend Mass.

In May of last year, our school raised some funds, and it was decided the donation would go to Elizabeth House. I went on the website to donate and there was a volunteer page. I had recently ended my volunteer activities with the Prison Ministry and was looking for something new.

I joined the Capacity Building Committee and had the great fortune of having Michelle Haywood give me a tour of the House and teach me more about the services they offer. She was the one who made the connection for me between Mother Mary and the House. As it says in Luke 1:39-40, immediately after Mary is visited by the Angel Gabriel who tells her she will bear God’s son, she travels to her cousin Elizabeth to find comfort and support. That is what Elizabeth House is all about.

I love their motto: “Changing Lives, Two Generations at Time!” Founded in 2006 by the Sisters of Charity of St. Louis, Elizabeth House has welcomed over 600 women and children of all ages, backgrounds, religious affiliations, and ethnicities. All are welcome to share in the safety and support of the staff and caseworkers. Elizabeth House is a transitional home that serves as a sanctuary and community for pregnant women and mothers experiencing housing instability. Families can stay until the children reach two years of age, making this House distinct from other places of refuge. In addition to food and shelter, Elizabeth House provides residents with supports to create lifelong resilience and achieve their goals of self-sufficiency.
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I am very excited about the future for Elizabeth House. In the short term, I am hoping to raise the profile of the Elizabeth House both in the Diocese and Calgary Catholic School District. In the long term, I would like to see the creation of a new purpose-built house where the work of supporting women and children can expand and more lives can be changed!

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Written by Cathy Sandau, Elizabeth House Volunteer, Capacity Building Committee.