The Need for a Co-Location Collaborative Model in Calgary
Calgary is one of the fastest growing cities in Canada, having recently surpassed the one million population marker. With its great “community wealth” also comes the reality of growing numbers of individuals and families like “Lynda’s” that live in poverty or who are homeless. It is imperative that non-profit agencies that provide basic human needs services and broad based counseling to the homeless and those living in poverty, expand their collective program capacity by achieving greater efficiencies. This model of co-location and collaboration will provide the framework from which multiple agencies can unite in their efforts to work with individuals in the community that need their support.

The Creation of Storehouse-39-3-10
Storehouse-39-3-10 is an umbrella non-profit company comprised of the founding partner agencies that was registered under the Alberta Companies Act on May 25, 2006. The establishment of Storehouse-39-3-10 has enabled the three founding non-profit agencies to co-locate and collaborate under one roof to achieve greater efficiencies and expand their program capacity to better address the growing needs of Calgary’s homeless and those living in poverty.

Founding Storehouse-39-3-10 Agency Partners
•    Community Kitchen Program of Calgary Society
•    NeighbourLink of Northwest Calgary and Beltline Inc.
•    Calgary Eye Way Society

Clients Served
Each of the founding project agencies works to address the issue of poverty and homelessness in the community of Calgary. Clients include the working poor; immigrants; aboriginals, low income families, single mothers, the homeless and those facing homelessness and needing a “hand-up” to break the cycle of poverty.

Co-Location Collaborative Model
With contributions from the federal and provincial government, foundations, corporate and private donors, Storehouse-39-3-10 has purchased a building in Northeast Calgary at 3751 21st Street NE. The building is being converted to provide shared warehouse space, meeting rooms, training room, Board room, volunteer and staff lunch room, copy and mail room, reception areas, etc. The building will also house offices for the Storehouse-39-3-10 founding project agencies and additional non-profit agencies. The flexibility of short-term and reasonable rate leases—as well as the ability to use board and meeting rooms, copy and mail room, volunteer and staff areas will be a significant benefit for junior non-profits. Child Find Alberta will be the first agency to benefit from this model of co-location and collaboration beyond the founding project agencies.