We’ve Got Grit, Gratitude, and a Newsletter You’ll Love

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Grit & Gratitude!

We’re so glad you’re here.

We chose the name Grit & Gratitude because these two principles embody everything we do. At The Alex, grit is more than a word - it’s a core value that speaks to the determination and resilience we see every day. It’s the strength to show up, to lean into tough conversations, and to stand alongside our community members through their most vulnerable moments. Whether it’s our health teams providing barrier-free care on the streets, our housing staff helping someone find a safe place to call home, or our food centre creating a space where people can connect and be nourished, grit fuels our purpose and our people.

And just as important - gratitude. We are deeply grateful for the team, partners, volunteers, donors, advocates, and friends who make this work possible. Every step forward is built on collaboration, compassion, and an unshakable belief in community. We could not do this without you.

Grit & Gratitude will share stories, celebrate impact, and keep you connected to the people and programs shaping healthier futures across Calgary. Thank you for being a part of this journey. We look forward to growing together—one story, one act of kindness, and one courageous step at a time.

This past November, The Alex received exciting news that marked a turning point in our mission to build a healthier, more equitable future: confirmation of significant funding through the Modernizing Alberta’s Primary Health Care System (MAPS) initiative.

This investment is nothing short of revolutionary for our organization, for the community we serve, and for Alberta’s broader health care landscape.

Over the next 18 months, this MAPS funding will empower us to attach an additional 1,500 to 2,000 individuals, many with complex and intersecting health and social needs, to a trusted, long-term medical home at The Alex. But this isn’t just about expanding numbers. It’s about transforming how care is delivered.

Why It Matters for Our Communities

Our health system is overburdened. Emergency rooms are crowded, wait times are long, and primary care is increasingly difficult to access - especially for those who need it most. The Alex’s community health care model is designed to relieve that strain by providing proactive, preventive care rooted in trust and accessibility.

When clients are attached to a medical home, they are far less likely to seek care in crisis, and far more likely to experience improved long-term outcomes.

“MAPS funding is more than an investment in The Alex—it’s an investment in building a stronger, healthier Alberta. Together, we are changing the way healthcare is delivered.”

The Power of Team-Based Care

At the heart of this transformation is team-based care - an integrated, collaborative model that unites a multidisciplinary group of professionals to support each client’s unique needs. At The Alex, this team may include doctors, nurses, mental health professionals, social workers, peer support specialists, outreach workers, pharmacists, and more. Together, they treat the whole person, not just a diagnosis.

Why is this so important? Because health is not just medical. It's emotional. It's physical. It’s about connection, food, housing, safety, and stability. Many of the clients we serve live at the intersection of poverty, trauma, chronic illness, and systemic marginalization. A traditional healthcare model - one that treats symptoms but ignores root causes - falls short. Our community health model addresses the full spectrum of social determinants of health.

By working in tandem, our teams create care plans that are responsive, culturally appropriate, and sustainable. Clients don’t just get an appointment—they gain an entire support system. This wraparound model of care is the future of public healthcare, and we are proud to be at the forefront of this movement.

Guided by Strategic Vision

Our work is guided by five strategic pillars that help us maintain focus and integrity as we grow:

Employer of Choice – Supporting our staff so they can better support others.
Financial Stability – Ensuring we can meet current needs and plan for the future.
Partner of Choice – Strengthening connections with community, government, and health care partners.
Centre of Excellence – Driving innovation and quality in everything we do.
Community Health Centre Advocate – Championing a model of care that changes lives and systems.

Thanks to the MAPS funding, we are putting these pillars into action more powerfully than ever.

The Need Continues

“Transforming healthcare isn’t the work of one organization—it’s a shared journey. Donors, advocates, and volunteers play a vital role in helping communities thrive and systems evolve.”

While this funding represents a giant leap forward, the need continues to grow. As more individuals face rising costs, housing instability, and mental health crises, we must scale with the demand.

To do that, we need our community - our donors, our volunteers, and our champions - to walk alongside us.

The Community Health Centre model, centered on compassion, flexibility, and person-centered care, has proven effective in meeting people where they are and supporting them on the path to wellness.

This evolving work is not just about improving individual outcomes - it signals a broader shift in how public health care can and should operate.

The Alex’s efforts reflect a growing recognition that truly sustainable health care systems must address the whole person and their environment. In doing so, they not only improve lives - they help transform the system itself.

Jenn Campbell: Leading with Compassion in a Team-Based Care Model

Jenn Campbell began her journey with The Alex in 2019 as a nurse. Over the past six years, she has grown into her current role as Clinic Manager at the Community Health Centre. What continues to inspire her is seeing the meaningful difference. “We want to offer a safe space where they feel seen, heard, and supported,” Jenn shares.

When Jenn first joined The Alex, the clinic followed a more traditional healthcare model. That’s changed significantly thanks to recent MAPS funding, which has empowered the organization to adopt a team-based care approach.

Now, each care team collaborates closely to provide comprehensive, client-centered support. “Clients shouldn’t have to tell their story over and over,” Jenn explains. “Now, they can get everything they need in one visit, which reduces stress and improves outcomes.” This shift has also enhanced collaboration across programs allowing for better integration and flexibility.

For Jenn, the success of this model goes beyond health outcomes. It’s about meeting clients where they are and addressing the broader factors that influence their well-being. “People forget that change is small,” she reflects. “The impact we have is more than just medical - it’s social needs, isolation, food, housing. Even if we don’t see the long-term effects, the work we do at The Alex truly matters.”

The Alex is proud to recognize the Rotary Club at Stampede Park for their steadfast commitment to community well-being. Through their Community Grants Program - powered by the Stampede Dream Home Lottery - Rotary continues to champion the kind of support that truly changes lives.

Their most recent contribution has provided funding for vital medical equipment that is already making a meaningful difference in our clinics. This technology allows us to deliver quicker assessments, more accurate diagnoses, and improved care outcomes for individuals who often face overwhelming barriers to traditional healthcare.

What sets Rotary apart is their deep understanding of what it means to serve - meeting people where they are, with dignity and compassion. Their investment strengthens our capacity to deliver care in real time, in real communities, with real impact.

We’re inspired by Rotary’s belief in a healthier, more connected Calgary. Their partnership helps ensure our teams are equipped, our clients are supported, and our shared vision of a thriving community becomes more of a reality every day.

To the members of the Rotary Club at Stampede Park - thank you. Your leadership, heart, and generosity are helping us build a future where no one is left behind

From Idea to Impact: The Alex’s Journey to Team-Based Care

Back in 2020, we launched what became a turning point: the Community Wellness Initiative. What started as a pilot project was driven by a simple but powerful idea - our doctors and nurse practitioners couldn’t (and shouldn’t) do it all. The people we serve have complex, layered needs. So, we brought in reinforcements: social workers, mental health clinicians, nurses, peer support workers, a dietitian, and others, all working together to create a web of care. It wasn’t just about adding more people; it was about giving every team member space to do what they do best.

That project confirmed what we’d long suspected - care works better when it’s shared. Our clients benefitted, our staff felt supported, and a new model began to take shape.

Fast forward to 2023, and The Alex was chosen as one of only 20 organizations across the country, and the only one in Alberta, to participate in Team Primary Care (TPC), a national initiative led by the Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine. The goal? To explore what it takes to truly deliver team-based care in today’s healthcare climate. Through this work, we helped shine a national spotlight on what’s possible when care is built around people, not just systems.

Team-based care didn’t happen overnight at The Alex - it’s been a steady evolution shaped by our commitment to walking alongside Calgarians facing some of life’s toughest challenges.

Since opening our doors in 1973, we’ve believed that health is about more than just a clinic visit. It’s about connection. It’s about dignity. It’s about meeting people where they’re at and building systems that support that belief.

For decades, our model has combined primary care, housing supports, mental health services, and community resources under one roof. But as the needs of the community changed, so too did we.

Now we’re entering a bold new chapter. Over the next two years, we’re adding 60 new allied health roles to help us build on everything we’ve learned so far. This isn’t just about expanding services - it’s about rethinking how we work together. We’re refining workflows, testing new technologies, and pushing forward a model that prioritizes equity, access, and long-term sustainability.

This isn’t just good news for The Alex - it’s a step toward a stronger, smarter healthcare future for Alberta. As we collaborate with our fellow Community Health Centres across the province, we’re laying the groundwork for a system that works better for everyone - especially those who’ve historically been left behind.

They say spending even $5 on someone else can make you happier by day’s end.

Imagine what a monthly gift could do.

With just $10–30 a month to The Alex, you can help feed someone, provide youth with medication, support a senior, or offer hope for a new future.

It’s a small act with a big, feel-good ripple.

Start Your Monthly Gift Today!

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