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history

CUPS Health and Education Centres is now in its 20th year of helping people overcome the challenges of poverty to attain brighter futures. Here’s how we began:

1980’s - Several downtown churches meet to develop an ecumenical project to provide referral services and basic medical care to the people arriving at their doors in search of help.

1988 - The Central United Church purchases a building on 7th Avenue to house the Calgary Urban Project Society (CUPS). Referral Services and health care were provided entirely by volunteers.

1994 - CUPS purchased a former bar on 7th Avenue, which provided a convenient location for the population served.

1996 - CUPS launches its Community Outreach program with support from the City of Calgary. To learn more about Outreach, click here.

1997 - The CUPS Family Centre is created to help the increasing number of low-income families who were requesting CUPS services.

Calgary Street Talk is born. This monthly newspaper tells the story of poverty in Calgary and the world. For more Street Talk, click here.

2002 - To address the root causes of poverty, CUPS continued to expand its range of services and converts another former bar on 11th Avenue to the One World Child Development Centre. For more information on One World, click here.

2008 - CUPS launches the Rapid Exit program to provide affordable housing during Calgary’s economic boom. For more on Rapid Exit, click here.

The success of the CUPS One World Child Development Centre leads to the launch of its Social Emotional Early Development (SEED) program. For more on One World, click here.

mission

We seek through compassionate healthcare and social and educational services to nurture and promote healing to those that have been rejected or neglected by society.

Out of Christian concern for people with many needs in Calgary, our work is founded on the conviction that at the heart of all religious faith is a deep affirmation of the worth and dignity of every human being.

We strive to be aware of the suffering and brokenness in ourselves and in our community. We work to provide support and empowerment to individuals and families. We welcome and serve all persons from all backgrounds.

Our focus is on human healing. Our resources are offered in this service, and the boundaries of our work know no limits other than those of human need.