Co-Founder of Second Cup, Frank O'Dea, shares his story of being formerly homeless to Calgary's influencers
CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 27, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Embargoed until 8 a.m. March 01, 2018
On Thursday, March 01, 2018, Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) will launch its first annual Trail Blazer Breakfast fundraiser. Featuring Frank O'Dea, the formerly homeless Co-Founder of Second Cup as the keynote speaker, this breakfast is a fundraising event to support CHF and the unique role it plays in Calgary's homeless-serving sector.
Frank O'Dea will share his journey as a teen experiencing homelessness to becoming one of Canada's most celebrated businessmen, philanthropists and an Officer of the Order of Canada. Attendees will hear how he channeled his entrepreneurial spirit and co-founded Second Cup and Proshred Security (now Iron Mountain); two companies that have seen both national and international success. O'Dea is passionate about giving back to the community that championed his accomplishments and continues to support Canada's non-profit sector by sharing his inspirational story.
Ten years ago, Calgary blazed the trail by doing something no one in Canada had ever attempted before, launching the nation's first 10 year plan to end homelessness and charging CHF with its implementation. Since then, through community leadership and collective impact, Calgary has brought together Canada's first Housing Assertive Community Treatment Team, developed the first Housing First for Youth Program, the first adaptation of the Housing First for Women Fleeing Violence, the first Aboriginal Plan to End Homelessness and the first Family System Planning Framework. Calgary also created the first Youth Plan to End Homelessness and was the first to build an internationally recognized, coordinated, homeless-serving system of care.
"The Trail Blazer Breakfast is more than just a fundraiser for CHF," says Diana Krecsy, President & CEO of the Calgary Homeless Foundation. "It's an opportunity to bring together like-minded innovators, influencers and entrepreneurs in Calgary, people who aren't afraid to blaze new trails, to leverage our joint resources and expertise in order to tackle the issues of poverty and homelessness in our city. This breakfast is about coming together and taking a step into the unknown in order to do the right thing for our community."
Supported by influential community leaders ATB Financial, The United Way of Calgary and Area and Brookfield Residential Alberta, this premier fundraising event will bring Calgary's trailblazers together to celebrate Calgary's continued commitment to transformational change.
About CHF
The Calgary Homeless Foundation is a catalyst and enabler for Systems and Service Agencies to optimize client success. CHF focuses on four strategic pillars of work; Advocacy, Research and Development, Systems Planning, and Funding (outcomes). In addition, CHF addresses gaps and identifies best practices to improve the system of care and enhance desired client outcomes. Through mobilization of collective impact, CHF is committed to moving forward in partnership with the many homeless-serving agencies, the private sector, government partners, local communities, the faith community, other foundations and all Calgarians to end homelessness in Calgary. For more information, visit calgaryhomeless.com.
Media Inquiries:
Calgary Homeless Foundation
Darcy Halber
Communications Specialist
Media Line: 403.615.7607
Direct Line: 403.718.7742
[email protected]
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