Bear
Necessities
Social Sustainability Speaker Series
Leftovers
Foundation
SU Holiday
Food Drive
Drop-In & Rehab Centre
The Drop-In & Rehab Centre offers shelter, food, clothing, and basic medical needs for a large population of Calgary’s homeless. As an active participant, Bear Necessities contributes to these services through volunteer hours, donations, and external support. Our club members have served at the Drop-In Centre’s Meal Services on numerous occasions in order to gain insight on local homelessness. BNC has also hosted Bake Sales and raised over $1000 in monetary donations to provide a hot breakfast service. We also tour the facilities of the Drop-In Centre to raise awareness about what the DI offers for its clients.
Father Lacombe High School
Since the 2015 Christmas Season, BNC has worked with Father Lacombe High School to put together up to 57 Christmas Hampers for impoverished families within its community. Hampers included a variety of nonperishable food items, toilet paper, baby diapers, lotion, grocery store gift cards, and more depending on each individual family's needs. Executive and club members also had the privilege to act as volunteers and liaisons to deliver the Christmas Hampers right to each family’s doorstep. We've also donated individually-sorted toiletry bags for students in need at Father Lacombe.
Junior Executive Program
Ambassador and Engagement Team positions are aligned with the SU's Junior Executive program, developing integrated learning experiences for first and second year students who are propelled to excel in leadership and community service. Each executive member on our team mentors and guides one or more Ambassador or Engagement Team member on specific responsibilities in hopes of enhancing the progression of long-term club initiatives. The junior ambassadors are an integral part to BNC as it promotes strong leadership skills, campus involvement, and dedication, which is aimed towards a potential BNC executive position later on in their academic career.
Annual Speaker Series
Bear Necessities has had many successful collaborations with community organizations, offices on-campus, and other SU Clubs. With the Humanitarian Alliance, BNC helped organize the 2016 Awake Conference. In 2017, BNC hosted an "Engaging Vulnerable People" workshop with 3 Things UCalgary and RED. In the 2018/2019 academic year, BNC has successfully collaborated with Canadians for Safe Syrian Healthcare, Outrun the Stigma, RED, and the Sustainable Development Goals Alliance. We bring our work ethic and belief that working together is better to all our collaborations!
Collaborations
Past Initiatives
Throughout the years, BNC has contributed to many initiatives in our campus community. In 2015, we raised $40 in cash and several food and toiletry items for the SU Holiday Food Drive and sponsored a refugee family of six through the SU's Adopt-a-Family initiate. BNC won "Best Team Costume Award" in 2015 for our Grey's Anatomy-themed costume during Meal Exchange Trick-or-Eat, in addition to collecting food donations instead of candy on Halloween. Working with Leftovers Foundation, our volunteers have delivered fresh food to local homeless shelters.