Philanthropy
Integral to the Ollerenshaw family legacy is a firm belief in caring for others by offering support and assistance to help build strong families and communities. It is a simple principal rooted in traditional rural values, but it is a value held in high regard by the family today. That’s why Section23 is honoured to provide ongoing support to a number of community-based organizations that share the belief we all benefit when we work together to improve the lives of our neighbours.
For Section23, sharing our success means more than simply writing a cheque. It means paying tribute to the beliefs of our predecessors, for whom compassion and collaboration was an important means of establishing and sustaining thriving communities.
Section23 is proud to support local non-profit organizations and initiatives including:
University of Calgary
Faculty of Environmental Design - Garden Loft Project
The Garden Loft Project is part of an ongoing age-in-place initiative that aligns with the University’s recently released Human Dynamics in a Changing World Research Strategy.
This cross-campus collaboration between architecture and medicine, combined with input from industry and community partners, encourages holistic design innovation focused on solving real-world issues. The ultimate goal of the Garden Loft Project is to improve seniors’ lives by creating a realistic and affordable housing option that can be widely deployed across the city and potentially beyond.
cSPACE
King Edward School Arts Incubator
Formed through a partnership of Calgary Arts Development Authority and The Calgary Foundation in 2011, cSPACE exists to address the need for affordable and sustainable space for artists, non-profits and social entrepreneurs to connect, collaborate and engage.
cSPACE is one of only a few specialist non-profit companies that own, build and operate a portfolio of large-scale, multi-tenant creative workspaces. As a social enterprise, cSPACE’s focus on environmental sustainability, heritage adaptive reuse and urban place making generates long-term community and economic value.
d.talks
Design Talks Institute (d.talks) is a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the education and public understanding of art, architecture and design in built environments. Serving as a public forum, their discussions, screenings, events and exhibitions foster dialogues that bring together multiple perspectives.
Each public event is a combination of presentations that inspire discussion, followed by a distillation of how the same topic relates at a local level. Topics cover a range of contemporary issues on spatial form, including heritage, mobility, neighbourhoods, and the social and cultural significance of the public realm.
Calgary Dream Centre
This recovery organization strives to change the lives of those most vulnerable in our city by helping individuals escape the cycle of homelessness and addiction. The Calgary Dream Centre is committed to meeting clients where they are and providing them with the tools necessary to move forward into strong, healthy lives, with purpose.
The Calgary Dream Centre employs a multi-phased process of recovery. Through addiction recovery, transitional housing and long-term affordable housing, the ultimate goal is for clients to reconnect to their families and become productive, contributing members of society.
University of Calgary
Design Matters Lecture Series
This thought-provoking lecture series, organized by the Faculty of Environmental Design, brings to Calgary a range of important speakers who explore design in our contemporary culture. Provocative speakers examine issues in architecture, urban design, product design and landscape ecology, challenging the community to broaden its thinking on a myriad of issues related to design.
The series is an opportunity to engage with interested citizens, students, public officials, urban planners, designers, architects and many others who want to learn, understand and address design issues affecting our community.