Safe Haven Foundation has served homeless and at-risk girls in Calgary since 1996. Haven’s Way residence opened in 2000 to keep vulnerable youth safe, off the streets, and in school. Safe Haven borrowed $750K to refinance their newest initiative, Haven’s Harbour, a small apartment building which provides eight units of affordable housing for nine young women who have experienced homelessness.
Prior to applying for and successfully receiving a loan, what was your connection to Calgary Foundation?
From supporting our first capital campaign, to providing grants for strategic planning and new initiatives, Calgary Foundation has believed in us, invested in us, and walked alongside us for over 25 years. As the bedrock for our role transforming the lives of vulnerable youth, their partnership has been instrumental.
Why did you select Calgary Foundation’s Impact Investing program, and why did you opt to use debt?
Our long-standing relationship made exploring impact investing feel natural and trusted. Alex Laidlaw reached out after our Community Grants presentation, and opened the door to a timely, mission-aligned solution not typically offered in conventional loans. The flexible loan allowed us to refinance Haven’s Harbour, retire our conventional mortgage, and redirect funds toward suite renovations — accelerating our ability to provide safe, supportive housing while maintaining operational flexibility and momentum on our capital campaign.
Did your project face difficulty accessing conventional financing?
While we did have access to conventional financing, it would not have come with the same understanding of our charitable mission or the flexible terms that aligned with our cash flow and funding cycles.
How did the features of an impact loan benefit your organization?
The flexible repayment terms provided essential breathing room, allowing us to prioritize critical renovations, develop program amenities, and focus on sustainable program delivery rather than aggressive debt repayment. This flexibility gave us the stability to move forward confidently while continuing to meet the evolving needs of the young women we serve.
What are your top outcomes, and would they look different without the Investment Impact Program?
Our goal is to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness by supporting young women as they pursue post-secondary education, build life skills, and grow into confident, independent adults. Haven’s Harbour promotes long-term housing stability, emotional/social well-being, and community connection. Without the Impact Investing Program loan, our ability to pay down the mortgage as funds became available would have been significantly delayed. Renovations and program amenities may have been postponed, limiting services for residents. The loan accelerated our impact by reducing financial pressure during our capital campaign allowing us flexibility to confidently move forward without compromising timelines or taking on additional risk.
How did the experience of borrowing from Calgary Foundation benefit your organization?
Calgary Foundation’s deep understanding of the charitable sector made the process collaborative and supportive from the start. Their responsiveness, familiarity with our mission, and genuine belief in our work made the experience feel like a true partnership. From Alex’s initial outreach, to the thoughtful guidance throughout, we always felt seen, heard, and supported. Beyond the loan itself, their involvement added credibility to the initiative and opened doors with other funders, a testament to the trust Calgary Foundation brings to everything they support.
Karen Sherbut, Co-founder, Safe Haven Foundation