TIES Wraps Up Holiday Season with Giving and Gratitude

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TIES (The Immigrant Education Society) celebrated the holiday season and the end of 2024 with a festive flair!

From a food drive to a turkey giveaway, toy donations to holiday parties and carols, TIES along with its generous staff, students, and business partners helped make this holiday season a memorable one.

“As we close another year, and reflect on the journey of the past year, I’m filled with immense pride and gratitude, “TIES President and CEO Sally Zhao said.

“I want to thank everyone on the TIES team, our funders, donors, and business partners, as well as our Board of Directors for their continuous guidance, direction, and support. Together we have achieved so much. You inspire me every day.”

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TIES truly values being present in Calgary.

That’s why it’s expanding its reach and reaching out to the growing number of Calgarians struggling to make ends meet.

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TIES Annual Food Drive

Food for a cause!

Staff and clients at all three TIES locations went all out this year to help collect non-perishable items for the Calgary Food Bank.

Santa’s elves delivered more than 20 boxes on the morning of December 19th to some very happy food bank staff.

The TIES donation coming in at a record 1,053 lbs – compared to 1,025 last year.

“I was amazed by the generosity,” TIES Senior Manager, Human Resources and Office Operations Eva Su exclaimed. “This is all possible thanks to our clients and staff.”

“Even the students who need financial support brought in a can or two to help others. This is the true meaning of Christmas.”

The TIES food-drive has donated more than 2,000 lbs of food to the Food Bank since 2022.

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Turkey Giveaway

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What’s a holiday spread – without turkey?!

Some TIES clients and their families will be stuffed this season thanks to the generosity of the community.

Valued business partner Blackstone Commercial Real Estate Services (along with supplier Winter’s Turkeys) donated 50 turkeys ensuring a festive meal for all.

Blackstone donates yearly – usually smaller gifts -- to various charities and clients but decided this year it wanted to make a big impact with the big birds.

“Instead of a cheesy little gift or something, we decided to forget about that and we decided this would just be a better cause,” Blackstone Commercial, VP, Assoc. Mahmud Rahman said.

“I’m an immigrant myself and I’ve really only started celebrating Christmas recently and when we first came here turkey wasn’t really a thing. It was chicken or beef or goat, so this is just an excellent way to say, ‘Here’s a turkey.’”

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Colliers Toy Drive

Oh, the joy of toys!!

Colliers Canada and its Calgary team put a lot of smiles on kids’ faces this year donating toys to some 25 children in TIES’s Care for Newcomer Children (CNC) program.

Many immigrant families face significant challenges as they adjust to new surroundings, and the transition can often be overwhelming - especially for the little ones.

“Toys help children feel a sense of comfort and support,” CNC program coordinator Damanvir Nijjar said.

“These children now have the chance to play, create, and experience the joy that comes with childhood.”

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Family Festivities

Taking the stress out of the holidays!

TIES Healthy Minds team knows that joy isn’t the only emotion being felt by many this season. It has seen a huge explosion in the number of clients needing help for their mental wellbeing.

It hoped to alleviate some stress of the season with its Family Holiday Party.

25 families with some 35 children gathered to share in the joy, laughter and togetherness of the season.

“Connecting together helps promote a healthy mind by fostering a sense of support and belonging,” Healthy Minds Family Specialist Remilekun Oniyide said.

“These connections reduce feelings of isolation.“

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Classmates Connect

Connecting in and out of the classroom!

LINC (Language Instruction for Newcomers to Canada) instructors at TIES carried on the meaningful tradition of bringing students together to celebrate the holiday season and create lasting memories.

Students at TIES's three locations—some in person, others online—shared their stories, cultures, and food.

They broke bread and more importantly, broke down barriers.

They sang songs, played games, danced and got to be part of a community. One, that for some, can still be very foreign.

“These events are especially meaningful for those experiencing their first winter in Canada, away from their families and friends,” LINC Senior Manager Jana Ciobanu said.

“The festive atmosphere fosters a sense of belonging and community, offering students an opportunity to connect, embrace new traditions, and share in the joy of the season.”

Watch on YouTube Shorts.

"TIES clients, thank you so much for choosing us,” Sally Zhao added. “You give us the opportunity to be able to provide some support and help while you’re navigating a new environment, culture, new systems.”

“I wish you and your loved ones a very happy holiday season and prosperous new year ahead.”

Happy holidays from all of us at TIES!

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