one by one®: Calgary Celiac Association
Community events and fundraisers put on by the Calgary Celiac Association are a lot like events and fundraisers put on by other organizations. There’s a pancake breakfast, a run/walk, an Octoberfest celebration and a holiday party, among others. The one difference lies in the food it serves: There’s no gluten, because the charitable organization’s mission is to be the primary support for people in southern Alberta with celiac disease and gluten-related disorders.
Calgary Celiac Association is a chapter of the greater Celiac Canada, a national voice for people adversely affected by gluten. In Calgary, the organization serves its community through programs of awareness, advocacy, education, research and events.
“We help people understand how to live on a gluten-free diet, because the only treatment for celiac disease is to eat gluten-free for life,” said Joanne Godsman, charity administrator at Calgary Celiac Association. “It’s a strict diet with no gluten—not even one crumb.”
A community of support
Celiac disease is an autoimmune digestive disorder, not a food allergy. An estimated 1% of Canadians are affected, although 90% of cases are undiagnosed. Calgary Celiac Association does its part to provide education and other opportunities for impacted people. For example, throughout the year volunteers host virtual Celiac 101 events for the newly diagnosed. Calgary Celiac Association also hosts guided grocery shopping events, where a knowledgeable volunteer walks people through a store, offering tips on reading food labels to adhere to a gluten-free diet.
The organization holds five keystone events throughout the year, including an Octoberfest with gluten-free beer and a holiday event featuring gluten-free Christmas cookie decorating. This summer, it put on Wendy T’s Gluten Free Stampede Breakfast, a celiac-friendly take on a popular local pancake breakfast tradition.
T-shirts for volunteers help a standout team stand out
“I think we had about 800 people at our event this year,” Godsman said. “We have to sell tickets now. It used to be an open breakfast, but we were overwhelmed with the demand.”
The fundraising event is powered by sponsors and about 60 Calgary Celiac Association volunteers. Those volunteers prepare and serve thousands of gluten-free pancakes and, with help from the one by one grant, did so looking like a branded team. Godsman said T-shirts for volunteers are one of those things they often want but aren’t able to allocate resources for.
“I think it added a great sense of community for our volunteers,” she said. “They feel included and then they get to keep their T-shirt and they wear it again when they volunteer.”
A note from Cheryl
It is so fun to see an organization dedicate itself to educating and supporting people with conditions that can greatly upend daily life. We were happy to provide Calgary Celiac Association with T-shirts for volunteers to make the team feel some extra pride. If you’re interested in a one by one grant, visit onebyone.4imprint.ca.