international women’s Month with making changes ASSOCIATION

community activation that celebrates confidence, opportunity, and collective impact.

Making Changes Association (MCA), in partnership with The CORE Shopping Centre, marked International Women’s Day with a three-day community activation that celebrated confidence, opportunity, and the collective impact of supporting women and teen girls in Calgary.

Held from March 3 to 5, the event invited community members to learn more about MCA’s programs while participating in a Bag Drive benefiting Dress for Success Calgary and My Best Friend’s Closet. Visitors donated gently used purses and backpacks, helping provide women and teen girls with practical resources that support employment, education, and personal growth.

Throughout the activation, attendees explored interactive displays highlighting MCA’s work since 1981, discovered ways to get involved through volunteering and donations, and learned how programs such as Women in Technology, the GREAT Program, and Basic Digital Skills continue to help women build confidence, develop new skills, and pursue meaningful career opportunities.

The event also reinforced the importance of community support in advancing gender equity, demonstrating how donations, volunteerism, and everyday acts of generosity can create lasting opportunities for women and strengthen the Calgary community.

Relive the Event

Dress for Success Calgary and Ollia Macarons & Tea Celebrated International Women’s Day Through Community Partnership

To celebrate International Women’s Day, Dress for Success Calgary partnered with Ollia Macarons & Tea on a special fundraising initiative that combined community support with a shared commitment to women’s empowerment.

As part of the collaboration, Ollia created an exclusive International Women’s Day Macaron Box Set, with $2 from every box sold donated to Dress for Success Calgary. The initiative helped raise awareness of the organization's mission while supporting programs that provide professional attire, career coaching, and employment readiness services for women in Calgary.

The partnership also encouraged local businesses to recognize International Women’s Day through corporate orders, giving organizations a meaningful way to celebrate their teams while contributing to a stronger, more inclusive community.

With more than a decade of community advocacy, Ollia Macarons & Tea continues to champion women through its leadership, workplace culture, and community partnerships. Together with Dress for Success Calgary, the collaboration demonstrated how local businesses and nonprofits can work together to create opportunities that help women build confidence, achieve economic independence, and succeed in their careers.

The exclusive International Women’s Day Macaron Box featured four signature flavours—Lavender Honey, Earl Grey, Vanilla, and Rocher—offering customers a simple yet impactful way to celebrate while giving back to the community.

See the Partnership in Action

Give to Gain Fashion Show + Clothing Drive

Making Changes Association and Calgary Hotel Association partnered to present the Give to Gain Fashion Show + Clothing Drive, bringing together Calgary’s tourism and hospitality community in support of Dress for Success Calgary.

Hosted at The Westley Hotel Calgary Downtown, the event welcomed more than 100 attendees for an afternoon celebrating women, community, and the power of giving back. Through generous clothing donations and fundraising efforts, participants helped provide women with the professional attire and resources they need to pursue employment with confidence.

The fashion show featured women from Calgary’s tourism industry, recognizing their leadership and contributions while highlighting the importance of creating opportunities for women entering, returning to, or advancing in the workforce.

The event showcased the impact of community partnerships, demonstrating how organizations across Calgary can work together to empower women and help build a stronger, more inclusive community.

Thank You for Supporting Women and Teen Girls in Our Community

Throughout International Women’s Day month, our community came together in incredible ways to support women and teen girls across Calgary. Through clothing drives, bag drives, financial donations, and other acts of generosity, community members helped create new opportunities for those building their confidence, education, and employment journeys.

Every donation, whether it was a professional clothing item, a backpack, a purse, or a financial contribution, represents more than a gift. It is an investment in someone's future and a reminder that no one succeeds alone.

At Making Changes Association, community support is at the heart of everything we do. Thanks to the generosity of individuals, businesses, and community partners, we are able to serve more women and teen girls through programs that foster confidence, build skills, and create pathways to meaningful employment and economic independence.

To everyone who donated, organized a drive, volunteered, or helped spread the word—thank you. Your support creates lasting impact and helps empower women and teen girls to reach their full potential.

Interested in hosting a donation drive or supporting Making Changes Association? Learn more about the many ways you can get involved by visiting our Ways to Support page.

All persons welcome at making changes

Making Changes acknowledges the traditional territories of the Blackfoot Confederacy which includes the Siksika, Piikani, Kainai, the Tsuut’ina Nation and Stoney Nakoda Nations of Chiniki, Bearspaw and Wesley and the Metis people of Alberta, Regions 5 & 6. We honour the hardships that were endured by the peoples on this land to allow us to be in this space to do the work that we do in our community. We respect the culture of the peoples who walk through our doors and we strive to provide space for them. We acknowledge that Indigenous peoples continue to experience hardships and our agency will be champions for change in our daily service to community. Making Changes is committed to inclusivity and recognition of all peoples who make their homes in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.