Powerful You! 2026

Brought Calgary Together to Give with Purpose

On May 7, community leaders, partners, sponsors, donors, volunteers, and supporters gathered at the Fairmont Palliser for Powerful You! 2026, Making Changes Association's signature annual fundraising luncheon. Centered around this year's theme, Give to Gain, the event celebrated the power of generosity to create lasting opportunities for women and teen girls across Calgary.

The afternoon featured meaningful conversations, networking, and inspiring stories that reflected the impact of community investment. Guests heard from keynote speaker Shari Graydon, Founder & Catalyst of Informed Perspectives, who shared powerful insights on courage, leadership, and the importance of using our voices to create positive change. The event was hosted by Bindu Suri from Global News, who guided attendees through an afternoon of reflection, celebration, and connection.

Powerful You! is more than a fundraising event—it is an opportunity for the Calgary community to invest in the future of women and teen girls. Funds raised help sustain programs across Making Changes Association, including Dress for Success Calgary, My Best Friend's Closet, Women in Technology, Basic Digital Skills, and the GREAT Program, providing participants with the skills, confidence, mentorship, and support needed to achieve economic independence and long-term success.

The success of Powerful You! 2026 was made possible through the generosity of presenting sponsor TD Bank, our event sponsors, prize donors, volunteers, and every individual who chose to attend and support the mission of Making Changes Association. Together, they demonstrated that when a community gives with purpose, everyone gains.

Every year, Powerful You! serves as a reminder that meaningful change begins with collective action. Together, our community continues to remove barriers, create opportunities, and empower women and teen girls to build brighter futures.

Powerful You! 2026 was made possible by our partners

Presented by:

 

Platinum Sponsor

 

Gold Sponsor

 

Diamond Sponsors

 

Supporting Sponsors

 

Media Sponsor

 

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.