CALGARY, AB – The month of October is “End Poverty Month”. It was initiated to raise awareness for the serious social issue of poverty. It is centred around the United Nation’s International Day for the Eradication of Poverty held every year on October 17th.
More than 100,000 Calgarians live in poverty.
Several events are taking place throughout the month of October to build public awareness and highlight Calgary’s work around reducing poverty in our communities, including:
- Early October – Opportunity for All Youth hiring event is being hosted by The City of Calgary’s Youth Employment Centre. Opportunity for All Youth is a national initiative aimed at providing job opportunities for 40,000 young people across Canada who are not currently in school, training or working. It focuses on the hiring, retention and career progression of youth age 16 – 24 who are job-ready but have challenges to obtaining employment. All job interviews have been scheduled in advance.
- October 17 – Blaze your own Trail event at Marlborough Community Association (636 Marlborough Way NE) from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. hosted by Poverty Talks! – a 12-member steering committee of advocates with current or recent lived experience of poverty. The event will feature several community members sharing photo stories, Spoken Word Poetry and speeches about their community involvement, overcoming challenges and achievements. This event is free and tickets are available here.
“I am pleased to proclaim October as End Poverty Month in Calgary,” says Mayor Naheed Nenshi. “When members of our community have the resources they need to live up to their potential, we all benefit. The City of Calgary is proud of our poverty reduction strategy – Enough for All. I believe Calgary can accomplish this goal and hope such proclamations will no longer be necessary in the future.” To view or download a copy of the Proclamation, please click here.
“People whose daily lives are impacted by low income are not only unable to meet their basic needs—they can’t fully contribute to the community or realize their career potential, either,” says Jeff Loomis, Executive Director, Momentum. “We’ve seen that effective poverty reduction strategies have social and economic impacts both for individuals living on low incomes and for the community at large. That’s why all Calgarians should care about End Poverty Month.”
“Poverty is a complex social issue that no one individual or organization can tackle alone given the multi-dimensional root causes that must be addressed,” said Karen Young, President and CEO, United Way of Calgary and Area. “But together, through Enough for All, we can eradicate poverty in Calgary and ensure that everyone is provided equitable opportunities to build a better future, reach their full potential, and participate in society in a meaningful way.”
“All Calgarians have a role to play in reducing poverty in our community,” says Meaghon Reid, Executive Director of Vibrant Communities Calgary. “The need is urgent and will only be addressed by working together towards a common vision of a strong, supportive and inclusive Calgary. Enough for All gives us the roadmap for this work. This month, we invite Calgarians to reflect on effect poverty has in our community and join us to work towards a stronger and more resilient city.”
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About Enough for All
Enough for All, Calgary’s community-driven poverty reduction strategy was adopted unanimously by City Council and the United Way of Calgary and Area’s Board of Directors in 2013. In 2014, Vibrant Communities Calgary was appointed as the steward of the strategy. Implementation of the strategy is in partnership with the community and jointly supported and funded by The City of Calgary and United Way of Calgary and Area. For more information, please visit enoughforall.ca. Organizations and individuals are welcome to contact Vibrant Communities Calgary to get involved. Email info@vibrantcalgary.com.
About The City of Calgary
The City of Calgary works to make life better every day and help ensure that Calgary is a great place to make a living, and a great place to make a life. This only works if Calgary is great for everyone. When some members of our communities don’t have the support and resources they need to thrive, the impact and loss are born by the whole community. The City of Calgary supports a variety of initiatives that allow people experiencing vulnerabilities to access improved support and resources and is proud to be a key partner and funder of the Enough for All poverty reduction strategy. Visit calgary.ca to learn more about the work of The City.
About Momentum
Momentum is a change-making organization that combines social and economic strategies to reduce poverty. We use a holistic approach that covers everything from financial literacy, entrepreneurship and skills training, to developing communication skills, and building self-confidence. At Momentum, everything we do is grounded in a community economic development model, which means we work with individuals, businesses and systems to build a more inclusive local economy. For more information, please visit momentum.org.
About United Way of Calgary and Area
United Way of Calgary and Area brings together donors, corporations, agencies, and government to solve complex issues and improve the lives of more than 150,000 people every year. Since 1940, United Way has supported agencies that assist vulnerable Calgarians. Today, United Way invests in programs and collaborations with common outcomes, brings people together to coordinate systems change, and designs solutions that address root causes to create lasting social change. Collectively, this work deepens community impact. For more information, please visit calgaryunitedway.org.
About Vibrant Communities Calgary
Vibrant Communities Calgary (VCC) is a non-profit organization seeking to engage Calgarians to advocate for long-term strategies that address the root causes of poverty in Calgary. VCC is also the steward of Enough for All, Calgary’s poverty reduction strategy. For more information, please visit vibrantcalgary.com and enoughforall.ca.
For more information, please contact:
Stephanie Rosch
Communications and Engagement Specialist
Vibrant Communities Calgary
Phone: 403-283-2193
Cell: 403-607-5544
Email: stephanie@vibrantcalgary.com