|
|
| |
|
|
| |
Poverty is the condition of a human being who does not have sufficient economic and other resources to live with the dignity, choices and power which support full participation in society.
When people live in persistent financial distress, the whole community pays in increased costs to the health care, education, social service and criminal justice systems, and to our local economy in lower spending on goods and services. Sustained poverty reduction will improve the quality of life for all Calgarians and make Calgary an even more attractive location for economic, educational, health and social investment.
VCC has identified five pillars necessary to achieve sustained poverty reduction. These pillars encompass the range of personal and financial assets and resources that an individual or family needs to exit poverty:
Economic Security, including both employment income and public income supports
Education and Skills Training
Basic Supports such as Housing, Transportation, Child Care and Food Security
Physical and Mental Health
Full Participation in Society
In April 2002, representatives from United Way of Calgary and Area and Momentum traveled to Guelph, Ontario, for the inaugural national Vibrant Communities face to face meeting. They returned to Calgary excited about embarking on a new way of bringing the community together to reduce poverty. The Boards of both organizations echoed this enthusiasm and an agreement to become co-convenors of Vibrant Communities in Calgary soon followed.
View the complete History of VCC (new window)
VCC brings the community together to collaboratively design and implement a broad range of initiatives addressing the root causes of poverty. VCC would like to acknowledge the following committed individuals for their ongoing support.
Amy Alexander, City of Calgary
Jamal Ali, Community Volunteer
Dianne Altwasser, Community Volunteer
Alison Azer, Azer Consulting Ltd.
Julie Ball, Calgary Talent Pool
Kristi Baron, Community Volunteer
Sharon Blackwell, Alberta Employment and Immigration
Michelle Bogdon, Shell Canada Limited
Terry Bullick, Bullick Writing & Communications
Greg Campbell, Calgary Catholic Family Service
Lisa Caton, Momentum
Xavier Cattarinich, Calgary Workers’ Resource Centre
Gordon Christie, Community Volunteer
Murray Crosby, Community Volunteer
Heather Douglas, Calgary Chamber of Commerce
Joan Farkas, City of Calgary
Debbie Farrell, Daylight Cleaning Systems
Wendy Fehr, Immigrant Services Calgary
Christy Fisher, Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids
Katie Gerke, Community Volunteer
Susan Gillies, Women’s Centre of Calgary
Sue Gudmundson, Calgary Health Region
Karen Hirl, Calgary Transit
Brian Hoffart, United Way of Calgary and Area
Walter Hossli, Momentum
Julie Hrdlicka, Parkland Institute
Samantha Hubka, Killfish Media
Colleen Huston, Disability Action Hall
Bonny Johannson, Developmental
Disabilities Resource Centre
Janet Keeping, Sheldon Chumir Foundation for Ethics in Leadership
Michelle Kristinson, Multiple Sclerosis Society
Jake Kuiken, Community Volunteer
Mezaun Lakha-Evin, Cerebral Palsy Association in Alberta
Denise Lau, Community Volunteer
Sylvia Loewen, Calgary Health Region
Chris MacFarlane, Poverty Reduction Coalition
Bob McInnis, Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids
Koji Miyaji, Calgary Transit
Bill Moore-Kilgannon, Public Interest Alberta
Tim Moro, Ipsos Reid
Brian Murphy, CottageCare Calgary South
Bonnie Pacaud, Community Volunteer
John Pentland, Hillhurst United Church
Gayle Peters, Burns Memorial Fund
Chantelle Pinder, Calgary Winter Club
Tammy Poirier, Community Volunteer
Geoff Pradella, Calgary Chamber of Commerce
Glenn Retzlaff, Momentum
Tim Richter, Calgary Homeless Foundation
Rudy Raduloff, Community Volunteer
Fred Robertson, Community Volunteer
John Rook, Salvation Army
Jenny Saarinen, Momentum
Yvonne Schmitz, Community Volunteer
Susan Scott, Author
Bev Sheckter, Jewish Family Services
Maureen Sheppard, Innovention
John Simpson, Standen’s Limited
Barbara Stein, Uptown 17 Business Revitalization Zone
John te Linde, City of Calgary
Nancy Tims, Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada
David Wilson, Momentum
Marilyn Wilson, Community Representative
Terry Wilson, City of Calgary
Leo Wong, Momentum
Joy Zerke, City of Calgary
|
|
|
