The Latest

Food Security: Rescuing Food, Increasing Yields

Access to fresh, affordable nutritious food is an important aspect of many local poverty reduction strategies. In Sault Ste. Marie, the Poverty Reduction Roundtable is addressing this pillar through a food resource centre called Harvest Algoma. Harvest Algoma was established by United Way Sault Ste. Marie & Algoma District, and the United Way continues to operate the facility.

The food resource distribution centre is creating a more efficient local food system, and has:

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Poverty 101: Looking for Answers

Dispel the myths. Present the facts. Inform conversations. Stimulate action.

Living SJ partnered with the University of New Brunswick, Saint John to develop the idea of a “poverty 101” educational tool, into an inviting resource, Poverty 101: Looking for Answers.

The resource is a springboard for individuals wanting to learn more about poverty issues in Saint John, whether working, volunteering (board members, mentors or those involved in the community in other ways) or studying in areas related to poverty reduction. 

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A Reflection on Poverty Reduction Planning: Living the Experience

As a first-time attendee of a Tamarack summit, and as a person with living experience, I really didn’t know what to expect. The irony of only being able to be part of this event because I qualified for a scholarship wasn’t lost on me — while I’ve been a major contributor to the Hastings - Prince Edward Poverty Roundtable and the delivery of its action plans, and read up on Vibrant Communities – Cities Reducing Poverty, I knew very well that there was no way I could have afforded to go on my own steam. People paying what feels like a lot of money to get together and talk about poverty — what might that be like, I mused on the drive to Mississauga.

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The Power of Questions

I’m coming around to the idea that you can, in fact, respond to a question with another question, and still find valuable answers buried within.

Hear me out.

At work, our Founder and Director of Vibrant Communities, Paul Born, encourages me to continually ask questions, even if it means creating version eight or nine of a document I’m working on! Sure, this often feels like an endless cascade of twisting, turning questions, but this technique gets at the heart of the messy, imperfect work of poverty reduction. It reminds us that there are multiple ‘right’ answers to the complex questions we’re tackling.

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The State of Cities Reducing Poverty

How has the Vibrant Communities – Cities Reducing Poverty (VC – CRP) network contributed to poverty reduction in Canada? In seeking to answer this central question, the State of Cities Reducing Poverty paper highlights the network’s numerous and varied impacts.

As the paper documents, the VC – CRP multi-sector model has helped facilitate community leadership on poverty, including among mayors and municipal councils, the business community, and people with lived and living experience of poverty. The network has also led and contributed to significant policy and systems changes in domains such as living wage, transportation, housing, and financial empowerment.

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Cities Reducing Poverty Policy Digest: September 2018

This is the September 2018 edition of the Cities Reducing Poverty Policy Digest which aims to provide timely poverty-related policy updates and resources from across Canada.

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