EndPovertyEdmonton

"Any real or perceived shortcomings of the organization lie with the board, and not the staff or the many volunteers that continue to dedicate so much of their time and energy to EPE and its work." When we announced on June 6th that EndPovertyEdmonton will wind down operations by the end of the year, we promised to communicate regularly and transparently about the transition. As part of that communication, we will soon be releasing the report that resulted from our engagement with a wide group of people closest to our work. Their valuable input has informed our path forward, and a summary of what we heard will be shared as soon as it’s ready. Stay tuned.

A message from the Board After seven years of stewarding City of Edmonton’s strategy to eradicate poverty, EndPovertyEdmonton (EPE) will effectively wind down its current operations by the end of 2024, and begin reimagining how the organization can return to its roots as a movement—grounded in community and united in a resolve to eradicate poverty through transformative change. For full details, please read this blog post: https://lnkd.in/gt3kb-nq

The 2023 EndPovertyEdmonton annual report showcases some of our projects and accomplishments from 2023 with a focus on how our work has contributed to systems change. These contributions to systems change give the report its theme of "hope and change" as we make progress toward dismantling the root causes of poverty and recognize the positive effects that will have on our community. https://lnkd.in/gmUWspHD

Are you interested in doing business with the City of Edmonton and other public sector institutions? Join the networking event, Purchase with Purpose: Opportunities for Indigenous, diverse and social businesses to sell to the public sector. Thursday, June 6, 2024  1:30- 4pm Edmonton Expo Centre https://lnkd.in/gMT-rskG

Join PALS and ECALA for an exciting day full of a variety of fun and educational workshops and presentations for adult learners, tutors, and the broader community. This event will celebrate diversity and showcase inclusive literacy practices, promote cultural awareness, and build a collaborative community. Please register by May 17. https://lnkd.in/gUMuY8q5

Childcare co-operatives are a well-established way for parents, community members, economic development officers, and municipal and business leaders to work together to create licensed childcare spaces. If you’re in Alberta, now is the time to start a childcare co-op. Below are some links to help you get started. Starting a childcare co-op in Alberta Webinar https://lnkd.in/gRwqnEV6 How to get funds to start your childcare co-op  https://lnkd.in/grWMdSU3 Oodenaw: Urban Indigenous Consulting Cooperative case study https://lnkd.in/gHSsgJhQ

May 5th is Red Dress Day, also known as National Day of Awareness For Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women And Girls (MMIWG). The day draws attention to the more than 1,000 missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ peoples and is one of several campaigns started by activists to call attention to disproportionate rates of violence against these groups who are 6 times more likely to be murdered than their non-Indigenous counterparts. On May 5th, We ask you to display empty red dresses in public spaces or wear red dresses to show support for the lives of MMIWG. Creator of The REDress Project, Métis artist Jaime Black, said that since red is the only colour the spirits can see, the red dresses are "really a calling back of the spirits of these women and allowing them a chance to be among us and have their voices heard through their family members and community." If you are in Edmonton, we encourage you to attend the Red Dress Day event at Churchill Square. 8:00am pipe ceremony at Beaver Hills House Park 11:00am meet at Churchill Square Noon walk down Jasper Avenue #MMIWG #MMIW #MMEIP #MMIW2S

The Alberta UCP government is cutting funding for transit programs that subsidize fares for low-income residents in Edmonton and Calgary. This funding cut will hurt the cities' most vulnerable people at a time when they need the most help, and will result in many people remaining in poverty, and potentially falling even deeper into poverty. The program is currently accessed by over 25,000 Edmontonians, with many saying the program means they no longer need to “choose between food, rent and bus services.” Access to Edmonton’s bus, train, or DATS services makes it possible to get to work, school, daycare, medical appointments, or join community events. Education, employment and full participation in a city is only possible if people have access to all parts of the city. The program was a game changer action from the original EndPovertyEdmonton road map. EndPovertyEdmonton calls on the Alberta government to continue funding subsidized transit fares across the province.

https://lnkd.in/g5NN2RSV Federal and provincial governments have embarked on a major undertaking to build systems of early learning and child care across Canada that meet high standards for quality, affordability, accessibility, inclusion, and flexibility. The success of the Canada-Wide Early Learning and Care (CWELCC) initiative will depend partly on whether changes to early learning and care meet the needs and expectations of parents. The Edmonton Council for Early Learning and Care has released "Parents’ Views About the Quality of Early Learning and Child Care in Alberta." This report includes detailed findings and recommendations for optimizing the way in which the CWELCC is implemented in Alberta. Information for this report was gathered through the Alberta Parent Survey on Early Learning and Child Care, which was conducted in 2022 with over 1,400 parents in Alberta with young children.

Efforts toward building a truly inclusive economy in Edmonton require us to rethink how we value artists and their contributions to society, including contributing approximately $2 Billion to Alberta’s GDP. https://lnkd.in/g3EkszSS