By Sheldon Spackman

Poverty Reduction Efforts

CAPRA aims to strengthen social connections in 2020

Jan 23, 2020 | 4:10 PM

An organization working towards reducing poverty in Red Deer is excited about its opportunities to impact the community going forward.

On Wednesday, the Central Alberta Poverty Reduction Alliance (CAPRA) held its 10^th Annual Breakfast Gathering at the G.H. Dawe Centre, where members learned more about this year’s possibilities on how to continue making a difference in the community.

CAPRA spokesperson Lori Jack says the breakfast allows them to celebrate their successes and talk about things to address in the upcoming year.

“Sam Denham, one of the original members, shared sort of what the plan was in the beginning and in many ways it hasn’t changed,” she explains. “It is still to always be learning about poverty and how to reduce poverty in any community, apply those practices, and then focus on what it looks like here in Red Deer and in central Alberta. As we have more members and more capacity to do more work, it has grown, but in many ways the purposing intent is the same.”

Jack admits, however, that poverty is a complex issue.

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“There’s many things that we can do to reduce poverty,” says Jack. “Some of it goes back to addressing the challenges around pay day lending and other unsafe financial products that exist. One of the things that came out of our very recent needs and opportunities assessment was that social connection was a significant challenge for people who are living on a lower, limited income in Red Deer.”

Jack says Red Deer’s number one industry for example is retail trade, with sales and services being the number one occupation. She notes people working in those industries notoriously work two or more jobs to make ends-meat.

“They may or may not be getting benefits, and so they’re working really hard to make the month,” says Jack. “In doing so, they don’t have time and space for social connection and they’ve identified that that’s a real, growing problem. We can all contribute to the wellness of our neighbours and our partners at work and what have you, to ensure that everybody feels a little better connected.”

Jack says pushing that social connection in our community will be high on CAPRA’s agenda in 2020.

“We are still working on financial empowerment, and food security, and literacy,” explains Jack. “In fact, we have a digital literacy event coming up March 20. But we really want the whole community to see themselves in the opportunity to improve the social connection for all of us.”

Helping people out of poverty brings many benefits for the entire community, as well as the next generation, adds Jack.

“Children living in a household with a lower, limited income, they’re lacking not just the financial means to do things, but they’re just lacking opportunities because parents can’t get them engaged in activities,” exclaims Jack. “So those kids are going to grow up to be adults that may struggle. Not that they have to be, but they’re not necessarily able to start their life on the strongest footing to get them to the best possible outcomes.”

Jack concludes, “Our community is stronger when we’re all doing better.”