Act Now 
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What You Can Do
Consider how you treat people.Think about the underlying conditions that make people vulnerable to economic distress. Remember that there are many different groups of Calgarians living in poverty and that the economic downturn has affected so many of us. Offer assistance or a kind word to your neighbours, the young mother with a child on the C-Train, or the office cleaning staff who might be struggling to make ends meet. Volunteer in your community or with United Way.
Use your voice.You have the power to educate others about the realities and complexities of reducing poverty. Take opportunities to speak out and help raise awareness about this issue. Speak with your MLA or host a dinner party and include a discussion about poverty in Calgary. However you use your voice, don’t stop with simply talking about it, agree to take action. Offer job training or employment.Offer training and employment opportunities to unemployed and underemployed Calgarians, or encourage your employer to do so. Offer all your employees a living wage and consider additional benefits.A Living Wage is the income a household needs to meet their basic needs, maintain a safe standard of living, and save for the future. In Calgary, the Living Wage is $12.25 per hour for full-time workers receiving benefits (or $13.50 per hour in lieu of benefits). Being paid less than a Living Wage means earning less than $22,295 each year, before taxes. Minimum wage in Alberta is $8.80 per hour or $16,016 annually, before taxes.Paying your employees a living wage and offering them health benefits and other supports such as flexible hours, child care or transportation subsidies will help reduce poverty in our city. For more information on living wage, click here. Open your home to a low-income Calgarian.
Develop a secondary suite in your home.Develop or upgrade an existing secondary suite in your home (if you live in a neighbourhood where secondary suites are allowed) and set the rent at a reasonable rate. Consider that 39,000 Calgarians over the age of 25 are earning less than $12 per hour and set your rental rate accordingly. For more information about the development of secondary suites in Calgary, click here. Donate to United Way.By investing in United Way, you help to meet immediate needs for people living in poverty. You also support long-term, community-wide initiatives that will ultimately reduce poverty in Calgary. We can all play a part in making Calgary a truly great city for everyone. By breaking the cycles and myths of poverty, we believe all Calgarians will have the opportunity to reach their full potential. |
In Calgary, we have what we need to reduce poverty. We have a culture of achievement and success. We have a tradition of commitment. We have organizations and people with the power to influence political will and implement change. We have abundant resources to fuel community action. Here’s what you can do...
Whether you offer to help your neighbour, organize a Day of Caring™ with your friends or co-workers, or get involved with poverty reduction initiatives, you can make a tangible difference in the community.
Open your door to someone who is struggling to find affordable accommodations by offering room and board at a reasonable rate. Having secure, affordable shelter, even temporarily, could be the turning point for someone.