As a community economic development organization, Momentum knows it cannot create lasting change all on its own. Instead, Momentum works with partners from across the city and beyond, building relationships across sectors to make an even bigger difference. One of Momentum’s most important relationships is with Vibrant Communities Calgary, the steward of Enough for All - Calgary’s poverty reduction strategy.
Enough for All aims to provide solutions that address the root causes of poverty in our community so that everyone in Calgary has the income and assets to thrive. Through the strategic levers of change, Enough for All points the way toward high-impact strategies for communities and organizations to consider as they look to address poverty in our city.
As an Enough for All partner, Momentum shares in the commitment to work toward making poverty a thing of the past in Calgary. Our work at Momentum is specifically focused on programs, policies and initiatives in two specific Enough for All levers of change: Financial Empowerment and Employment.
Financial Empowerment is an approach to improve the financial outcomes of people living in poverty, such as their credit scores, savings and debt levels. Momentum offers a suite of programs to increase individuals’ financial empowerment, including Matched Savings Programs, Money Management workshops, and Financial Coaching. Each of these programs provides an inclusive environment for individuals living on low incomes to access financial education and savings opportunities. Since the launch of Enough for All, Momentum developed an online savings challenge in partnership with the QUBER app, which is available to anyone in the Calgary area living on lower income to boost their own savings.
Beyond the classroom, Momentum works to impact broader systems by growing the capacity of other agencies to deliver financial empowerment programming through Financial Coaching Training and Financial Literacy Training. Plus, we work to impact even broader change through Aspire Calgary, and through the efforts of our public policy team to ensure that everyone in our community has opportunities to reduce their debt and build savings.
Another key aspect of reducing poverty in Calgary is ensuring that people living on lower incomes can access employment opportunities. Momentum actively works towards this goal by offering programs including trades training, adult and youth technology training, as well as self-employment programs.
Momentum strives to provide opportunities for people living on lower incomes to develop their skills to successfully gain employment in Calgary. We also work with many local businesses including Botting, Bison Transport, ATB Financial and Long View Systems among many others to provide work experience and ultimately jobs for many program graduates. Through the Be Local Network, which Momentum hosts, we also work with over 300 locally-owned businesses committed to making a positive social impact by providing quality jobs for Calgarians that pay a living wage.
Poverty is a complex problem. To improve the situation for our city and the lives of so many of our neighbours, it will take the whole community. We are proud to be part of Enough for All and to contribute our organization’s energy to this critical mission so we can unleash our city’s full potential.
By Haley O'Connor, Marketing and Communications Assistant at Momentum