In the Spring of 2017, you joined Momentum to help us envision the future. Together we shared dreams and hopes for Momentum through stories, drawings and action plans. From this process, we’ve created a new strategic vision for our work. We’re excited to present our new strategic vision that you helped us to craft. Thank you for being an engaged part of the Momentum community!… Read more
Community Matters, Our Results
Hey friends, Momentum belongs to a non-profit association called REAP, which stands for Respect for the Earth and All People. REAP businesses like ours care about the community and the planet. Each year REAP’s Be Local Awards encourage Calgarians to vote for their favourite local businesses. Winners are recognized at REAP’s annual Be Local Awards Gala with a Be Local trophy. Voting is open August… Read more
Business Development, Community Matters, Get Involved, Our Results
I am new to Momentum. A week ago Thursday marked my fourth month here. From my first day, it’s been a whirlwind of learning and growing and experiencing. In my research of Momentum prior to joining the team I learned a lot. I read about housing programs and I read about how Momentum is recognized for social innovation in Calgary. I read about the Savings… Read more
Money Management, Our Results
Momentum celebrated a big anniversary in 2016. For 25 years now, we have been taking an economic approach to social issues, and adding a social perspective to local economic development. The pressures of our struggling economy brought out the best in us, and this year has been one of our finest. We are grateful to our board and staff, participants, investors and community partners. We… Read more
Community Matters, Our Results
Marquesa Shore had always wanted to be a business owner but, until one casual drive through the mountains, she had no idea what that could mean. She had been earning good money in Fort McMurray, but lost her job during layoffs in 2014. When she later visited Banff, she was immediately inspired: Banff needed a women’s clothing boutique, and she would be the one to… Read more
Business Development, Community Matters, Our Results
A few years after high school, career testing at SAIT put the trades at the top of the list for Carmello Baffa. He was thrilled to be accepted into Momentum’s Electrician program. He says he’d always known there were places to go if he needed food, but he hadn’t known there was a place to go for a life-changing experience. He had been working in… Read more
Community Matters, Employment Skills, Our Results
Some recipes are simple, like making toast. Some recipes are a bit more complicated, like making croissants. Others are inherently complex, like Enough for All, the city-wide, community-driven poverty reduction strategy guided by Vibrant Communities Calgary. Complex recipes do not follow a step-by-step process. In fact, Enough for All is less a recipe than a series of dishes that can create a banquet of potential… Read more
Community Matters, Our Results
When Sola Sierra, her husband, and their baby arrived in Canada in 2003, they had dreams but no plan. They came to get a western education, but without guidance about life here, they soon made a lot of mistakes. When her husband returned to Nigeria, Sola was left with lots of debt, no assets, and a job that barely paid the bills. She filed first… Read more
Community Matters, Money Management, Our Results
There are times in the life of any cook, in any kitchen, when a recipe you’ve been wanting to try for years is suddenly possible because one final ingredient is available at last. In this case, the key ingredient arrived in 2016 when Calgary Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) received an increase in funding from the Government of Alberta. This increase allowed FCSS to… Read more
Community Matters, Get Involved, Our Results
Recently, Momentum connected with our community to begin the process of determining our strategic map to carry us forward. We are grateful to everyone that engaged with us in our strategic visioning process. The visions and actions created through your engagements will be used to develop Momentum’s new strategic directions. Together we worked to: Discover what factors are vital to Momentum’s current work and past… Read more
Community Matters, Get Involved, Our Results