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Vibrant Communities Saint John was founded in 2004 with support from the Human Development Council, the Urban Core Support Network and Business Community Anti Poverty Initiative, its convener organization. VCSJ:
- Brings together community leaders to share, strategize, and champion a comprehensive poverty reduction strategy
- Provides knowledge and data about poverty to inform community planning;
- Is a voice to government, business, and the community about poverty in Saint John; and
- Encourages coordination and collaboration among individuals living in poverty, community organizations, business and government
Learn more about Vibrant Communities Saint John by visiting the Human Development Council website here.
Uptake Is Improving for Free Education Money
Vibrant Communities initiatives across Canada are helping spread the word about the Canada Learning Bond. Low income families can get free money to invest for the education of their children, but uptake of the program has been slow as families don’t know about it or face barriers gathering the documents or starting the savings plans that are required to receive the grant.
The Maytree Foundation outlined some of the issues in their publication, Policy in Focus in 2010. SmartSaver.org is a program sponsored by the Omega Foundation, focused on improving awareness and access to the bond in Toronto. Recently, 60,000 Toronto households received vouchers outlining exactly what amount they could claim from the program. Business leaders have also supported the bond because better education leads to more prosperity for all.
Vibrant Communities Saint John is holding a bond blitz to raise awareness, while Opportunities Waterloo Region will host an event this month to promote the opportunity to low income families.
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