Social Voice

Man’s best friend… pastry?

2012-05-23T15:56:55Z

As a young boy, Philippe’s Poncet knew baking was his passion. But it remained a dream hidden behind a successful career as an engineer and researcher. For more than 20 years, Phillipe questioned whether the choice to follow a career versus his dream was the right one.

Check out Philippe’s story of how his passion for pastry and the support of Momentum, a community agency, changed his life. Share your thoughts with us. Do you think financial and business awareness and education is important? Are these skills important or a necessity? Why are these opportunities for education, awareness and skills development so important?

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It takes a lot of courage to step away from a successful career to follow a dream.

“It was very scary! The move was risky, but I owed it to myself to at least try,” says Philippe Poncet the owner of Éclair de Lune Bakery in Calgary’s northwest.

Philippe has worked as an engineer and researcher for more than 20 years, but this career was never his dream.

“When you are 17 and 18 years old, you think of establishing a career that offers a good salary and security; I never even considered opening my own bakery, it wasn’t an option for me.”

It was a dream that started when he was nine years old. Philippe says he loved to bake and remembers spending time baking with his mother.

“I did love baking, I enjoyed every minute of it, but I thought it was just a pastime. One day my wife came home with a pamphlet that talked about the business development programs that Momentum offers. I thought maybe it’s time to see if I can make my dream a reality.”

Check out the full story here.

Food for thought

2012-05-24T13:42:38Z

It’s intersting when you really focus and think about how many times each of us have experienced hunger and its sad to think that while many of us have the ability to run to a store and simply buy whatever it is we crave, we desire or need to pass that feeling of hunger, others don’t.

According to UN envoy Olivier De Schutter, “900,000 households in Canada are food insecure and up to 2.5 million people precisely” – shocking!! So, what happens to those families that cannot afford food for their children? What happens to those families who don’t know when their next meal would be or where it will come from?

These two articles provide a unique perspective and insight on the power of food. Check them out and share your thoughts with us: Should Calgary embrace the idea of setting up a ‘Stop Community Food Centre’? Could food really be a tool to bring community together? Why is it important to recognize that hunger exists in our country and our city. As a community, what more can we do to support those in need?

Rethinking the food bank

Nick Saul is having another “wow” moment. Literally.

In giant blue capital letters, the word seems to dance on the office wall behind him as Saul speaks excitedly about his latest plan to turn the food bank concept on its head.

“I want to harness the power of food to connect, empower and create knowledge and skills — and hope and self-worth,” he says.

“Other than checking your humanity at the door and picking it up on the way out — how can (the food bank) experience be fuelling self-worth and hope and a sense that things can change?”

“The idea is to try to change the conversation and to see food as this tool that can build community and health rather than just make people feel smaller.”

Right to Food: UN envoy blasts Canada for ‘self-righteous’ attitude over hunger poverty

OTTAWA — Canada needs to drop its “self-righteous” attitude about how great a country it is and start dealing with its widespread problem of food insecurity, the United Nations right-to-food envoy says.

In a hard-hitting interview this week with Postmedia News, Olivier De Schutter also blasted Canada for its “appallingly poor” record of taking recommendations from UN human-rights bodies seriously.

De Schutter, the UN special rapporteur on the right to food, has been on an 11-day mission to Canada, his first to a developed country.

It’s taken him to poor inner-city neighbourhoods in Central Canada, where he said he’s heard from families on social assistance who can’t afford to feed their children healthy foods.

Why we love We Day!

2012-05-18T15:27:40Z

Free The Children’s We Day is more than just one day of celebration and inspiration. It is a movement – a movement of young people taking positive action to make a difference in their communities around the globe.

Check out this inspiring and amazing video:

What are you doing to lead or support positive change? Share your story and inspire others to be part of the movement!

5 facts that will make your jaw drop!

2012-05-18T16:08:01Z

140,000 Calgarians are living in poverty
Over one in four employed persons, and one in three employed women, works for low wages in Alberta
For an individual to be able to meet their basic needs, maintain a safe and decent standard of living, and save for future needs and goals, they require a Living Wage. In Calgary, a bare minimum Living Wage is $13.75 per hour without benefits or $12.50 per hour with benefits
In Calgary, one in eight children lives in poverty
According to Revenue Canada data on 2009, 64.5 per cent of tax filers reported living on incomes below $40,000.

What are your thoughts? Why does poverty exist in our city? What can we do we help individuals, families and children live a healther and better life?

A family affair…1-2-3-GO!

2012-05-15T16:00:09Z

It’s a family fair event!!!

Join your 1-2-3-GO Hosts for their unique 3 Things Event on May 26th at the John Dutton Theatre at 1pm. The event will offer three different options for participants to make Calgary and even better place! The catch is… the “Things” are a secret, so you have to check it out to find out.

Why do you think its important that we continue to make Calgary and even better place to live? What can each of us to make our street, our community, and our city a greater place for all?

Click here to learn more about the event.

May 15 is what now?

2012-05-11T20:20:14Z

This year, May 15 is A Day. A Day is all about capturing what’s important to you and your daily life through photos.

So, what’s important to you? Do you think community is an important element in your daily life? If so, do you have a picture that captures that? Share your thoughts and pictures with us!

6 local hot-spots you need to check out

2012-05-18T16:52:18Z

Looking for some local hotspots to check out? Well, United Way’s BeCause team is sharing their secrets on some of the city’s hippest and coolest places to be.

United Way’s BeCause initiative empowers 20 to 40 year olds to work together and be part of creating social change through charitable giving, volunteerism and civic and community engagement. They have held a range of unique and fun events to help inspire Calgary’s next generation of leaders. In fact, BeCause has held or taken part in events at each of these local hotspots.

Check them out:

1. The Downtown Core

It was hard to miss BeCause at Calgary’s biggest private shopping event ever held in November 2011. With performances from Chantal Kreviazuk, to ETalk’s queen of gossip, Lainey Lui hosting the red carpet, the event was a raging success. Check these photos out.

2. Double Zero – Black and Red Bash

BeCause hosted its first ever Black and Red Bash at Double Zero this year. More than 100 of the city’s young philanthropic leaders came together with some of Calgary’s most influential leaders to help kick off BeCause 2012. Attendees were able to take in some of Calgary’s best pizza, while networking with some of the city’s most notable leaders. Check these photos out from the event.

Check out this video:

3. Gerry Thomas Gallery – Urban Exposure Project

Each year, BeCause provides aspiring photographers with an opportunity to learn about social issues in our city like none other. The Urban Exposure Project (UEP) gives participants the opportunity to explore a social issue using their camera as a tool to express what they learn, the people they meet and the stories they hear. Last year, participants exhibited their collection at the Gerry Thomas Gallery, where friends, family and keen artisans shared in the experience.

4. The Garage in Eau Claire – Why?Race

Part scavenger hunt, part obstacle course and part foot race, BeCause’s Why?Race is a citywide team challenge that won’t disappoint! Teams of four race through Calgary’s downtown while taking part in various tasks and challenges that help participants get to know their city better. To wrap up the day, participants celebrated their accomplishments at The Garage in Eau Claire.

Registration for the second annual Why?Race is now open. Get yours soon because last year’s event sold out! Stay connected to www.BeCause.ca and sign up your team.

5. Flames Central – Timeraiser

Timeraiser is a silent auction where you bid time instead of money. In 2011, Timeraiser was held at the one and only Flames Central. Attendees were given an opportunity to meet with different agencies and make matches based on their skills. Once a participant makes their match (or matches), they are eligible to bid in volunteer hours on a piece of artwork. Once you complete your pledge, you get to bring the artwork home! It’s a night on the town, with a good cause – tickets for Timeraiser 2012 go on sale in May.

6. Saltlik – Networking event

BeCause was once again on scene at one of the city’s up and coming local steak houses, during one of many yearly networking events. Young Calgary leaders and professionals came together for a night of good food, drinks and networking.

Join or to learn more about BeCause.

Do you want to be part of a movement that embraces Calgary’s youthful spirit? Why?

Nothing off limits here- what are these young boys asking?

2012-05-11T19:35:11Z

Check out this Globe and Mail article and share your thoughts with us. Is it important that we educate young men about teen sexuality and why? What else can be done to educate youth on teen sexuality?

In Blake Spence’s class, no topic is off-limits, especially when a boy has dropped it anonymously into the “question box.” Mr. Spence, 28, co-ordinates the WiseGuyz Program, now on offer to Grade 9 boys in two Calgary high schools. In 14 two-hour sessions offered once a week, the guys talk – yes, talk, without girls in the room – about everything from reproductive anatomy, sexually transmitted infections and birth control to relationships, values and the media.

WiseGuyz, run by the Calgary Sexual Health Centre (which gave Mr. Spence his training), isn’t just sex ed with an update. It’s part of a new wave of initiatives to intervene in a young, male culture that is giving many adults cause for concern. Long-term, the aim is to combat the rates of domestic violence and sexually transmitted infections. Short-term, the goal is to tutor young men in healthy relations with women and non-destructive masculinity.

A U.S. study of 1,430 Grade 7 students published last month found that nearly one in six (15 per cent) reported being physically abused by someone they had dated; one in three (37 per cent) said they had been victimized psychologically or electronically in a romantic context.

Read the rest of the article here.

Calgary’s best kept secret

2012-04-27T20:59:24Z

Do you know about 211? If not, you are among many Calgarians who are missing out on one of Calgary’s best kept secrets. 211 is a three-digit telephone number that connects callers to a full range of community, social and government services information.

If you’ve got a question, call 211 and get answers! 211 is:

Free
Confidential
Multilingual – available in more than 150 languages
Available 24 hours a day

How can we help Calgarians become more aware about 211? Have you called 211? Share your experience with us!

The Power of One

2012-04-27T20:19:13Z

For Caine, it took one player. This 9 year old boy in California had built an elaborate cardboard arcade, but no one ever came to play. Until one day, when Nirvan came to play and realized this little boy could use a few more players. Take a look.

Nirvan changed Caine’s life by bringing people together to play at Caine’s arcade. Impacting someone’s life doesn’t have to be that big; it can be as easy as holding the door for someone. Were you inspired by this story? How can each of us make a difference in someone’s life?