Momentum

A black hole. That’s how Cindy Stifanic describes the lowest point in her life.

She had lost everything — her entire savings, a successful accounting practice and properties she had spent years building up — all because of one bad overseas investment.

“I thought when people go broke they lose everything and go back to zero,” she says. “I didn’t know it could go way beyond that. I lost my identity totally. All I could feel at the time was pain and shame.”

Desperate to rebuild her life, she found her way to Momentum, a community-based group that partners with low-income individuals to establish their productive futures. Enrolling herself in its women’s venture program, Stifanic completed the free nine-month program and took her business plan to apply for Momentum’s microloan. The $4,000 she received helped her start an accounting and tax practice.

“Momentum was a stepping stone that helped put me on the right track,” she says.

Momentum began in 1991 as the Mennonite Central Committee Employment Development office, offering trades training for immigrants. Now, it’s an independent organization serving approximately 3,000 participants each year with roughly 20 programs, including ongoing trades training, small business training, matched savings incentives, computer training and money management workshops. Between 2005 and 2007, Momentum participants started up 90 small businesses and purchased 21 new homes.

Executive director Walter Hossli says the changes at Momentum reflect local changes since the early ’90s.

“Then, there were a lot of people who were unemployed and on social assistance,” he says. “Now, there are fewer people on both of those sides, but at the same time, the wealth gap has increased.” This rising cost of living means although people are working full time and even several jobs, they can’t make ends meet, Hossli adds.

In addition to providing resources and support for the working poor, Momentum also challenges the structural barriers in place to reduce poverty on a long-term, sustainable basis.

As a key organization in Vibrant Communities Calgary, it was instrumental in bringing about the low-income bus pass and encouraged the City to adopt a living-wage policy.

In 2007, Momentum was named one of the top 10 charities in the country by Tides Canada Foundation. But, Hossli says, like many non-profits, the hurdles they now face are attracting and retaining committed staff, the long but necessary work of policy change and changing the public perception of poverty.

“It’s not just the homeless who are poor,” says Hossli. “The number of people who are threatened by homelessness is far, far greater than the number of those who are homeless.”

Abbi M. Singh
For inspiring others with his young-at-heart effort

Karo
For being pro bono pros

Parent Support Association
For its unique contribution to keeping parents' sanity

Simon Madhol Atem
For fighting for peace

Dr. Maria Eriksen
For giving, and giving, and giving

MEOW Foundation
For doing the most with the least

Peter Mauro
For sharing a love of music

The Pumphouse Theatres Society
For cultivating the arts

Paul Hagel
For being on board

The Alexandra Community Health Centre
For building a healthier community

Child & Youth Friendly Calgary
For inspiring the next generation of A-Listers

Donna Kreese
For coordinating volunteers