Avenue Magazine Calgary

Posted by Avenue Staff in The Big Idea on Feb 2 2010 14:36

In November of every year, Avenue magazine asks its most recent Top 40 Under 40 class, along with all alumni from the past, to suggest ideas for Avenue's Big Idea for the coming year - the Big Idea being an initiative or concept that will make the city a better place to live now and in the future.

The Big Idea for 2010 is:

Solving Calgary's Affordable Housing Crisis.

The 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness has estimated that nearly 4,000 Calgary families are in need of affordable housing, and while much discussion on this topic has taken place, a solution has yet to be found.

Over the course of the coming year, Avenue will host a Big Idea roundtable discussion; a keynote speaker on the topic of affordable housing; and conduct a series of interviews with key community stakeholders (developers, home builders, city planners, etc.). All of these efforts will come together with our October issue of Avenue magazine, which will present stories on the solutions and tactical steps towards fixing Calgary's affordable housing
crisis.

In addition, RedPoint Media Group Inc. is literally putting its money where its mouth is through the creation of the Avenue Fund. Each year, this Fund will be used to help local charities solve the Big Idea cause. Monies will be raised through individual and corporate donations; Avenue fundraisers; and through a portion of ticket sales to Avenue Live events throughout the year.

In our October issue, Avenue will specifically identify how the monies were used to support the cause at hand.

Monies contributed to the Avenue Fund are managed through The Calgary Foundation. Established in 1955, The Calgary Foundation facilitates collaborative philanthropy by making powerful connections between donors and community organizations for the long-term benefit of Calgary and surrounding area.