Vibrant Communities Saint John (VCSJ) is part of Vibrant Communities Canada, a pan-Canadian poverty reduction project funded by the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation in partnership with Tamarack Insitiute for Community Engagement and The Caledon Institute for Social Policy. Funds from the J.W McConnell Family Foundation are used to leverage local funds to coordinate poverty reduction in Saint John. Twelve other Canadian urban centres participate with Vibrant Communities Canada.

Vibrant Communities began in 2004 and is managed by: the Business Community Anti-Poverty Initiative (chair), the Human Development Council, and the Urban Core Support Network. A Leadership Roundtable, with representatives from each of the five priority neighbourhoods, community organizations, the business community, and government departments, champions Vibrant Communities Saint John’s poverty reduction strategy.

Vibrant Communities Leadership Round Table (October 2009)

Sister Roma De Robertis Sisters of Charity
Monica Chaperlin * Business Community Anti-Poverty Initiative
Don Connolly Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
Ivan Court Mayor - City of Saint John
Terri-Ann Cormier Community Representative
Tara Parlee Old North End
Elizabeth Gallant Old North End
Nathalie Godbout Enterprise Saint John
Tom Gribbons (Chair) * RBC Dominion Securities
Randy Hatfiled * Human Development Council
Mark Leger Fusion Saint John
Trevor Holder Member of the Legislature
Gregor Hope Business Community Anti-Poverty Initiative
Elizabeth Jadoo Greater Saint John Area United Way
Lyn King Community Representative
Peter McGuire City of Saint John, Common Council
Brenda Murphy * Urban Core Support Network
Mike Murphy Saint John Board of Trade
Donnie Snook Inner City Youth Ministry
Nicole Smith

Non-Profit Task Force (Fredericton)

Carolyn Stephenson Service Canada
Bob Stranach National Crime Prevention Centre (Fredericton)
Susan Tipper School District 8
Pat Woods City of Saint John
Melissa Young Carpenter's Training Centre of New Brunswick
Fern Bennett Make Poverty History
Brian Marks Department of Social Development
(Province of New Brunswick)
Debbie Godlewski Health Region - Public Health Services
Lisa Murphy Resident
Nancy Savoie Resident - Crescent Valley
Elaine Daley Belyea Colwell and Associates
Regena Farnsworth University of New Brunswick, Saint John
(Faculty of Business)
Mary Eileen Flanagan Saint John Board of Police Commissioners
   

Leadership Roundtable
Saint John’s Poverty Reduction Strategy is championed by Vibrant Communities Saint John’s Leadership Roundtable.  The Leadership Roundtable consists of representation from the five Priority Neighbourhoods, three levels of government, the business community, and non-profit organizations. Members of the LRT champion a poverty reduction strategy in the following ways:

  • Provide input into strategic directions of a poverty reduction strategy
  • Promote the values and benefits of collaborative approaches to support people in moving from poverty to self reliance
  • Encourage their staff  or residents to participate in specific strategies or working groups
  • Publicly endorse and communicate poverty reduction strategies
  • Initiate and champion poverty reduction internally (department, neighbourhood, business)
  • Bring resources and knowledge of their organizations/community to the achievement of poverty reduction strategy
  • Broker contacts/resources that will support VC SJ
  • Support resident-led asset-based approaches to systemic poverty reduction

Vibrant Communities Saint John

Chair: Dr. Regena Farnsworth, Dean of Business, UNBSJ

Executive:  Randy Hatfield (Human Development Council), Monica Chaperlin (Business Community Anti Poverty Initiative), Brenda Murphy (Urban Core Support Network), Elaine Daley (Belyea, Colwell and Associates)

Wendy MacDermott, Coordinator
wendy.vibrantsj@nb.aibn.com
VCSJ Office phone: 693-0904

 

Cathy Wright, Social Planner
cwright@nb.aibn.com 832-5624

Alma Beck- Neighbourhood Community Developer, 
alma.vibrantsj@nb.aibn.com
680-0419