Did you know 1 in 10 people in Red Deer live in poverty? This is our city! We can't ignore what is right in front of us and where God has called us to be. We are His hands and feet in this great city, let's understand what is happening around us and how we can be a part of making it more as God intended.
The Poverty Cycle shows us how earning a low income in Red Deer may lead to experiencing the cycle of poverty. A family living with a low income has expenses that exceed wages. 73% of their wages go to shelter, childcare, food and transportation. This leads to families that can not afford healthy food or have a healthy lifestyle which leads to poor health outcomes. Children are at risk of poor child development in this setting.
In 2016, only 73% of our children in Kindergarten were reaching language and cognitive development and only 66% were reaching their communication and general knowledge for that age. Only 70% were meeting the proper physical health and well being standards. 
As families suffer from low income they have trouble maintaining housing. These families spend more than 30% of their income on shelter. This leads nearly 5,000 families in our city to be at risk for losing housing and becoming homeless. For obvious reasons they then have reduced employment prospects and the cycle continues.
Here at CrossRoads we care deeply for single parents and vulnerable youth. Directing our Local Initiatives is Laurie Whitaker who is very connected to our schools, partners and agencies who are making a difference. Please connect with Laurie and join us in reaching out to our city. LaurieW@CrossRoadsChurch.ca
This information comes from The City of Red Deer and CAPRA (Central Alberta Poverty Reduction Alliance). The full article can be found online. http://www.reddeer.ca/about-red-deer/social-well-being-and-community-initiatives/the-poverty-cycle/
