WHO WE ARE
The Business Community Anti-Poverty Initiative (BCAPI) is a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to catalyzing, facilitating, and collaborating to end generational poverty in Saint John, New Brunswick.
Comprising business and professional leaders, BCAPI is driven by the belief that poverty can be substantially reduced if the community’s leadership focuses on this common goal and works with leaders from all sectors to achieve change. BCAPI members work collaboratively with people living in poverty, community organizations and government to develop, demonstrate and scale-up solutions that provide children, youth, and families with the essential tools and resources to succeed in school and life.
BCAPI’s primary role is as a catalyst for change, leveraging the skills, resources, and influence of its members and partners to help change the outcomes for those living in a cycle of poverty. BCAPI focuses its efforts on supporting young people from cradle to career, primarily through educational programming and supports.
BCAPI also contributes business and professional leadership, skills, and resources to specific community initiatives. Its members advocate for projects that help children, youth, and families to overcome the barriers to achieving their full potential.
The organization was founded in 1997 by Bill Gale.
25 years: a lot to celebrate
BCAPI has been working to help Saint John children succeed, from cradle to career - for a quarter of a century. Learn more about our journey, and everything our community has achieved over that timeframe in our Impact Report.
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
01
BCAPI’s first project was the commissioning of a major Poverty Study for Saint John. The Study’s findings and recommendations were embraced by the broader community as Saint John’s first roadmap to ‘reducing poverty’. BCAPI then partnered with others to develop new approaches that could successfully break the ‘cycle of poverty, for children and families.
02
The celebrated PALS program, Partners Assisting Local Schools, initiated in one school by J.K. Irving (a BCAPI Leader) in 2000, has grown to 23 schools and 150 business and community partners and has influenced the establishment of the community school program in New Brunswick.
03
Adding to the success of PALS, BCAPI Leaders have helped to establish other ‘best practice’ programs that are closing the education achievement gap, from cradle to career, for children and youth who live in poverty. Examples include: First Steps, Teen Resource Centre, the Early Childhood Hubs, P.R.O.Kids, Brilliant Labs, Early Literacy Friends (ELF), Bee me Kidz, Sistema, UNB’s Promise Partnership, PALS En Route to Success, Pathways to Education, Achieve Literacy Greater Saint John and WorkLinks.
04
As a result of these innovations that enrich children’s learning opportunities, many more children from low-income families are ready for kindergarten, are achieving early literacy success by Grade 3, and are graduating from high school equipped for post-secondary pursuits and employment.
05
BCAPI has insisted on solid research to guide priorities and rigorous evaluation to track progress. All programs must aim to strengthen children’s health, education and social foundations and help them realize economic self-sufficiency by adulthood. Measuring outcomes and return on investment has also been introduced by BCAPI to ensure program effectiveness and impact.
06
BCAPI has helped to build and evolve Saint John’s 20 year Poverty Reduction Strategy that focuses on the improving health, education and employment outcomes for families in low-income neighbourhoods and expanding investments in this work from all sectors. Saint John’s progress has influenced the development of New Brunswick’s Poverty Reduction Plan and caused the NB Government to announce a $10 million social innovation fund for Saint John. Our city is being recognized as a poverty reduction leader among cities, from coast to coast in Canada.
Most importantly, Saint John’s poverty rate is declining each year, in part, because the education achievement gap is closing for children and youth who live in poverty, and more young people are ready and equipped to enter the workforce and break out of the cycle of poverty.
When children succeed, poverty ends. The lasting benefits for children - their future, and in turn, their children’s future - and the resulting economic impact on our city, our businesses and our province are well worth the investment.
Saint John Stronger Together
Saint John Stronger Together (2022) is the story of a city that took charge to solve a big problem: ending generational poverty. It’s about a community of leaders, from all sectors, who rolled up their sleeves and worked together to tackle a deeply rooted social challenge.
Written by Sherri Torjman, social policy consultant and former vice-president of the Caledon Institute. Published by the Tamarack Institute (www.tamarackcommunity.ca)
We are a proud partner in Saint John’s 20-year journey
These milestones represent just a few of many initiatives that community business and government partners have created throughout Saint John’s 20-year journey.
Thank you to all contributors! Our journey together continues, stronger and better.