| NAPO's Mission | ABOUT: |
|---|---|
| History | The Organization |
The National Anti-Poverty Organization was founded in 1971 at Canada's first nation-wide poor people's conference. While it has had a variety of specific priorities and structures since that time, it has continuously been directed by activists working within low-income communities, all of whom have personal experience with poverty. Some issues have consistently been priorities for the organization, including social assistance and other income assistance programs, health, housing, education and training, and opportunities for participation by poor people in decision making processes and policy making.
The goal of the National Anti-Poverty Organization is the elimination of poverty in Canada. While NAPO has adopted the Statistics Canada Low-Income Cut-off Lines as a dollar-figure approximation of poverty in Canada, the complete elimination of poverty will have occurred when all Canadians share the following characteristics:
NAPO recognizes that other non-government and governmental organizations share this goal. It is the particular role of the organization to build on its unique membership and its direction by low-income Canadians to carry out two particular mandates:
To carry out its mandate, NAPO undertakes the following broad activities:
May 1995
The National Anti-Poverty Organization (NAPO) is a non-profit, non-partisan advocacy organization that represents the interests of low-income Canadians. NAPO is officially registered with Revenue Canada as a charitable organization (Registration No. 0418020-09-10)
NAPO serves as the voice of low-income Canadians, and works to ensure that the views of poor people are considered during debates about national issues of importance to them. We work with grass roots organizations and other allies on poverty issues. We initiate action-oriented research and submit briefs to federal committees, task forces and commissions. We meet with elected officials, senior civil servants and other key decision and policy makers. We distribute information on poverty issues to our members, the media and the public at large. PEOPLE A twenty-one person voluntary Board of Directors from every province and territory of the country directs and governs NAPO's work. At least two-thirds of NAPO Board members have had first-hand experience with poverty. The Board is assisted by a small staff who work out of NAPO's office in Ottawa.
The range of issues addressed by NAPO is diverse but includes such topics as welfare and unemployment, training and education programs, job creation, housing, social and health services, tax policy, economic policy, court challenges and child care.
Copyright © 1997 The National Anti-Poverty Organization (NAPO)