Poverty remains a reality for far too many Alberta children. It won’t be known until next year what effect the recent recession had on poverty rates since the most currently available data is from 2008. But Alberta did see its unemployment rate more than double and a dramatic increase in income support caseloads. As a result, demands on human services community organizations are growing, while available resources from both government and the community are shrinking. There is recognition around the world that we need to address poverty more effectively. Innovative activity is underway in many countries, and evidence is growing of the value of comprehensive approaches to poverty reduction. In Canada, six provincial governments have now adopted strategies to reduce poverty and work is commencing in a seventh.