Poverty Awareness in York Region

YR Police have told Outreach workers not to give tents out to the homeless and slit holes in any they find in a new "policy" it would seem, trying to force people into unhealthy often dangerous environments against their wishes.
The Wild Flowers Cafe at 225 Main St S in Newmarket Ontario will house a combination Open Stage Fundraiser and Youth education award presentation Fri Sept 23 from 7PM - 9:30 PM. Musicians and singers/players welcome. Also featuring TP Entertainment presents..., Khryme Syndicate, Dulcimer Head, Fred Joly...more TBA. Proceeds to PACC.

With such a catchy heading I suppose you're expecting another well meaning but off-base rant from me about the evils of food banks and that we should close them...something the average person might not even fathom as a possibility..." How could we possibly exist without food-banks!?"... I can hear the incredulous cries now, but hey, this isn't even my idea...it came from a group of mostly, or almost seniors, who have been (wo)manning food banks as volunteers in York Region for the past 20 years, and are tired of watching people suffer the indignity of it for little food in the big scheme of things. People need much more than food banks can possibly provide, and healthier, and they know it, and face the frustration of that directly from people in dire need. So who knows better? Who better to have seen how demoralized and undignified the food bank system makes people feel than its volunteers? If they say it's wrong there must be a ring to it. So what does a group of frustrated food bank volunteers do about it? Why sing of course!

"50 Ways To Close The Food Banks" was spearheaded by York Region Food Networker, Yvonne Kelly, who approached the food bank volunteers originally to meet, but later evolving into their desire to do a sort of protest song designed to send a message to politicians and the public, that food banks are not an answer. They, in fact, were started as a temporary measure in the 1970's and were expected to last a few weeks but have now become ingrained as part of the food security network. This perception of it helping is terribly misguided.

The biggest downfall to food banks, besides the fact that they are perceived to solve the problem by some and are not a dignified means to receive a basic need or that locations can be hard to access, is the fact that most do not include any fresh or healthy foods and provide rations for only 3 day a month. Why bother? Just give them more money in whichever capacity that needs to be and let them buy food they actually like... themselves! Egads! They don't need a food depot and we especially don't need to maintain them in order to keep volunteers or donors happy. There's plenty of room on the shelter band wagons for anyone interested in that.

At any rate somehow I got pulled into the heap and agreed to make a video recording of the group - aptly named Freedom 95...The Table-Knacker Choir! Hopefully I can release it soon.






That's the fun part over with. I'm noticing in my travels an increase in desperation on the streets. Increased incidence of public fighting and arguing due to financial stress, people having to move into crack/drug houses (with no alternative), and numerous stories of people stealing food basics or steaks from stores - even people's fridges - which all tell me people are increasingly desperate - and desperate times call for desperate measures. What that means is more assistance to those in need, and I don't mean solely by income supports but through independent access to affordable, safe housing and income - as I've also noticed an increase in evictions (attempts), as well programs and special living arrangement situations are so crammed up they seem to be inventing things to get rid of anyone that doesn't play along nicely, to the point where people are even afraid to speak up about an organization (that's supposed to be looking out for their mental well being) for fear of losing their meeting spot or home.

So if you placed in a room with two others who stink, cough or do heavy drugs or are violent, you're expected to be quiet and accept that? Sorry I don't...Or go live in a room with 20 others like this if you don't like it? No. I don't accept that either. People need their own places / spaces to live.

It's all about the money and make no mistake they all need their client quotas. I also find it outrageous an organization that is supposed to be taking care of people evicts them even knowing they are wrong - such as a case I came across wherein ODSP pays the landlord directly, yet each time (3 in past year) the "community support organization"served notice on the tenant who's out of the loop, causing severe ongoing stress. The last time, he was finally evicted because he didn't go to Toronto to fight the application. This causes someone in such predicaments to make decisions they might not otherwise make. How's his mental health now?!

It really tells you something when we have a system that controls its most vulnerable through a series of traps all encompassed within a creation of reliance on them as "care-givers" for income, shelter, welfare, help programs, treatment, housing and all contingent upon them playing along with any whim thrown their way no matter how impossible, unreasonable or unmanageable. It's not a wonder some never escape the trap because we encourage its continuance by saying that we can't afford to feed, house and cloth people in need in a cold country as vast in resources and riches as we are - yet we can continue to feed money and time to a broken system not designed to lower its reliance but to encourage it.

Speaking of reliance I know the guys living on the streets are sure missing (former Rev) Robin Wardlaw, now that he's left as the Pastor of a local church and become the NDP representative for Newmarket Aurora in the upcoming provincial elections. During his watch the homeless were permitted a shower every day - the only place in Newmarket where they could - and since he left they've apparently stopped allowing the practice. Amazing, you get out of one thing to help people, and immediately someone is undoing your good work left behind...too bad for the guys. Now there's a guy who can claim actual experience with low income issues unlike the Liberals' local filly Christina Bisanz, quoted in the paper as having experience with the issue "first hand" through her "volunteer work" as a board member for a shelter (Belinda's Place) that doesn't even exist yet. Its not even a building! The magical candidate! Meantime MPP Frank Klees was quoted commending " the network of food banks" for their fine work. Ha. Great stuff. Couldn't make it up. Here's a link to a story about a group offering REAL concrete solutions now being looked at in other communities.

The police have apparently also told the OUTREACH people not to issue the homeless any tents as well and have slit any existing tents they've found with knives I'm told.....nice...forced jail cells next perhaps? Too bad no one seems to face the reality that York Region has problems...that are only bubbling now.. but should we continue to arrogantly throw food bank drives and used clothing giveaways and make baseless statistical quotes while pushing people into corners to drive our poverty reduction efforts ....we're surely doomed....
....and by the way a reminder the POVERTY FREE ONTARIO campaign kicks off Sept 15 across Ontario...you can get in on the action locally at 510 Penrose in Newmarket at 10:30 AM.
50 Ways To Close The Food Banks!

Tom Pearson

...With winter approaching here's a link to a PACC Commotion (part comedy, part promotion) video focusing on a volunteer service that is surely needed - snow-shoveling for the elderly and disabled!
<iframe width="560" height="345" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/-XaBJ3ZwktM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>