Poverty Awareness in York Region

Annette Brown

It was with great shock and sadness that I learned of a colleague and friend, Annette Brown's passing the other day, from cardiac arrest while in the hospital. She'd had some ongoing health issues I'm told, but, in true Annette fashion, she kept it fairly quiet, never wanting to be the "victim". I believe she'd been victimized enough already in life, something she too kept close to her chest, but her experience from her past made her an excellent social worker and her heart made her a great one. She understood people's situations better than most social workers ever could and knew how to relate on a level people felt comfortable with and therefore she reached more residents. She also had a special, even keel, calmness about her when dealing with issues / residence, something I always admired, being someone who tends to get too emotional in issues at times.

Annette, along with myself and a number of others, were part of special community development team trained in group facilitation and community development, the York Region Community Development Project, and we held community events, formed regular community meetings, and encouraged groups and organizations to form including the Mulock Village Development Committee from which the Annual Friendly Neighbourhood Youth Road Hockey Challenge sprung.It's run 10 years now.

Annette helped plant the roots for YRH kids

Even after being removed from direct involvement with those communities, when the community development dollars ran their course, and being reassigned to things like distributing ' The Winter Warmth Program" which was discontinued last year and kept people warm in their homes in the winter, the mental health worker, still always made herself available for special events, often traveling from Georgina to Newmmarket on her own dime on weekends to do so - dedication you rarely see with any organization's workers. It wasn't a job to Annette you see, she loved helping and her position allowed for that, so that is what she did day, night, or weekend......until she got sick...

Annette made sure this blind man was warm in winter - not the politician

But even then, after taking leave from her Canadian Mental Health Association job with health issues creeping up I suspect, she still called to get involved, offering to distribute food in Tom Taylor Place, where some residents had struggled to survive on social service or disability incomes.

She did that until the York Region Food Network stopped calling us (PACC) about the free food and toiletries they'd receive, which for years PACC helped distribute to, and were there from the beginning, helping make it work.I guess that well ran dry.Annette had also volunteered to come out every Oct 17 International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, as well as the mid-march youth road hockey challenge, always in the background willing to do anything asked, without question, no matter the weather or location.

Annette photogged this shot, and was the Grinch's Dog Max too!

I stopped hearing from her as regularly, and then hardly at all, and thought perhaps some lucky guy had swept her off her feet or she'd become like the majority of social workers who thought of people as simply 'clients' and not people or "burn out" or maybe she just didn't have time....Little did I know.

Annette Brown will be sorely missed. I miss her already. I hadn't called. I could have. You don't think of these things and then someone who is a truly caring person and who you know has made a difference in people's lives, dies on you. Jesus! I'm sorry Annette. I never knew.

Stay tuned for a celebration in her honour. May god bless. PACCman down and out...



Oct 17 international day for the Eradication of Poverty in Newmarket. Odds are Annette is one of the die-hards caring enough to brave the cold to sit and listen and give the respect the voices deserved. This year the event will be held at Riverwalk Commons in Newmarket from 7-10 pm and feature speakers and live performers. Annette Brown's latest drive was for pumpkins for kids, so we'll be accepting fresh pumpkins for her drive toward The celebration of her life Oct 18!

Sign campaign an issue raiser

Well, the Ontario election has come and gone. It seemed like one of those things that happened so quick, that I barley got into the nitty gritty of who was promising to do what to whom etc. In the end, I'd decided against doing a pre-election blog about the parties, partly because I myself am so disgruntled with the whole political system. I did mention though, that I no longer vote for the party, but the person I feel I can most influence to affect change. Why must an issue with these folks always be black & white - for or against - but rarely any compromised, truly collaborative solutions? I see the same sorts of things happening amongst social service and other 'help" agencies who often have to stretch their mandates to work 'collaboratively" - a term that's been bandied about a lot - but in the end, the often educated, sophisticated boards members are too far removed to really know on the ground floor what will and will not work long term, or is or isn't proper / dignified. And they have to care or they shouldn't be sitting.

Tom visited with Chris Ballard during election run up

Step out work training programs needed

The York Region area boards for shelters, non-profits, and charities are still mostly bare of any meaningful grass roots membership, and even the ones that did, have lessened the numbers, such as "Operation Sparrow" which has morphed into Newmarket Cares - a Georgina Cares type of model now but which at one time had several g.r. representatives. I vice-chaired the committee for a year, and chaired  it for four more, always making sure grass roots membership was there if someone left, as it was like educating the " non- lived experienced" members in itself at times - like a board member wanting to deliver an application to someone face to face instead of by mail. I know why -  one get that satisfaction from a face - but it's not part of keeping the family's dignity intact. Families deserve protection from indignities as much as possible. To qualify candidates for placement, we asked already for a lot of personal information, such as all their employment / tax return information. My experience was always that we'd get a letter from a profusely happy parent thanking us for what we'd done which I'd read out as they came in at meetings. That, I had said, would have to suffice to appease that need to feel appreciated. I also do not go for shots of the kids in the 'programs" just to promote it and we never did.

election now in rearview

I'd had to explain ( to board members) the concept that applicants often are embarrassed already about their situation, and likely low self esteem because of it, and that the mission was to enable kids ( not get self gratification) so let's stick to the program as it were - without extra scrutiny. The program also placed kids, without special kids labels, amongst their peers in ongoing extra curricular activities like arts, karate and sports without anyone the wiser- including the kids of the parents if they choose not to share that with them - that they got in free, while their peers' families paid. This eliminates any distinction, hurt, or embarrassed feelings, and, most importantly, helps keeps the kids' esteem intact.

But the committee served to offer a true "collaboration" of ideas and solutions. It's just too bad Y.R. doesn't get that, because for me, that is what made this program set-up so good was because it included the voices of those from experience. The application process was a system that eliminated embarrassing face to face meetings,  and it was those original grass roots members on the board who gave the input leading to the program being one of the best and most dignified ever devised. It's now morphed into " Newmarket Cares", but for any board or organization to be truly affective, not to mention fairly representative, this is an essential component.

Y.R. Housing Tenant Reference Group a good starting point

Y.R. need look only to it's own experimental model of a "board" with it's Y.R. Housing Tenant Reference Committee", a combination of management, staff and residents that discuss and implement how to best improve tenant and housing relations and operations. An example of grass roots input here such as one instance where a live-in resident member noticed a trend towards furniture etc being thrown on the curbs and nearby forest and approached YR Housing with an idea to have an annual community "clean up", including bringing in bins for tossing unwanted items. As an annual, people know to wait now, and this served to not only maintain and clean up the area but also create an atmosphere of neighbours meeting neighbours in a natural community setting. It is now practised across Y.R.york Region on their properties as part of the yearly maintenance and saves $ thousands of dollars for everyone! That's efficiency.

Anyway...something to think about...and I mention boards and the like today also for another reason, some may remember the "House Of Hope" a few years back where we took some skilled guys and added some labourers learning a trade - some living in shelters or on the streets - to help complete a great job. During the time period that the house was being fixed up we drew lots of attention to the issue and the fact that it had 15 apartments, perfect for a shelter or low income housing or co-op living of some sort! 



The house has, for years, been some kind of rehabilitation center or another. In the past 4 years it served the community as a youth rehab centre, and for 11 years before that, ran as a Crosslinks house for people with mental health afflictions. It is beautiful and it's location is C2 zoned.

" House Of Hope" available for right tenant

Natural light and view in every unit.

So if you are an organization or know of one looking for a prime lease location, just outside Newmarket in Sharon, Ontario that may be suitable then contact me or at 289-221-0928 and I'll set you up for a viewing. It could also be an opportunity for a new idea or group which is looking to cover a gap not being filled - like perhaps housing for youths coming from foster care or some other idea. I loved the original "House of Hope" idea, but funds would likely be too far in the future to make that a reality without some added $, so essentially this 8,000 square foot home and 8 acres of property is prime for the pickings to the right fit!  

More House Info and photos here.

TP Out!

I just got back from a stop in at Dan's - you might remember Dan Philion who is confined to a wheelchair by muscular dystrophy and whose simple request over Christmas to have someone put him to bed at night, as he cannot do it unassisted, has been ignored by the government appointed "caregivers" who claim they "don't have anyone available" to do this at night time. That confused me since most people go to bed at night, and if they are the community care access centre in charge of putting our disabled to bed, then you'd think they'd do that. Apparently not?

After personally assisting Mr Philion myself for the past month to bed, because his service providers apparently cannot and he has no immediate family able to,  I got fed up with the various excuses they've been feeding him. For one, if they don't have someone for that time I suggest they get someone, as obviously there is a need, and if it's happening to Dan - where people's dignity is being controlled by some company claiming they don't have the staff and "get what we give" you types of attitudes - then you can bet it's being done to others - and especially the most vulnerable who may not have anyone speaking up for them like Dan does.

YR's $4 transit rates highest in Canada

But I can tell you right now I will not let up on this issue - this I promise you! As I watch the way our seniors and vulnerable disabled are treated and expected to have a certain level of suspended rights and dignity because of their conditions is just wrong. PACC hosted both the Square Table on Poverty which included MPP Frank Klees and MP Belinda Stronach (although she usually sent a pair of stand ins) and Newmarket York Regional Councilor John Taylor among some including the now Mayor of East Gwillumbury, and as well hosted and prepared a social audit report outlining these issues which the region endorsed, but has since ignored. Questions of dignity and treatment of clients was a number one reported issue but little has changed to address it still. All I hear is fluff about how wonderful the same charities and care givers are doing, whilst people like Dan cry out to no one listening or face waiting lists too long to wait for. People need to go to bed every night.

He's spoken up before, as a participant in both the social audit, while in proces of having his child taken at birth based on his disability, and as well as part of that "Square Table on Poverty" so many years ago now it seems. His issue then was that he couldn't work because he deejayed and they had no transit service to get him there and back. That was 7 or 8 years ago - in 2014 they just finally began offering service to disabled after 10 pm after more PACC noise.

One idea that sprang from the Square Table was that they were also going to help start up a non-profit business that Dan was instrumental in seeing a need for, which was the trend toward people throwing out returnable bottles and a service that would pick them up. At the time, during the Square Table on Poverty which included someone from every level of government, MPP Frank Klees had a restauranteur that was interested to have the service he'd said and Stronach's person insisted they wanted to help make it so and would arrange a meeting there. Well it never happened that's all we know. I don't care who walked across what floor politically; all I know is nothing got done from ther on in so we folded the group. For years Dan asked me about that business that never was and the meeting that never happened. I guess a guy can dream. Meantime we complained about transit so he could DJ at least on occasion.

Virtually the same crew still runs the ships he's complained to, and PACC's efforts have been ignored or stifled, so he's been feeling helpless, even depressed. Imagine losing all control of things around you, and none would be so if not for your disability. You'd even have privacy for the most basic of needs like going to the bathroom.

HE STILL GET'S NO ASSISTANCE TO BED TODAY.  DEC - Jan 19 2014

THAT'S OKAY I'M KEEPING A TAB AND WILL BE BILLING THE COMPANY LATER FOR MY 'TEMP' SERVICES AND THEN DONATING THE MONEY TO DAN SO HE CAN MAYBE BUY SOME GROCERIES.

Dan relies on charity organizations just to get out his door. Well, guess what? They've shown up once all this desperate winter and he's now, in addition to that dilemma, had to deal with getting to bed, but today was a last straw for me - for this service provider company to now tell him they can't have anyone come and get him out of bed until 12:30 pm Sunday, when offering a to bed service time at 7pm, is outrageous and cruel. They don't give him a choice either, he is simply informed they don't have anyone today and that the end of it. Not today!

I referred Dan's dilemma once again to MPP Klees' office and as yet have heard nothing back. MP Lois Brown told Dan exactly what I told him she would whixch was that "it wasn't her department but she'd make some calls". Regional Councilotr John Taylor - the one with the most influence on the issue at hand and it's state - has thus far informed Dan about the new later service available for transit now and will get back to him regarding the CCAC / Caregivers issue and getting to bed. I hope he figures it out soon because I'm sure Dan is not the only one being forced into these vulnerable and inhumane conditions. This is Canada for Gosh sakes have we forgotten everything we stand for in our rush towards the " Canadian Dream?" And what pray tell is that dream anyway? To make excuses for everything wrong we do? Or to make results? I don't know anymore.

I plan to take action to raise a petition to have this company removed as care givers of our disabled. It is disgraceful, and when clients or patients tell these companies they are not being treated with respect - by repeat offenders - we also expect action not reward with new contracts because they are the cheapest. Shop around. You want to be in the human care BUSINESS you better be into it for the right reasons or get out!

Too much charity...not enough care.

Stay tuned!

Room with a View

Happy New Year! I had a great time ringing in the New Year among friends, except Dan, who didn't come because, being in a wheelchair all day, all the holiday season, took a toll making him incapable physically of enduring the long night. Too bad. Before his partner of five years left him, she would assist him with this as well as getting into and out of bed at night and in the morning. Since then it's been a struggle for him having to rely on the possibility of getting a neighbour to assist him each and every night - something that should be done in dignity for those with disabilities and in this predicament - by a care provider.

Everyone deserves hope for the new year

About 3 am, New Year's night, after I got home, I had to go help Dan into bed as no one showed up to assist, who'd said they would. Of course, when it's a volunteer. you really have no recourse but to hope you can get someone else to help - and that your phone  / power works. Heck, he can't even be guaranteed his driveway will be cleared unless there is at least 4 inches of ice / snow and even then it's volunteer, so they may or may not show or by when you need out.

The system supplied someone to help him into bed for the first couple of weeks after his spouse left, but then told him they didn't offer the service past 7- 8pm. He explained he cannot go to bed then in his condition, especially when they cannot gurantee someone to assist him out of bed before 11am the next day.

" We don't have anyone at that time" he was told. That sense of helplessness beginning to take hold.

WELL GET SOMEONE THEN!

The system would rather he go into a home instead at exorbitant cost. He would rather they just supply someone between normal bed time hours of 11pm and 1 am to assist him into bed, which by the way, is already fixed with a pulley-like mechanism that allows him to be Velcroed in and raised / lowered with minimal effort. A child could do it. He then needs a couple of things plugged in. More rocket science. Yet they can't get anyone to do it? Replace them. P.A.C.C. will be happy to take over the service for them.

Make Wages, ODSP, and Assistance Rates an election issue

If C.C.A.C. wants to continue to be the chosen government sourced provider of care to our most vulnerable of our disabled and elderly, then they better be prepared to do it while offering them the best care possible,  including all care providers being able to speak English or the language of the attendee - and including dignity - and dignity includes feeling in control of going to bed at a time you are used to and a time that allows your body to physically handle it - being the intricate nature of your ever worsening muscular dystrophy.

He's has to call the ambulance guys a few times, more indignity, to put him to bed when he had no other choice. One guy told him,

" You need to go in a home".

"You go live in a F@@#$ home!" Dan yelled, just me in the room; wishing it upon the insensitive attendant.

Dan assisting community clean up best he can

The March of Dimes has a program that would assist in this case, however they have a five year waiting list. Should this guy have to disrupt his life, friends, home & supports he has because they would rather have him in a home? Or does it make more sense to provide a service to put him to bed? The answer is obvious. Meantime he's worrying about who will help tonight....and tomorrow night...and tomorrow night...and....

Frankly he's had it with our system and life in general. The little income he does get from ODSP - reduced further now as a single person with subsidized housing - leaves him little and relying on kindness sometimes for a good meal. It's outrageous. Anyway don't count a hunger strike out as at this point Desperate Dan is a nomer that fits the bill.

Politicians..over to you!

Tom Pearson