Posts
Showing posts with label Poverty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Poverty. Show all posts
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Poverty In Nanaimo
Poverty Presentation 2012
Gord Fuller – Advocate for Social Change
“If the poor weren't so conveniently invisible, maybe we'd come to our moral senses and devise a national strategy for eliminating poverty.” Toronto Star 2007
----------------------
Imagine yourself in a state of constant dread. That's poverty.
Poverty means hunger, inadequate nutrition, substandard and unsafe housing, or no housing at all.
Poverty means always trying to find a way to provide adequate food and safe shelter for you or your family and sometimes sacrificing one or the other.
Research shows that poverty is a fundamental determinant of both physical and mental health, closely linked to low school achievement, lower literacy rates and one of the strongest predictors of being involved with the criminal justice system. Poverty results in higher public health care and criminal justice costs.
BC consistently has one of the highest poverty rates in Canada and has had the highest Child Poverty rates since 2001.
Governments commonly measure poverty by Low Income Cut Offs, an income threshold below which a family will likely devote a larger share of its income on the necessities of food, shelter and clothing than the average family, and spending more than 30% of Income towards the cost of housing.
Ø Nanaimo currently ranks 18th worst of 92 health areas for Economic Hardship in BC.
Ø Using established poverty measures almost half the population of Nanaimo would be living below the poverty line
Ø Those on income assistance and Senior Citizens with access only to government pensions live thousands of dollars below the poverty line and commonly pay more than 50% of their income towards the cost of housing.
Ø Nanaimo ranks 15th – More than twice the provincial average - for those on Income Assistance and E.I.
Ø Approximately 15% of the population of Nanaimo, including 1 in 4 children, are receiving some form of Income Assistance.
Ø Nanaimo ranks 11th highest for youth 19 – 24 on income assistance
Ø 25% of those on I. A. are single parent families
Ø If a family of four living on income assistance were to provide a healthy diet, as outlined by the Dieticians of Canada, their costs including housing would result in a negative balance.
Ø Of regions in BC with population centers the size of Nanaimo or larger we have the dubious distinction of ranking number one for youth at risk.
Ø 40% of the workforce in the Nanaimo region has only part time jobs
Ø 48% tenants and 21% homeowners pay more than 30% income on housing costs
Ø As subsets of the general population immigrants and first nations experience far higher levels of poverty. In the case of First Nations, 50% are unemployed and youth have a 5 to 8 time’s higher rate of suicide.
Nanaimo Food/Meal Distribution
· Nanaimo 7-10 Club (Breakfast & Bag Lunch: Approx. 80,000 meals.
· Loaves & Fishes Food Bank, 7 distribution centres: Approx. 45,000 hampers, ¼ to families.
· Salvation Army: Approx 40,000 low cost, $1.00 lunch $2.00 dinner, meals to the public per year.
· St. Andrews Church (Departure Bay): Weekly Lunch serving between 80 – 100 youth & 40 – 50 adults.
· On Eagles Wing: weekly dinner: serves approx. 100 people
· St. Paul’s Church: monthly lunch serves approx 80 people.
· FoodShare Society: sponsors 50 families per month for good food box. Summer Lunch Munch program provides approx 4000 meals er month during summer.
· SD 68: 40 schools provide food i.e. healthy snack, 6 have a formal meal program
Current practices of attempting to alleviate poverty can actually trap people in poverty. BC needs to develop a poverty reduction plan; the costs of not doing so far exceed the costs of poverty reduction.
If the health care costs of the poorest 20% of British Columbians were reduced by raising their incomes it would save BC’s public health care system: $1.2 billion per year.
The estimated cost of a comprehensive poverty reduction plan in BC, per year:
$3 to $4 billion, the current cost of maintaining the status quo $8.1 to $9.2 billion a year.
A commitment to poverty reduction means taking action to:
Ø End homelessness, and make sure all British Columbians have access to safe, affordable housing;
Ø Make sure no one in BC goes hungry;
Ø Improve pay and working conditions for people in low-wage jobs;
Ø Index minimum wage
Ø Provide access to high quality, public child care; and
Ø Make training and education more accessible to low-income earners
Ø create truly accessible child care
“The enemy is not poverty sickness and disease. The enemy is a set of institutions and interests that are advantaged by clienthood, that need dependency, masked by service. We are in a struggle against clienthood. We must reallocate the power, authority, and legitimacy that have been stolen by the great institutions of society. We must commit ourselves to the reallocation of power to the people we serve so that we no longer will need to serve.” (McKnight, J. The Careless Society: Community and Its’ Counterfeits [1995]).
Sadly an industry around poverty has developed that does not necessarily put the needs of the people first but that of the agency. It is time for that to change; time to eliminate poverty pimping and hence eliminate poverty itself.
Excellent resource:
http://bcpovertyreduction.ca/
Gord Fuller – Advocate for Social Change
“If the poor weren't so conveniently invisible, maybe we'd come to our moral senses and devise a national strategy for eliminating poverty.” Toronto Star 2007
----------------------
Imagine yourself in a state of constant dread. That's poverty.
Poverty means hunger, inadequate nutrition, substandard and unsafe housing, or no housing at all.
Poverty means always trying to find a way to provide adequate food and safe shelter for you or your family and sometimes sacrificing one or the other.
Research shows that poverty is a fundamental determinant of both physical and mental health, closely linked to low school achievement, lower literacy rates and one of the strongest predictors of being involved with the criminal justice system. Poverty results in higher public health care and criminal justice costs.
BC consistently has one of the highest poverty rates in Canada and has had the highest Child Poverty rates since 2001.
Governments commonly measure poverty by Low Income Cut Offs, an income threshold below which a family will likely devote a larger share of its income on the necessities of food, shelter and clothing than the average family, and spending more than 30% of Income towards the cost of housing.
Ø Nanaimo currently ranks 18th worst of 92 health areas for Economic Hardship in BC.
Ø Using established poverty measures almost half the population of Nanaimo would be living below the poverty line
Ø Those on income assistance and Senior Citizens with access only to government pensions live thousands of dollars below the poverty line and commonly pay more than 50% of their income towards the cost of housing.
Ø Nanaimo ranks 15th – More than twice the provincial average - for those on Income Assistance and E.I.
Ø Approximately 15% of the population of Nanaimo, including 1 in 4 children, are receiving some form of Income Assistance.
Ø Nanaimo ranks 11th highest for youth 19 – 24 on income assistance
Ø 25% of those on I. A. are single parent families
Ø If a family of four living on income assistance were to provide a healthy diet, as outlined by the Dieticians of Canada, their costs including housing would result in a negative balance.
Ø Of regions in BC with population centers the size of Nanaimo or larger we have the dubious distinction of ranking number one for youth at risk.
Ø 40% of the workforce in the Nanaimo region has only part time jobs
Ø 48% tenants and 21% homeowners pay more than 30% income on housing costs
Ø As subsets of the general population immigrants and first nations experience far higher levels of poverty. In the case of First Nations, 50% are unemployed and youth have a 5 to 8 time’s higher rate of suicide.
Nanaimo Food/Meal Distribution
· Nanaimo 7-10 Club (Breakfast & Bag Lunch: Approx. 80,000 meals.
· Loaves & Fishes Food Bank, 7 distribution centres: Approx. 45,000 hampers, ¼ to families.
· Salvation Army: Approx 40,000 low cost, $1.00 lunch $2.00 dinner, meals to the public per year.
· St. Andrews Church (Departure Bay): Weekly Lunch serving between 80 – 100 youth & 40 – 50 adults.
· On Eagles Wing: weekly dinner: serves approx. 100 people
· St. Paul’s Church: monthly lunch serves approx 80 people.
· FoodShare Society: sponsors 50 families per month for good food box. Summer Lunch Munch program provides approx 4000 meals er month during summer.
· SD 68: 40 schools provide food i.e. healthy snack, 6 have a formal meal program
Current practices of attempting to alleviate poverty can actually trap people in poverty. BC needs to develop a poverty reduction plan; the costs of not doing so far exceed the costs of poverty reduction.
If the health care costs of the poorest 20% of British Columbians were reduced by raising their incomes it would save BC’s public health care system: $1.2 billion per year.
The estimated cost of a comprehensive poverty reduction plan in BC, per year:
$3 to $4 billion, the current cost of maintaining the status quo $8.1 to $9.2 billion a year.
A commitment to poverty reduction means taking action to:
Ø End homelessness, and make sure all British Columbians have access to safe, affordable housing;
Ø Make sure no one in BC goes hungry;
Ø Improve pay and working conditions for people in low-wage jobs;
Ø Index minimum wage
Ø Provide access to high quality, public child care; and
Ø Make training and education more accessible to low-income earners
Ø create truly accessible child care
“The enemy is not poverty sickness and disease. The enemy is a set of institutions and interests that are advantaged by clienthood, that need dependency, masked by service. We are in a struggle against clienthood. We must reallocate the power, authority, and legitimacy that have been stolen by the great institutions of society. We must commit ourselves to the reallocation of power to the people we serve so that we no longer will need to serve.” (McKnight, J. The Careless Society: Community and Its’ Counterfeits [1995]).
Sadly an industry around poverty has developed that does not necessarily put the needs of the people first but that of the agency. It is time for that to change; time to eliminate poverty pimping and hence eliminate poverty itself.
Excellent resource:
http://bcpovertyreduction.ca/
Sunday, October 30, 2011
And More
Oct 30
BC minimum wage to increase
This will be a huge benefit to lower income earners and while businesses are concerned about bottom line it will actually allow more disposable income to be spent in those businesses.
Oct 29
Majority of council oppose idea of delaying project
I have learned, after attending on a regular basis over the years, that one should assume nothing when it comes to council making a decision. While I hope that the majority of council stand fast on the housing on uplands they must also as a block agree not to second Bill Bestwick’s motion. If they do this then it will not even be up for discussion/debate.
Yes the communication for this and much f what the city does has not been the best but with a new council we can assure this changes. To put this on hold will be to take a step backwards and who knows whom this might help but who will die while waiting.
Morally they must move forward and once they have then and only then will we be able to look at the other aspects of Nanaimo’s Homeless strategy.
Parksville-Qualicum MLA in hospital after heart attack
I may not always, and of late more often than not, agree with Mr. Cantelon’s politics but I wish him no ill will and a speedy recovery.
Jobs creation emerges as key municipal election issue
Job creation in the city with one of the highest unemployment rates should be at the top of issues in this community but sadly is not. It is unfortunate that a few individuals through spreading fear and misinformation have galvanized so many people into making housing the homeless the real top issue.
Cale Cowan: Time for real discussion on 'wet' houses
Cale, I may not agree at all times with what is said but I do find balance in the editorials and opinions. This is a complex issue that unfortunately gets hijacked by a few to galvanize the many with fear and misinformation. Bottom line for me is I know the housing will save lives.
BC minimum wage to increase
This will be a huge benefit to lower income earners and while businesses are concerned about bottom line it will actually allow more disposable income to be spent in those businesses.
Oct 29
Majority of council oppose idea of delaying project
I have learned, after attending on a regular basis over the years, that one should assume nothing when it comes to council making a decision. While I hope that the majority of council stand fast on the housing on uplands they must also as a block agree not to second Bill Bestwick’s motion. If they do this then it will not even be up for discussion/debate.
Yes the communication for this and much f what the city does has not been the best but with a new council we can assure this changes. To put this on hold will be to take a step backwards and who knows whom this might help but who will die while waiting.
Morally they must move forward and once they have then and only then will we be able to look at the other aspects of Nanaimo’s Homeless strategy.
Parksville-Qualicum MLA in hospital after heart attack
I may not always, and of late more often than not, agree with Mr. Cantelon’s politics but I wish him no ill will and a speedy recovery.
Jobs creation emerges as key municipal election issue
Job creation in the city with one of the highest unemployment rates should be at the top of issues in this community but sadly is not. It is unfortunate that a few individuals through spreading fear and misinformation have galvanized so many people into making housing the homeless the real top issue.
Cale Cowan: Time for real discussion on 'wet' houses
Cale, I may not agree at all times with what is said but I do find balance in the editorials and opinions. This is a complex issue that unfortunately gets hijacked by a few to galvanize the many with fear and misinformation. Bottom line for me is I know the housing will save lives.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Cost of Poverty
The article below is interesting in that it weighs the cost of poverty against the cost of a plan to tackle poverty and the political will to actually do so. In my opinion it is political will that has hindered and contributed to the problem of poverty not just in BC but across Canada.
I also believe that to a degree Municipalities can also have an impact in how they design their own social policy initiatives. An example is the current debate about Supportive Social Housing and Nanaimo's plan to spread out housing to all areas. This for me is a no brainer simply for the fact that spreading out housing and services does not allow for the creation of ghettoized areas. It will take all levels of government to solve the issue.
----------------------------------------
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives: Poverty comes with a high price tag
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/
It’s no secret that British Columbia has a problem with poverty. Many of us do our part and contribute to food drives and other worthy causes. But how many British Columbians realize that poverty is costing us – all of us – a lot more than a few cans of non-perishable food and a new toy donated at Christmas? A new study released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has, for the first time, quantified the economic cost of poverty in BC. We estimate that poverty costs the average man, woman and child in BC as much as $2,100 each and every year.
The economic cost of poverty to society as a whole adds up to between $8.1 and $9.2 billion per year. That’s a lot of money –close to 5% of the total value of our economy. Our analysis shows that failing to address the root causes of poverty is very expensive, both in terms of current and future costs. Study after study has linked poverty to poorer health, lower literacy, more crime, poor school performance for children, and greater stress for families. Poverty takes an enormous toll on the people who struggle with it, no question about it. But at the end of the day, it’s society at large that is paying a very high price. British Columbians pay approximately $1.2 billion per year in higher. Public health care costs linked to poverty. We spend another $745 million annually on policing and criminal justice costs driven by poverty-related crime. Higher costs of income supports and lost tax revenues that come with inadequate earnings account for over $900 million per year.
Poverty also acts as a significant drag on our economy. BC’s prosperity is undermined when people are excluded from the workforce because they don’t have access to the supports or training they need to do better, or when they are stuck in low wage jobs in our polarized labour market. Underutilizing all the talents and human potential of poor British Columbians to contribute to society and to our economy is among the biggest costs of poverty ($6.3 to $7.2 billion per year). This is a conservative assessment of the cost of poverty in BC, as our estimates do not capture all of the costs. Notably, we exclude the costs that child poverty imposes on future generations by perpetuating the cycle of poverty. We also do not measure many of the less tangible costs, such as the impact of high poverty levels on social cohesion and our feelings of safety in our communities. Nor do we include the direct cost of providing frontline social services to those in poverty.
The BC government’s current approach to poverty is to deal with negative consequences as they arise. This is akin to handling a leaky roof problem by repeatedly mopping the floor. It makes things look passable when the guests arrive, but it does nothing to address the root causes of the problem. And like a leaky roof, poverty’s consequences only get harder and more expensive to fix the more we put off dealing with them. The high costs of poverty in BC gives us a purely economic reason to be concerned about our poverty levels, which are the highest in Canada. Seven Canadian provinces and two territories have recognized this and implemented poverty reduction strategies (or are in the process of developing them). In fact, poverty reduction has emerged as an issue that transcends party politics and ideology to receive all-party agreement in most provinces. It’s time for the BC government to rise up to the challenge and commit to a comprehensive plan to systematically tackle the root causes of poverty in BC. We estimate that once fully implemented, such a plan for BC would cost between $3 and $4 billion per year. That’s less than half of what poverty is costing us now.
Making poverty reduction a priority is the right thing to do. And our report shows that it’s also the fiscally responsible thing to do. The biggest challenge that lies ahead is that upfront investments are needed to bring savings down the line. The four-year election cycle hardly encourages long term thinking or investments. What’s needed is leadership, vision and a willingness to do the right thing for BC’s future.
Iglika Ivanova is an economist and public interest researcher at the CCPA-BC.
I also believe that to a degree Municipalities can also have an impact in how they design their own social policy initiatives. An example is the current debate about Supportive Social Housing and Nanaimo's plan to spread out housing to all areas. This for me is a no brainer simply for the fact that spreading out housing and services does not allow for the creation of ghettoized areas. It will take all levels of government to solve the issue.
----------------------------------------
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives: Poverty comes with a high price tag
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/
It’s no secret that British Columbia has a problem with poverty. Many of us do our part and contribute to food drives and other worthy causes. But how many British Columbians realize that poverty is costing us – all of us – a lot more than a few cans of non-perishable food and a new toy donated at Christmas? A new study released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has, for the first time, quantified the economic cost of poverty in BC. We estimate that poverty costs the average man, woman and child in BC as much as $2,100 each and every year.
The economic cost of poverty to society as a whole adds up to between $8.1 and $9.2 billion per year. That’s a lot of money –close to 5% of the total value of our economy. Our analysis shows that failing to address the root causes of poverty is very expensive, both in terms of current and future costs. Study after study has linked poverty to poorer health, lower literacy, more crime, poor school performance for children, and greater stress for families. Poverty takes an enormous toll on the people who struggle with it, no question about it. But at the end of the day, it’s society at large that is paying a very high price. British Columbians pay approximately $1.2 billion per year in higher. Public health care costs linked to poverty. We spend another $745 million annually on policing and criminal justice costs driven by poverty-related crime. Higher costs of income supports and lost tax revenues that come with inadequate earnings account for over $900 million per year.
Poverty also acts as a significant drag on our economy. BC’s prosperity is undermined when people are excluded from the workforce because they don’t have access to the supports or training they need to do better, or when they are stuck in low wage jobs in our polarized labour market. Underutilizing all the talents and human potential of poor British Columbians to contribute to society and to our economy is among the biggest costs of poverty ($6.3 to $7.2 billion per year). This is a conservative assessment of the cost of poverty in BC, as our estimates do not capture all of the costs. Notably, we exclude the costs that child poverty imposes on future generations by perpetuating the cycle of poverty. We also do not measure many of the less tangible costs, such as the impact of high poverty levels on social cohesion and our feelings of safety in our communities. Nor do we include the direct cost of providing frontline social services to those in poverty.
The BC government’s current approach to poverty is to deal with negative consequences as they arise. This is akin to handling a leaky roof problem by repeatedly mopping the floor. It makes things look passable when the guests arrive, but it does nothing to address the root causes of the problem. And like a leaky roof, poverty’s consequences only get harder and more expensive to fix the more we put off dealing with them. The high costs of poverty in BC gives us a purely economic reason to be concerned about our poverty levels, which are the highest in Canada. Seven Canadian provinces and two territories have recognized this and implemented poverty reduction strategies (or are in the process of developing them). In fact, poverty reduction has emerged as an issue that transcends party politics and ideology to receive all-party agreement in most provinces. It’s time for the BC government to rise up to the challenge and commit to a comprehensive plan to systematically tackle the root causes of poverty in BC. We estimate that once fully implemented, such a plan for BC would cost between $3 and $4 billion per year. That’s less than half of what poverty is costing us now.
Making poverty reduction a priority is the right thing to do. And our report shows that it’s also the fiscally responsible thing to do. The biggest challenge that lies ahead is that upfront investments are needed to bring savings down the line. The four-year election cycle hardly encourages long term thinking or investments. What’s needed is leadership, vision and a willingness to do the right thing for BC’s future.
Iglika Ivanova is an economist and public interest researcher at the CCPA-BC.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Poverty in BC
The two links below are to recent reports on Poverty in BC. When you look at the stats try and imagine how Nanaimo's stats would be at least double the overall stats for BC. We have one of the highest unemployment rates in the country and if one goes by some existing poverty measures easily half the population would have the distinction of living in poverty.
Click on the link below to access the 2010 BC Child Poverty Report Card. The Stats are from 2009, the latest available, and show that BC has had the highest Child Poverty rates in Canada for 8 years in a row, from the year the Liberal Government took power 2001. If 2010 & 2011 stats were available I have no doubt what-so-ever that this would be the 10th year in a row.
First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition
http://www.firstcallbc.org/
“Children and youth must receive a first call on society's resources because we value them as children and youth and because they are our future.”
Click on the link below to access a video and the written report regarding the cost of poverty in BC.
BC Poverty Reduction
http://www.bcpovertyreduction.ca/
Click on the link below to access the 2010 BC Child Poverty Report Card. The Stats are from 2009, the latest available, and show that BC has had the highest Child Poverty rates in Canada for 8 years in a row, from the year the Liberal Government took power 2001. If 2010 & 2011 stats were available I have no doubt what-so-ever that this would be the 10th year in a row.
First Call: BC Child and Youth Advocacy Coalition
http://www.firstcallbc.org/
“Children and youth must receive a first call on society's resources because we value them as children and youth and because they are our future.”
Click on the link below to access a video and the written report regarding the cost of poverty in BC.
BC Poverty Reduction
http://www.bcpovertyreduction.ca/
Friday, June 3, 2011
Supportive Housing Bowen Rd.
News Stories:
June 3
Still playing the blame game
June 1
City council voted to postpone controversial housing
May 31
Council delays controversial social housing project
Couple Recent Letters:
June 3
Social housing for north end not likely
June 6 (Me)
Housing facts may lift some of the confusion
June 3
Still playing the blame game
June 1
City council voted to postpone controversial housing
May 31
Council delays controversial social housing project
Couple Recent Letters:
June 3
Social housing for north end not likely
June 6 (Me)
Housing facts may lift some of the confusion
The following is long but hopefully helpful.
Supportive Social Housing Redux:
Alrighty then. So on May 30th a motion was made by Councillor Bill Holdom to approve the rezoning of the proposed Supportive Housing location on Bowen Rd. but put any development on hold until the others have been built and the need for more is determined. Also the property could be sold. Once moved and seconded the motion passed with only Councillors Bestwick and Sherry dissenting.
This, in my personal opinion, was a good move on the part of council and close to what I had proposed, that of approving the rezoning and selling the property then purchasing one or two others in other locations for Supportive Social Housing. The added benefit is that there will be a cooling down period and an opportunity, providing council and staff take it and the community is willing to get involved, to get some real information out and have some meaningful communication.
A lack of communication and too much misinformation, on both sides, has been part of the problem with the process for creating supportive social housing in Nanaimo. Much of the misinformation came out in the over 12 hours of public hearings spanning 4 nights Public Hearing submissions , not to mention numerous news stories and letters to the editor.
To add to that fear has been used and spread by those initially opposed to galvanize the greater community. Talk of pedophiles, criminal activity, prostitution and increased activity by drug dealers has taken away from the original intent of providing this housing for the homeless in our community.
Street drug use, crack/crystal meth was predominantly mentioned as a concern by those opposed, very seldom was alcohol the topic of discussion. It did come out at the public hearing that the Hospital/Bowen area already sees the drug trade on their streets as do most areas of Nanaimo. The reality is most crack cocaine and crystal meth users want nothing to do with any level of supervision and will not access housing where they know that supervision exists. Most are ambivalent about their drug use and have housing, of a sort, already.
This said, when one does start to contemplate change and a wish to remove their selves from the street drug culture this housing will be in place to provide safety and if needed referrals and help accessing detox and treatment programs. The people the low barrier supportive units will help out the most, potentially saving lives, would be the street entrenched individuals with alcohol addictions.
Focusing on the misnomer of ‘Wet Housing’ has muddied the original intent and uses suggested for all the proposed sites. ‘Wet Housing’ has been attached by the community to all the proposed housing when in fact only two of the original housing locations were proposed as Low Barrier. Low barrier simply means that there would be no conditions attached to getting into the housing.
In an effort to provide some information and if one actually reads the Memorandum of Understanding, wonder how many folk have, it outlines a few important things folk should know. For those not willing or too lazy to read the whole thing below offers some guidance towards sections and content pertinent;
Sec 1 - last sentence
Sec 3 - last paragraph
Sec 4 - last three sentences
Sec 8
Sec 10 (my comment - implies not all units will be supportive)
Sec 26 (my comment - would give this one a fail on the part of all involved)
The (MOU) between the Province and the City of Nanaimo commits to the construction of up to 160 units of new supportive housing on five sites. The total number of units is approximate and is likely to change through the design and development process.
For all sites, the Province will arrange for funding to build and operate the buildings. The City will lease its sites to non-profit partners (to be selected through a proposal call over the next few months) at a nominal cost, and the City will exempt all the developments from property taxes as long as the Province continues to provide operating subsidies.
1598 Townsite Road (Dufferin)
Owned by the City and located immediately adjacent to the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital. Approximately 70 units of apartment-style housing are envisioned for the site.
Given the proximity to the hospital and associated services, this site may be suitable for tenants with mental health and addictions issues.
1402-1590 Bowen Road
Owned by the City and located northwest of downtown, these properties could accommodate commercial or service uses at ground level and apartment-style housing above.
The property provides multiple transportation options and could serve more independent tenants in about 30 units.
437-445 Wesley Road and 421 Franklyn Street
Owned by the City and located downtown, the site can support approximately 40 apartment-style units. Given the proximity of a range of services and resources, the development could be conducive to bachelor suites for homeless singles and those in need of higher levels of support services.
3515 Hillside Avenue
Owned by the Province, this property is the location of a group home.
A new home will be built next to it on the site. The tenants would then move into the new home, and the old home will be torn down and replaced with a new building. In total, 10 housing units will be created on the site.
477 10th Street
Owned by the Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre, this property will be developed into an innovative 10-unit housing development for youth and elders.
As can be seen by the above, only the Wesley and Dufferin sites would be considered low barrier. An unannounced, as yet, site in the North End is in response to cutting back the 70 units on Dufferin by half because of the objections of the neighbourhood.
It should also be noted that to the best of my knowledge the Hillside Avenue site has been withdrawn by the province. While not mentioned above the 10 units on this site would if I recall have been for couples or single parent families. Personally I hope to see this one resurface in the future.
Also the 10th street project changed from the proposed 10 to 18 units of housing for youth and elders.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Cost of food increasing (originally meant to be posted a while back)
This story in the Daily News on the 21st followed by a letter to the editor from my boss at NYSA .
Low income earners will be first to feel squeeze of 5% food increase
It's wrong to link poverty with crime
My comment, "there's a probability crime could increase because of the rising cost of food," which was misquoted in the letter "there is a probability of crime increasing due to rising food prices." was in no way meant to imply people living in poverty are more likely to commit crime in order to survive. In fact I think jumping to that conclusion is more of a leap than a jump.
Low income earners will be first to feel squeeze of 5% food increase
It's wrong to link poverty with crime
My comment, "there's a probability crime could increase because of the rising cost of food," which was misquoted in the letter "there is a probability of crime increasing due to rising food prices." was in no way meant to imply people living in poverty are more likely to commit crime in order to survive. In fact I think jumping to that conclusion is more of a leap than a jump.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
7-10 Club
Most people associate me with the 7-10 Club http://www.nanaimo710club.com/ thinking that that is my paid job. Alas it is not, I work for Nanaimo Youth Services http://www.nysa.bc.ca/ as their housing coordinator , but it is something I care about passionately.
I have been on the Board of Directors for the past 6 years and Chair for 4. Last weekend was the first weekend in 26 years that the club was open 7-10 Club will offer breakfast ......., a partnership between the John Howard Society, and we hope to have more partnerships in place so that it will be able to open every weekend.
Anyway just wanted to add something brief and if folks are interested in learning more about what I do in the community the can check the new page, About Me. I'm also very open to questions and comments positive or negative.
I have been on the Board of Directors for the past 6 years and Chair for 4. Last weekend was the first weekend in 26 years that the club was open 7-10 Club will offer breakfast ......., a partnership between the John Howard Society, and we hope to have more partnerships in place so that it will be able to open every weekend.
Anyway just wanted to add something brief and if folks are interested in learning more about what I do in the community the can check the new page, About Me. I'm also very open to questions and comments positive or negative.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Low Barrier ie. Supportive Social Housing
There is a fairly large bit of information below but I sincerely welcome and will answer any questions regarding what is a very complex issue. The debate rages on in Nanaimo around placing so called Low Barrier or Wet Housing into the Hospital Area. Below you will find every link, from the Daily News, to stories and letters about this particular issue at Dufferin and Boundary Crescents. I am also pasting some commentary with regards to questions asked of me (looks better here because I actually ran spell check).
Correspondence with Jim Taylor – Nanaimo Info Blog
As a voice for social change I am seeking your opinion on the effectiveness of the 'low barrier' housing program which is causing a bit of a stir in the hospital area. Any light you can shed on the matter would be helpful?
As someone who for years has advocated a ‘housing first approach’ and the decentralization of services, even before the concepts became the adopted approach in the city, I have seen firsthand how stable housing can enable people to address barriers that might seem overwhelming without the option of easily accessible supports.
The overwhelming anxiety/fear that is being generated by misinformation put out by HANA and the lack of overall communication on the part of the City has generated a response in the Hospital Area that was easily predicted. As Douglas Hardie so aptly puts it in a recent letter regarding the South End Community Associations opinion on the issue, "Anxiety is remarkably contagious. It's easy to get swept up in an emotional process that tends to simplify and polarize the issues in a way that makes the development of good, long-term solutions less likely."
HANA (Hpospital Area Neighbourhood Association) does however have a legitimate concern when it comes to concentration. As stated in the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) {see attached} signed by BC Housing and the Municipality Nov. 12, 2008, the site proposed for Boundary and Dufferin (Townsite) was put forward as “suitable for tenants with mental health and addiction issues” the proposed site on Bowen Road, not relatively far from the other, “could accommodate commercial or service uses on the ground and residential units above” and “could serve more independent tenants.”
Somewhere along the way the City is stating all will be low barrier and this could cause problems when locating these services. Then again I would contend that every house, apartment and condominium is low barrier. Provided you stay under the radar a person can do pretty much whatever they want in their own home.
In my opinion the City should sell the property on Bowen to a developer for mixed use with a 5 year covenant on the residential for people with an income of less than $20,000 and basing rent on 30% of income. After the 5 years the city could covenant a percentage of the units to stay that way with the rest either being sold or rented at market value. Once the property is sold to a developer the City could then look at purchasing properties in other areas of the city.
Part of the problem in touting these facilities as low barrier is people assume that the units will only be available to those with mental health and addiction issue. The reality is that most of the extreme cases will likely end up housed at Wesely Street it being the first to come on line other than the old Balmoral. The reality is as people move towards treatment and other housing options you would likely see a variety of people being housed in the buildings which could be a good thing.
Do you know if these programs are actually effective in assisting people with many different 'issues' in getting off the streets and into what we may think is a better lifestyle?
Yes. The primary goal of Housing First is to get the person off the street and then look at each individual and taylor supports to their need at that particular time and place in their life. The first step, getting the person(s) off the street or out of the revolving door of substandard accommodation, is immediately creating a better/safer lifestyle.
Are they actually able to get the monkey off people’s backs, or just provide more comfortable surroundings?
I prefer to think of it not as more comfortable, though it is that, but safer surroundings. Getting the proverbial monkey off someone’s back will depend on the willingness of the person to access supports. In some cases the safer more comfortable surroundings may be enough to promote change even without the need to look at things like detox or treatment. For many however these later two options as well as counselling will be necessary and by having the person in safe/comfortable housing they are far easier to bring to bear than if the person is cycling on and off the street.
I sometimes wonder if getting people off the streets, is the issue, then what is lacking with our social assistance programs if they are not allowing folks enough money to afford to live in a safe apartment which must already exist someplace, rather than building another institution and putting everyone together in one place?
Many housing first strategies, Toronto for example rely on both putting people into existing accommodation http://www.toronto.ca/housing/about-streets-homes.htm through out the city and then lining up supports as well as providing new build housing http://www.toronto.ca/housing/about-partnership.htm .
When looking at existing accommodation rent subsidies are used to top up from the income assistance rate. I know of nowhere where Income assistance rates alone will provide enough for a single person to find adequate safe accommodation and this is a problem Any housing first strategy must look at all means of getting people into housing and then doing it. Rent subsidies are the quickest way to do so and should be the initial focus then moving on to new builds of various types of social and supported social housing.
Is the issue, that these folks are not candidates for most landlords because of alcohol or drug use and the related behaviour issues which arise as a result?
The vast majority of people with substance abuse issues are able to maintain housing. The related behaviour issues, crime and violence, I am assuming you speak of are, in my belief, exhibited by the minority. As an abuser for over 20 years of pretty much any substance I could get hold of I was never evicted because of my substance use. The few times I was evicted it was for failure to pay rent. Most people using alcohol or drugs are not violent and can do so in a very social manner and without having to resort to crime. Some, being the most entrenched, may have to resort to petty crime to both maintain their habit as well as safe accommodation. That being said there are many that are extremely vulnerable to the predators of society, the bottom feeders such as slumlords and pimps who profit from the misery they help and want to maintain.
My comment online to Darrel Bellart story (link below).
A simple question; How well do you know your neighbours? Physical, Child, and Sexual abuse; Pedophiles, Alcoholics, Drug Addicts and Criminal activity, are all happening within homes in Nanaimo. Perhaps even in the home of your neighbour. Low Barrier, Wet House, the reality is that these terms describe every house, condo and apartment in the city. One can do pretty much anything in their home provided they remain under the radar. The people you see on the street are, for the most part, not there because they want to be but because of the very behaviours that happen behind closed doors. Many do drugs to cope with what has happened to them behind closed doors and many to cope with emotional or mental illness. The bottom line is that the proposed Supportive Social Housing and the people that are housed there will have the same right to maintain their addiction aka. behaviour as anyone else in the city. The biggest difference will be that when they do choose change they will have it far easier to do so because of the supports in place.
Correspondence with Jim Taylor – Nanaimo Info Blog
As a voice for social change I am seeking your opinion on the effectiveness of the 'low barrier' housing program which is causing a bit of a stir in the hospital area. Any light you can shed on the matter would be helpful?
As someone who for years has advocated a ‘housing first approach’ and the decentralization of services, even before the concepts became the adopted approach in the city, I have seen firsthand how stable housing can enable people to address barriers that might seem overwhelming without the option of easily accessible supports.
The overwhelming anxiety/fear that is being generated by misinformation put out by HANA and the lack of overall communication on the part of the City has generated a response in the Hospital Area that was easily predicted. As Douglas Hardie so aptly puts it in a recent letter regarding the South End Community Associations opinion on the issue, "Anxiety is remarkably contagious. It's easy to get swept up in an emotional process that tends to simplify and polarize the issues in a way that makes the development of good, long-term solutions less likely."
HANA (Hpospital Area Neighbourhood Association) does however have a legitimate concern when it comes to concentration. As stated in the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) {see attached} signed by BC Housing and the Municipality Nov. 12, 2008, the site proposed for Boundary and Dufferin (Townsite) was put forward as “suitable for tenants with mental health and addiction issues” the proposed site on Bowen Road, not relatively far from the other, “could accommodate commercial or service uses on the ground and residential units above” and “could serve more independent tenants.”
Somewhere along the way the City is stating all will be low barrier and this could cause problems when locating these services. Then again I would contend that every house, apartment and condominium is low barrier. Provided you stay under the radar a person can do pretty much whatever they want in their own home.
In my opinion the City should sell the property on Bowen to a developer for mixed use with a 5 year covenant on the residential for people with an income of less than $20,000 and basing rent on 30% of income. After the 5 years the city could covenant a percentage of the units to stay that way with the rest either being sold or rented at market value. Once the property is sold to a developer the City could then look at purchasing properties in other areas of the city.
Part of the problem in touting these facilities as low barrier is people assume that the units will only be available to those with mental health and addiction issue. The reality is that most of the extreme cases will likely end up housed at Wesely Street it being the first to come on line other than the old Balmoral. The reality is as people move towards treatment and other housing options you would likely see a variety of people being housed in the buildings which could be a good thing.
Do you know if these programs are actually effective in assisting people with many different 'issues' in getting off the streets and into what we may think is a better lifestyle?
Yes. The primary goal of Housing First is to get the person off the street and then look at each individual and taylor supports to their need at that particular time and place in their life. The first step, getting the person(s) off the street or out of the revolving door of substandard accommodation, is immediately creating a better/safer lifestyle.
Are they actually able to get the monkey off people’s backs, or just provide more comfortable surroundings?
I prefer to think of it not as more comfortable, though it is that, but safer surroundings. Getting the proverbial monkey off someone’s back will depend on the willingness of the person to access supports. In some cases the safer more comfortable surroundings may be enough to promote change even without the need to look at things like detox or treatment. For many however these later two options as well as counselling will be necessary and by having the person in safe/comfortable housing they are far easier to bring to bear than if the person is cycling on and off the street.
I sometimes wonder if getting people off the streets, is the issue, then what is lacking with our social assistance programs if they are not allowing folks enough money to afford to live in a safe apartment which must already exist someplace, rather than building another institution and putting everyone together in one place?
Many housing first strategies, Toronto for example rely on both putting people into existing accommodation http://www.toronto.ca/housing/about-streets-homes.htm through out the city and then lining up supports as well as providing new build housing http://www.toronto.ca/housing/about-partnership.htm .
When looking at existing accommodation rent subsidies are used to top up from the income assistance rate. I know of nowhere where Income assistance rates alone will provide enough for a single person to find adequate safe accommodation and this is a problem Any housing first strategy must look at all means of getting people into housing and then doing it. Rent subsidies are the quickest way to do so and should be the initial focus then moving on to new builds of various types of social and supported social housing.
Is the issue, that these folks are not candidates for most landlords because of alcohol or drug use and the related behaviour issues which arise as a result?
The vast majority of people with substance abuse issues are able to maintain housing. The related behaviour issues, crime and violence, I am assuming you speak of are, in my belief, exhibited by the minority. As an abuser for over 20 years of pretty much any substance I could get hold of I was never evicted because of my substance use. The few times I was evicted it was for failure to pay rent. Most people using alcohol or drugs are not violent and can do so in a very social manner and without having to resort to crime. Some, being the most entrenched, may have to resort to petty crime to both maintain their habit as well as safe accommodation. That being said there are many that are extremely vulnerable to the predators of society, the bottom feeders such as slumlords and pimps who profit from the misery they help and want to maintain.
My comment online to Darrel Bellart story (link below).
A simple question; How well do you know your neighbours? Physical, Child, and Sexual abuse; Pedophiles, Alcoholics, Drug Addicts and Criminal activity, are all happening within homes in Nanaimo. Perhaps even in the home of your neighbour. Low Barrier, Wet House, the reality is that these terms describe every house, condo and apartment in the city. One can do pretty much anything in their home provided they remain under the radar. The people you see on the street are, for the most part, not there because they want to be but because of the very behaviours that happen behind closed doors. Many do drugs to cope with what has happened to them behind closed doors and many to cope with emotional or mental illness. The bottom line is that the proposed Supportive Social Housing and the people that are housed there will have the same right to maintain their addiction aka. behaviour as anyone else in the city. The biggest difference will be that when they do choose change they will have it far easier to do so because of the supports in place.
Monday, August 16, 2010
More on Unemployment
Hate to say I told you so but I certainly called this one.
Nanaimo's unemployment rate continues steady climb
Nanaimo's unemployment rate continues steady climb
Friday, July 30, 2010
Couple Letters - Unemployment & Poverty
A recent story in the Daily News Nanaimo welfare rates up, provincial numbers down mentions an 8% increase in income assistance application since the same period last year. This is a bit misleading in that it only talks about those applications in the expected to work category. Truth be told there are approximately 13,000 people or more on income assistance.
Another story Jobeless rate in Nanaimo drops 1% in one month for which I wrote this first letter seems to contradict the above though reality is without proper disclosure of numbers pretty much anything is up for interpretation. The 2nd letter briefly mentions the higher rate Jobless rate in Nanaimo climbs over last years numbers but also talks about BC's record of longstanding Child Poverty.
In a society such as ours it is shameful the rates of poverty and homelessness exist in the numbers they do.
July 16, 2010
Unemployment Rates
The fact that unemployment in Nanaimo dropped from 9% to 8% in June may not be cause for jubilation. Generally an increase in employment usually takes place during the summer though these are primarily low paying service based jobs with little likelihood of permanency. Still there are no real statistics to say an increase in employment in Nanaimo is the reason for the decrease and so perhaps other reasons should be explored.
One reason might be apparent when looked at in conjunction to the rise of the vacancy rate in Nanaimo to 4.4% in June. A correlation between the drop in unemployment and the rise in vacancy rates is not unfathomable and perhaps both are due simply to people leaving the community for better prospects elsewhere.
Then, of course you have those on EI whose claims may have run out and until they apply and are catalogued as Income Assistance recipients will be in limbo statistically. That is of course if they aren’t already among those who have migrated elsewhere.
One thing that is evident is the decrease to unemployment will have little or no effect on the endemic poverty that exists in the community. As a service based economy Nanaimo is affected by lower wages and part time employment, both of which affect the living standards of families
As summer wanes the jobs created for the season will end and unemployment will climb in Nanaimo as it inevitably does.
June 25, 2010
Re Child Poverty Rates
So once again BC tops the provinces for the highest child poverty rates in Canada. Since coming to power in 2001 the Provincial Government of BC has ensured this dubious honour being imparted for one of the longest continuous periods of any province.
While the Child Poverty numbers may have dropped, it is important to note the statistics this is based on are from the boom times of 2007, across BC they in no way reflect the reality of today in Nanaimo. At 9% Nanaimo has one of the highest unemployment rates in the province.
This is based on employable income assistance and employment insurance recipients. It does not take into account the many income assistance recipients categorized as persons with persistent multiple barriers, persons with disability or the many families that are exempt from searching for work if they have a child under the age of three. With all of the above we are looking at over well over 13,000 people.
Nanaimo’s overall poverty rate, when one takes into account low income cut offs, the income a person or family needs to be categorized above the poverty line, or based on a person or family spending more than 30% of their income on housing, would put poverty rates at close to 50% for the population in Nanaimo.
Don’t get me wrong, and lest I paint too bleak a picture, Nanaimo is a great place to live overall and its citizens would likely be well above average when it comes to volunteerism and giving.
Another story Jobeless rate in Nanaimo drops 1% in one month for which I wrote this first letter seems to contradict the above though reality is without proper disclosure of numbers pretty much anything is up for interpretation. The 2nd letter briefly mentions the higher rate Jobless rate in Nanaimo climbs over last years numbers but also talks about BC's record of longstanding Child Poverty.
In a society such as ours it is shameful the rates of poverty and homelessness exist in the numbers they do.
July 16, 2010
Unemployment Rates
The fact that unemployment in Nanaimo dropped from 9% to 8% in June may not be cause for jubilation. Generally an increase in employment usually takes place during the summer though these are primarily low paying service based jobs with little likelihood of permanency. Still there are no real statistics to say an increase in employment in Nanaimo is the reason for the decrease and so perhaps other reasons should be explored.
One reason might be apparent when looked at in conjunction to the rise of the vacancy rate in Nanaimo to 4.4% in June. A correlation between the drop in unemployment and the rise in vacancy rates is not unfathomable and perhaps both are due simply to people leaving the community for better prospects elsewhere.
Then, of course you have those on EI whose claims may have run out and until they apply and are catalogued as Income Assistance recipients will be in limbo statistically. That is of course if they aren’t already among those who have migrated elsewhere.
One thing that is evident is the decrease to unemployment will have little or no effect on the endemic poverty that exists in the community. As a service based economy Nanaimo is affected by lower wages and part time employment, both of which affect the living standards of families
As summer wanes the jobs created for the season will end and unemployment will climb in Nanaimo as it inevitably does.
June 25, 2010
Re Child Poverty Rates
So once again BC tops the provinces for the highest child poverty rates in Canada. Since coming to power in 2001 the Provincial Government of BC has ensured this dubious honour being imparted for one of the longest continuous periods of any province.
While the Child Poverty numbers may have dropped, it is important to note the statistics this is based on are from the boom times of 2007, across BC they in no way reflect the reality of today in Nanaimo. At 9% Nanaimo has one of the highest unemployment rates in the province.
This is based on employable income assistance and employment insurance recipients. It does not take into account the many income assistance recipients categorized as persons with persistent multiple barriers, persons with disability or the many families that are exempt from searching for work if they have a child under the age of three. With all of the above we are looking at over well over 13,000 people.
Nanaimo’s overall poverty rate, when one takes into account low income cut offs, the income a person or family needs to be categorized above the poverty line, or based on a person or family spending more than 30% of their income on housing, would put poverty rates at close to 50% for the population in Nanaimo.
Don’t get me wrong, and lest I paint too bleak a picture, Nanaimo is a great place to live overall and its citizens would likely be well above average when it comes to volunteerism and giving.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Cheri (Cheryl Lynn Sim)
The death (murder) of Cheri (Cheryl Lynn Sim) has affected me pretty hard since word came on june 29th of her death. I have been working with the homeless and those in poverty for about 15years and in those years I have known quite a number of people who have passed away. Usually this happens from misadventure or health problems related to street life. What makes Cheri's death particularily sad is the sheer senselessness of it.
I give kudoes to Sue De Ballinard, a neighbour in the vicinity of where Cheri was murdered, who with myself arranged, in the matter of two days, to have a Vigil/Memorial for Cheri near the location of her death. Over 100 people from all walks of life showed up and I am certain that given more time the number would have been over 200. It was a great celebration of life and a tribute to Cheri from the many people she came into contact with in her time in Nanaimo. Cheri was only on the street for approx. 2 years but in that time her soul touched many including myself. I will forever cherish the hug she gave me on the day of her death.
Kudoes also to the RCMP. The RCMP have been throroughly investigating this and I hope when a suspect is finally arrested the evidence is there to put the person away for life. Also many thanks to Danielle Bell and other reporters for not letting this story die. You have kept in in the news for over a week and in doing so help to keep Cheri's memory alive. Thank you all.
In the News:
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Poverty in Nanaimo
The following is a bit long. It is a presentation I have done in schools and elsewhere which I update each year.
Presentation: Poverty & Food
Gord Fuller - 2010
The enemy is not poverty sickness and disease. The enemy is a set of institutions and interests that are advantaged by clienthood, that need dependency, masked by service. We are in a struggle against clienthood. We must reallocate the power, authority, and legitimacy that have been stolen by the great institutions of society. We must commit ourselves to the reallocation of power to the people we serve so that we no longer will need to serve. (McKnight, J. The Careless Society: Community and Its’ Counterfeits [1995]).
--------------
Poverty pimp
Is a label used to convey that an individual or group is benefiting unduly by acting as an intermediary on behalf of the poor. The term is used to suggest that "poverty pimps" profit from their attempts to alleviate the misfortune of others, and therefore do not really wish poverty to be eliminated permanently as it is not in their own interest for this to happen. Poverty pimps gain a higher quality of existence from exploiting the poverty of others.
True poverty pimps are worse than just those who live off of helping others. They are the ones who perpetuate poverty in order to keep their job. They add more bureaucracy in order to expand their programs and their power. They provide just enough of a service to keep clients coming back. They are the firms who purposely overcharge and pad the bills, wasting money supposedly given to help the poor. Poverty pimps are the workers and administrators who keep expanding the public and private social services system, thereby expanding their job and salary opportunities. They contribute more money to keep the cycle eternal. They are the ones who make the system so challenging that you practically need a college degree to navigate it, causing many poor people to opt out of the system and often into the street.
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If the poor weren't so conveniently invisible, maybe we'd come to our moral senses and devise a national strategy for eliminating poverty. Imagine yourself in a state of constant dread. That's poverty.
David Olive – Toronto Star
--------------
Presentation:
http://www.nanaimo.ca/assets/Departments/Economic~Development/Why~Nanaimo/CommunityProfile.pdf
This one is interesting but the stats are for 2006 and prior
http://www.nanaimo.ca/assets/Departments/Economic~Development/Sectors/2010%20Profile%20of%20Demographic%20and%20Economic%20Trends%20-%20Nanaimo.pdf
BC STATS Good source for all over BC and a number of subject areas as well as community profiles.
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/pubs/pr_compr.asp
Presentation: Poverty & Food
Gord Fuller - 2010
The enemy is not poverty sickness and disease. The enemy is a set of institutions and interests that are advantaged by clienthood, that need dependency, masked by service. We are in a struggle against clienthood. We must reallocate the power, authority, and legitimacy that have been stolen by the great institutions of society. We must commit ourselves to the reallocation of power to the people we serve so that we no longer will need to serve. (McKnight, J. The Careless Society: Community and Its’ Counterfeits [1995]).
--------------
Poverty pimp
Is a label used to convey that an individual or group is benefiting unduly by acting as an intermediary on behalf of the poor. The term is used to suggest that "poverty pimps" profit from their attempts to alleviate the misfortune of others, and therefore do not really wish poverty to be eliminated permanently as it is not in their own interest for this to happen. Poverty pimps gain a higher quality of existence from exploiting the poverty of others.
True poverty pimps are worse than just those who live off of helping others. They are the ones who perpetuate poverty in order to keep their job. They add more bureaucracy in order to expand their programs and their power. They provide just enough of a service to keep clients coming back. They are the firms who purposely overcharge and pad the bills, wasting money supposedly given to help the poor. Poverty pimps are the workers and administrators who keep expanding the public and private social services system, thereby expanding their job and salary opportunities. They contribute more money to keep the cycle eternal. They are the ones who make the system so challenging that you practically need a college degree to navigate it, causing many poor people to opt out of the system and often into the street.
-------------
If the poor weren't so conveniently invisible, maybe we'd come to our moral senses and devise a national strategy for eliminating poverty. Imagine yourself in a state of constant dread. That's poverty.
David Olive – Toronto Star
--------------
Presentation:
If profit was eliminated as a factor, great steps in the alleviation of poverty would begin to truly occur.
Poverty is not a choice but a reality for many. The greatest poverty is not the homeless or the panhandler but that which you don’t see. It is the working poor, the unemployed, seniors, students and the many children in families that are struggling to make end meet.
The past 8 years saw an economic boom then recession and in the last year the start of recovery. Despite this Unemployment is rising, 9% in Nanaimo, as are the numbers of people receiving income assistance, 75% in the last year.
During the boom prices for real-estate increased with many rental properties being converted for sale. The downside of the burgeoning economy and rise of real-estate values is that these are also the very things that can contribute to increased poverty. These polar opposites have simply furthered the widening the gap between the financially able and financially challenged.
Low income has been recognized as the single most significant indicator of health status, putting adults and children at a higher risk of poor physical and mental health, involvement in crime, and unemployment. Most low-income families have gross incomes that are thousands of dollars below the poverty line and most are headed by a person in the labour force, they are commonly known as the working poor. Part of the problem is inadequate hours of work, 1 in 5 jobs are part time, and inadequate pay, BC has the lowest minimum wage set at $8.00 per hour.
Canada's food banks association notes that the predominant users of food banks are working people who complain of not being able to obtain more than 25 hours of work per week from any given employer. Many of the Homeless across Canada are working but simply don’t make enough to pay for accommodation and food.
British Columbia has had the highest child poverty rates in Canada 7 years running; one of every four children in BC lives in poverty. The vast majority of poor children in BC (67.6%) live in families with some earned income, but not enough to get them over the poverty line. Approximately 98,000 families are living in poverty in BC. with 90% of single -parent families headed by women. In BC the number of clients receiving income assistance and expected to work increased by 52% from September 2008 to September 2009; the number of dependent children in families receiving assistance increased by more than 20% over the same period.
In Nanaimo 31%, 20512, of the over 66,000 people to file tax returns have an income of less than $15,000, $18,900 being one established low income cut off determinant of poverty for a single person. 49% make below 25,000 per year.
The numbers of individuals and families making under $10,000, the under employed, those receiving income assistance, as well as many Old Age Pensioners, has remained stagnant over the past 10 years at approximately 15%.
Close to 13,000 people, excluding children, approximately 15% of the total population live on income assistance in Nanaimo. With over 5000 single employable people on income assistance living on approximately $7000 dollars per year, as well as those on disability and families on assistance, you begin to see just how extensive poverty is in Nanaimo. Income assistance is too low to pay rent and buy healthy food, shelter and food costs consume an unreasonable proportion of the income.
2008 Before-Tax Low-Income Cut-Offs for a city the size of Nanaimo were as follows; a family of 1 -$18,900, 2 - $23,600, 3 - $29,000, 4 - $35,200 and increasing by approximately $5,000 per person. Low income cut-offs (LICOs) are by far Statistics Canada’s most established and widely recognized approach to estimating low income. In short, a LICO is an income threshold below which a family will likely devote a larger share of its income on the necessities of food, shelter and clothing than the average family
As the price of real-estate rose many apartments have been converted to condominiums, many rooming houses converted back to single family, and many of the secondary suites in homes, used to help pay mortgages, are being rented at ever increasing rates due to larger mortgages.
Approximately 53 percent of renters, as well as many low-income homeowners in Nanaimo, are paying far more than 30 percent of their income towards rent, 30% being a determinant of poverty. Of those living on pensions or income assistance the percentage of income towards rent rises to more than 50%.
The most significant barrier to healthy eating is inadequate income. Once fixed costs such as shelter and utilities are met there may be little money left for food.
Food and shelter costs have increased significantly over the past decade, while income assistance rates have remained virtually unchanged and minimum wage has not increased. Not all residents of British Columbia have enough money to purchase healthy food. In urban centres the high cost of housing leaves little money left for food and many people with low income face challenges purchasing healthy foods.
Income-related food security is an important health issue in Canada and is a key social determinant of health. People with inadequate incomes are far less likely than those with higher incomes to enjoy diets that are consistent with healthy eating. Less is spent on food and they eat fewer servings of fruit, vegetables and milk products. They are also more likely to suffer illness than Canadians with higher incomes.
Ultimately in order to address poverty we must address the high cost of housing and ensure adequate income above poverty levels. Municipally we must adopt a proactive stance with respect to advocacy on poverty issues at the Provincial and Federal levels.
What can the BC government do to alleviate poverty and ensure that more British Columbians have enough money to purchase healthy food?
• Raising income assistance rates to account for the actual cost of healthy food and safe housing and indexing rates to the cost of living
• Raising the minimum wage to a level that supports an individual working full-time, full-year with an income above Statistics Canada low-income cut-off in a major urban centre
• Supporting a wide range of initiatives, including working with Federal & Municipal authorities, to ensure all British Columbians have access to safe and affordable housing
• Supporting initiatives that increase access to healthy food for all British Columbians, especially those living in rural and remote communities, or for whom access to food is difficult
• Building a system of high quality, affordable, accessible child care
LINKS:
http://www.dietitians.ca/resources/resourcesearch.asp?fn=view&contentid=1944
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75f0002m/75f0002m2009002-eng.pdf
Nanaimo:
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/data/dd/facsheet/CF231.pdf
When mentioning Income Assistance more often than not it only includes basic not disability etc.
The past 8 years saw an economic boom then recession and in the last year the start of recovery. Despite this Unemployment is rising, 9% in Nanaimo, as are the numbers of people receiving income assistance, 75% in the last year.
During the boom prices for real-estate increased with many rental properties being converted for sale. The downside of the burgeoning economy and rise of real-estate values is that these are also the very things that can contribute to increased poverty. These polar opposites have simply furthered the widening the gap between the financially able and financially challenged.
Low income has been recognized as the single most significant indicator of health status, putting adults and children at a higher risk of poor physical and mental health, involvement in crime, and unemployment. Most low-income families have gross incomes that are thousands of dollars below the poverty line and most are headed by a person in the labour force, they are commonly known as the working poor. Part of the problem is inadequate hours of work, 1 in 5 jobs are part time, and inadequate pay, BC has the lowest minimum wage set at $8.00 per hour.
Canada's food banks association notes that the predominant users of food banks are working people who complain of not being able to obtain more than 25 hours of work per week from any given employer. Many of the Homeless across Canada are working but simply don’t make enough to pay for accommodation and food.
British Columbia has had the highest child poverty rates in Canada 7 years running; one of every four children in BC lives in poverty. The vast majority of poor children in BC (67.6%) live in families with some earned income, but not enough to get them over the poverty line. Approximately 98,000 families are living in poverty in BC. with 90% of single -parent families headed by women. In BC the number of clients receiving income assistance and expected to work increased by 52% from September 2008 to September 2009; the number of dependent children in families receiving assistance increased by more than 20% over the same period.
In Nanaimo 31%, 20512, of the over 66,000 people to file tax returns have an income of less than $15,000, $18,900 being one established low income cut off determinant of poverty for a single person. 49% make below 25,000 per year.
The numbers of individuals and families making under $10,000, the under employed, those receiving income assistance, as well as many Old Age Pensioners, has remained stagnant over the past 10 years at approximately 15%.
Close to 13,000 people, excluding children, approximately 15% of the total population live on income assistance in Nanaimo. With over 5000 single employable people on income assistance living on approximately $7000 dollars per year, as well as those on disability and families on assistance, you begin to see just how extensive poverty is in Nanaimo. Income assistance is too low to pay rent and buy healthy food, shelter and food costs consume an unreasonable proportion of the income.
2008 Before-Tax Low-Income Cut-Offs for a city the size of Nanaimo were as follows; a family of 1 -$18,900, 2 - $23,600, 3 - $29,000, 4 - $35,200 and increasing by approximately $5,000 per person. Low income cut-offs (LICOs) are by far Statistics Canada’s most established and widely recognized approach to estimating low income. In short, a LICO is an income threshold below which a family will likely devote a larger share of its income on the necessities of food, shelter and clothing than the average family
As the price of real-estate rose many apartments have been converted to condominiums, many rooming houses converted back to single family, and many of the secondary suites in homes, used to help pay mortgages, are being rented at ever increasing rates due to larger mortgages.
Approximately 53 percent of renters, as well as many low-income homeowners in Nanaimo, are paying far more than 30 percent of their income towards rent, 30% being a determinant of poverty. Of those living on pensions or income assistance the percentage of income towards rent rises to more than 50%.
The most significant barrier to healthy eating is inadequate income. Once fixed costs such as shelter and utilities are met there may be little money left for food.
Food and shelter costs have increased significantly over the past decade, while income assistance rates have remained virtually unchanged and minimum wage has not increased. Not all residents of British Columbia have enough money to purchase healthy food. In urban centres the high cost of housing leaves little money left for food and many people with low income face challenges purchasing healthy foods.
Income-related food security is an important health issue in Canada and is a key social determinant of health. People with inadequate incomes are far less likely than those with higher incomes to enjoy diets that are consistent with healthy eating. Less is spent on food and they eat fewer servings of fruit, vegetables and milk products. They are also more likely to suffer illness than Canadians with higher incomes.
Ultimately in order to address poverty we must address the high cost of housing and ensure adequate income above poverty levels. Municipally we must adopt a proactive stance with respect to advocacy on poverty issues at the Provincial and Federal levels.
What can the BC government do to alleviate poverty and ensure that more British Columbians have enough money to purchase healthy food?
• Raising income assistance rates to account for the actual cost of healthy food and safe housing and indexing rates to the cost of living
• Raising the minimum wage to a level that supports an individual working full-time, full-year with an income above Statistics Canada low-income cut-off in a major urban centre
• Supporting a wide range of initiatives, including working with Federal & Municipal authorities, to ensure all British Columbians have access to safe and affordable housing
• Supporting initiatives that increase access to healthy food for all British Columbians, especially those living in rural and remote communities, or for whom access to food is difficult
• Building a system of high quality, affordable, accessible child care
LINKS:
http://www.dietitians.ca/resources/resourcesearch.asp?fn=view&contentid=1944
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/75f0002m/75f0002m2009002-eng.pdf
Nanaimo:
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/data/dd/facsheet/CF231.pdf
When mentioning Income Assistance more often than not it only includes basic not disability etc.
http://www.nanaimo.ca/assets/Departments/Economic~Development/Why~Nanaimo/CommunityProfile.pdf
This one is interesting but the stats are for 2006 and prior
http://www.nanaimo.ca/assets/Departments/Economic~Development/Sectors/2010%20Profile%20of%20Demographic%20and%20Economic%20Trends%20-%20Nanaimo.pdf
BC STATS Good source for all over BC and a number of subject areas as well as community profiles.
http://www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca/pubs/pr_compr.asp
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Tangled Webs
This in the Daily News today Charities willing to feed the needy together .
Its both interesting and amusing that with my two previuous posts, by the way my letter to the editor made it into both papers, we are now at where were at. Bottom line for me is to ensure that those in need get at least one, two if you include the bag lunch the 7-10 Club provides, decent free meal per day. The amusing, though sometimes challenging, thing is being both an Advocate for Social Change (aka Activist) and in this case the Chair person of the Nanaimo 7-10 Club Society www.nanaimo710club.com .
What the above story doesn't say is that the S/A will ultimately drop their lunch and that the 7-10 will enhance its program as well as operate on weekends. This of course will be with the support, funding & food, of the S/A as well as working to bring other partners from the community on board. This will not happen in the next month or so, details need to be worked out. Will keep one and all posted as they emerge.
Its both interesting and amusing that with my two previuous posts, by the way my letter to the editor made it into both papers, we are now at where were at. Bottom line for me is to ensure that those in need get at least one, two if you include the bag lunch the 7-10 Club provides, decent free meal per day. The amusing, though sometimes challenging, thing is being both an Advocate for Social Change (aka Activist) and in this case the Chair person of the Nanaimo 7-10 Club Society www.nanaimo710club.com .
What the above story doesn't say is that the S/A will ultimately drop their lunch and that the 7-10 will enhance its program as well as operate on weekends. This of course will be with the support, funding & food, of the S/A as well as working to bring other partners from the community on board. This will not happen in the next month or so, details need to be worked out. Will keep one and all posted as they emerge.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Starvation Army Reprise 2
Sent the following letter to the editor in yesterday and have attached a couple more stories from Friday and Saturday.
It is true that if one sifts through the various things Rob Anderson has said a kernel truth emerges. My take is they want to download the service and I have no doubt that it will happen in some form or another. What the Sally wants Sally gets. What we need to do is ensure that if another organization picks it up the Salvation Army provide the ongoing funding for it. If this were not to happen then programs like the 7-10 Clubs, http://www.nanaimo710club.com/, FREE Breakfast and Bag Lunch will not only have to compete for funding with the S/A but the new service as well. Bottom line for me is that if a new service evolves it be FREE to the community.
All this being said it is not as simple as just downloading the program. There are limited zonings in which "Social Service Resource Centres' (city of Nanaimo http://www.nanaimo.ca/ definition) are able to locate and even then it would have to be of an appropriate size and have an industrial kitchen installed.
Here is a term I have used in the past and I leave it to you the reader to determine if the shoe fits the S/A; Poverty PIMP is a term used most often to convey a person or organization profiting excessively by acting as an agent for the poor and disadvantaged and benefiting from their misfortune.
To the Editor:
Recent stories about the Salvation Army discontinuing their meal programs contain far too much inconsistent and contradictory information. Fortunately as stories come out we are, if one sifts through this information, getting a more accurate picture.
Despite union staff we now know the Salvation Army does use volunteers and rather than 250 – 300 meals number actually dropped 50% since they implemented a charge for those meals. We have also been informed by Divisional Headquarters the only way the meal program would be cancelled is if there was no longer need or another organization were to take it on.
They readily admit that the meal programs are not the cause of the purported $250,000 shortfall; they are simply the easiest to cut. What we don’t know is where the shortfall stems from, only that it is.
The community by their very donations has mandated the Salvation Army to provide this service. Recognizing whatever the true costs, $500,000 or $400,000, would they be willing to provide this funding to another group to provide this service?
With the information available I pose these two hypotheses; the Salvation Army simply no longer wishes to provide a meal program, and, the $250,000 shortfall may just be in monies raised in Nanaimo and being sent to Divisional Headquarters.
After contributing to the Salvation Army for over 120 years the Citizens of Nanaimo deserve the truth but the reality is until we have full and honest disclosure we may never know.
--------------
Published: Friday, May 28, 2010
Enduring charity struggles with funding crunch 1
Funding Crunch 2
Funding Crunch 3
Published: Saturday, May 29, 2010
Salvation Army not alone in struggles : 7-10 Club chairman says they can't fill void if lunch program is cancelled
It is true that if one sifts through the various things Rob Anderson has said a kernel truth emerges. My take is they want to download the service and I have no doubt that it will happen in some form or another. What the Sally wants Sally gets. What we need to do is ensure that if another organization picks it up the Salvation Army provide the ongoing funding for it. If this were not to happen then programs like the 7-10 Clubs, http://www.nanaimo710club.com/, FREE Breakfast and Bag Lunch will not only have to compete for funding with the S/A but the new service as well. Bottom line for me is that if a new service evolves it be FREE to the community.
All this being said it is not as simple as just downloading the program. There are limited zonings in which "Social Service Resource Centres' (city of Nanaimo http://www.nanaimo.ca/ definition) are able to locate and even then it would have to be of an appropriate size and have an industrial kitchen installed.
Here is a term I have used in the past and I leave it to you the reader to determine if the shoe fits the S/A; Poverty PIMP is a term used most often to convey a person or organization profiting excessively by acting as an agent for the poor and disadvantaged and benefiting from their misfortune.
To the Editor:
Recent stories about the Salvation Army discontinuing their meal programs contain far too much inconsistent and contradictory information. Fortunately as stories come out we are, if one sifts through this information, getting a more accurate picture.
Despite union staff we now know the Salvation Army does use volunteers and rather than 250 – 300 meals number actually dropped 50% since they implemented a charge for those meals. We have also been informed by Divisional Headquarters the only way the meal program would be cancelled is if there was no longer need or another organization were to take it on.
They readily admit that the meal programs are not the cause of the purported $250,000 shortfall; they are simply the easiest to cut. What we don’t know is where the shortfall stems from, only that it is.
The community by their very donations has mandated the Salvation Army to provide this service. Recognizing whatever the true costs, $500,000 or $400,000, would they be willing to provide this funding to another group to provide this service?
With the information available I pose these two hypotheses; the Salvation Army simply no longer wishes to provide a meal program, and, the $250,000 shortfall may just be in monies raised in Nanaimo and being sent to Divisional Headquarters.
After contributing to the Salvation Army for over 120 years the Citizens of Nanaimo deserve the truth but the reality is until we have full and honest disclosure we may never know.
--------------
Published: Friday, May 28, 2010
Enduring charity struggles with funding crunch 1
Funding Crunch 2
Funding Crunch 3
Published: Saturday, May 29, 2010
Salvation Army not alone in struggles : 7-10 Club chairman says they can't fill void if lunch program is cancelled
Friday, May 28, 2010
Starvation Army Reprise
The Salvation Army is at it again. An organization/church with assets and money, Billions of dollars, equal to or if not more than the Catholic Church is once again crying poverty.
The following stories have been put out this week by the Nanaimo Bulletin and Daily News. Following these are some comments I made at the request of the editor of the bulletin who saw my comment "There is more to this than is being said, some investigative journalism is in order," to the Daily News story and wanted elaboration. These comments/elaboration were also sent to the Daily News.
There is a lot of info here but I encourage reading it all. Then I also engourag writing the BC Divisional Office to express your disgust.
Major Brian Venables - Divisional Secretary for Public Relations and DevelopmentBritish Columbia Division
Address:The Salvation Army 3833 Henning Drive, Burnaby BC V5C 6N5
Phone: (604)296-3821Fax: (604)291-0345 Cell: (778)227-7291
E-mail: ...
Sally Ann meal programs in jeopardy I have put the full text to this link in because my experience has shhown that after a period of time links to past Bulletin stories do not work
By Rachel Stern - Nanaimo News BulletinPublished: May 23, 2010 2:00 PM
The Salvation Army is seeking help from the community to continue its meal programs.
The organization is losing $250,000 a year and is exploring options to cut costs or get more funding. “We cannot continue to lose money,” said Rob Anderson, Salvation Army director of Nanaimo community ministries. The Salvation Army wants to create a volunteer task force to examine the meal program, how it is delivered and how to save money.
The organization recently put a call out to members of the Nanaimo Working Group on Homelessness, of which the Salvation Army is a member, for help. While the church also operates a shelter and thrift stores, the lunch and dinner programs are the only areas to find savings, Anderson said. “It’s gotten to the point where we can’t go it alone anymore,” he said.
The problems the religious organization is facing is increasing in demand – 200 to 250 people were sitting down for the lunch program on average last fall – and increasing overhead costs.
The kitchen employees are unionized, so the Salvation Army can’t bring in volunteers to cut costs. “It ties our hands on what we can do,” said Anderson.
The Salvation Army’s operating budget for the year is $3.8 million. It receives about $700,000 in provincial and federal funding, while remaining $3 million must be fundraised. The New Hope Centre takes about $1.1 million to operate and the meal program costs about $500,000 a year. On average it serves about 6,500 to 7,000 meals each month – about 3,000 of those meals are given out for free.
Gord Fuller, a member of the working group and chairman of the 7-10 Club Society, said a clear accounting of the programs is needed. “We would like to get the breakdown on exactly why it’s not working,” said Fuller, about the Salvation Army’s meal programs. “They have the money in place, so why can’t they?”
Fuller said the 7-10 Club spends about $110,000 a year on its breakfast and lunch programs, serving an average of 125 bagged lunches a day. It also pays its kitchen staff to prepare the food. Unlike the Salvation Army, it doesn’t charge for any meals. The Society is also looking to partner with community organizations to get volunteer help on weekends to offer service seven days a week. Fuller said he might be interested in joining the task force to help the Salvation Army, if it clearly presents where the money is going.
Anderson said the meal program will not be cancelled, but the organization needs to be proactive. Cancelling the meal programs would hit the community hard, Fuller said.
“In the event that it does close, it will be devastating,” he said. “Who will pick this up?”
Anderson asks any community group willing to help or be on the task force to contact the Salvation Army at 250-754-2621.
Daily News
Budget crunch may end free meals
Even the headline is wrong in this story, lunch at the Sally cost $1.00 and Dinner $2.00.
Opinion: Salvation Army now needs our support
Seems to me they already get it to the tune of millions of dollars and food donations from the community.
Points to Ponder
Lets start with the easy ones first. Volunteers not aloud because of union? I would want to see the contract with the union and where it states such. They have and still do use volunteers. I am sure if both the Daily News and the Bulletin were to check their archives they would find stories re this and if someone were to go to the S/A they would see volunteers.
250 - 300 people accessing meal program. When they started charging for dinner their numbers dropped to 70. From what I here they are no more than that for dinner. Lunch numbers, prior to the $1.00 charge, were around 125, this told to me by Rob Anderson. Since the charge the numbers have dropped significantly. During the penny campiagn the numbers counted were around the 70 range. This could be easily determined by having someone count the people going in.
Budget of meal programs. Reported to Bulletin $500,000, reported to Daily News $400,000. Why is the budget so high? How much does charging for meals bring in? They get the lions share of donations from the community in both money and food, much of the latter going to the meal programs. How much of a savings to the overall cost is this? When they talk budget are the estimated cost of food donations factored into the overall cost.
Union wages; When I spoke to Rob Anderson and asked him what the staff were being paid the largest wage was a little over $12.00hr. The 7-10 Club pays its cook $15.00hr and it is not union. They do not have that many staff at the S/A meal program so what is the total in wages.
Did they really lay off staff?
"The Salvation Army’s operating budget for the year is $3.8 million" "The New Hope Centre takes about $1.1 million to operate and the meal program costs about $500,000 " from Bulletin.
Cost of New Hope and Meal Program 1.6 million. Where does the other 2.2 million come in? Where does the $250,000 shortfall fit into all this?
Nowhere do they mention the Meal programs as being a losing proposition just that it would be the easiest to cut. How much was raised by the Kettle Campaign, Monies to go directly to community programs? How much is raised in their Thrift Stores and where does this money go? How much money is raised throughout the year fundraising in Nanaimo? Perhaps the biggest question is How much of what is raised in Nanaimo actually stays in Nanaimo?
It receives about $700,000 in provincial and federal funding. On top of this they are housing federal parolee's in the transitional Housing, Housing that should have gone to local or homeless individuals. We know they charge far more for the parollees than they would get from someone on income assistance. How much?
How can they afford to open a 3rd store if they are running a $250,000 deficit? Are they really running a deficit?
From the Daily News
"While unpleasant, Anderson said the meal program is the most logical program to cut because other community groups can step in to provide a similar service.”It's the one program that takes very little capital to replace.” It’s the one program that takes very little capital to replace. There's more of a chance that a meal program can come from other organizations rather than the capital expense of a facility like the New Hope Centre,"
This is already a service funded by the community. The Salvation Army is mandated by the Community and the communities donations to the program to provide the service. It would not be easy for another group to take on. The 7-10 Club, offering a FREE breakfast and bag lucnh, struggles every year to raise enough to keep its program going and runs on less than a quarter of the funding the S/A receives. It would most certainly take a lot of capitol to replace, that statement is simply ludicrous.
As for the Capital expense of the New Hope, it cost the Sally nothing as over 3.5 million in federal and provincial monies went towards the new building as well as renovating the kitchen and office spaces in the old. Now the costs are Hydro etc and my guess is that because the Sally is a religious organization, they say they are a non-profit when it suits them to do so, they don't even pay taxes. Since opening, the New Hope have cancelled the drop in, devoted most of the transitional units to parolees at the expense of Nanaimo's Homeless and now they talk about shutting down the meal program or even the facility as a whole.
"We've been told by the Salvation Army's district headquarters that unless we can balance our budget, we may have no choice in where the cuts will be made." Was this same statement made to Rachel? Pretty heavy statement and one you would think he would mention.
It really pisses me off when I see the misinformation being put out by the S/A. The 7-10 Club struggles to operate a free meal program and serves just as many people as the S/A for less than a quarter of their budget. For them to state that it would be easy for another group to take this on just aggravates me to the nth degree.
I personally believe that they ultimately want to shut the meal program down and bring in programs where they actually make money. A full audit of all their programs costs etc. will be the only way to find out the real costs.
-----------
A letter to press from another fine activist Wallace Malay:
Dear Editor, Not only is Rob Anderson giving false and misleading info in your article, but you as well. They are not free meals at the Sally Ann. So I know that you are all leading busy lives, and well news just is not what it use to be (unbiased). Get your facts right. The Gospel according to Rob Anderson ( Salvation Army) is at best untrue in many aspects. That this breaking news comes after many in the community are gathering to work on food security and in supporting that the 7-10 location to be opened on Saturday and Sunday's to provide for those who cannot afford to pay for their meals. Also the amount of people that the S.A. says it serves is false.They receive money for their Emergency Shelter, money for clients in the Transitional Housing. Kettle Campaign money, money from not one Thrift Store, but from three as they just opened another. Individual and corporate sponsor of meals. Food donations from many businesses and individuals,etc.Now if the media in our fair city would like to organize an open public forum to address the need to feed our hungry. That Mr. Anderson be present as well as John Horn, then let us just see what is truth and what is fiction. I doubt you will print this, no matter. The word is out and will gather in momentum.
Wallace Malay
Nanaimo, B.C.
The following stories have been put out this week by the Nanaimo Bulletin and Daily News. Following these are some comments I made at the request of the editor of the bulletin who saw my comment "There is more to this than is being said, some investigative journalism is in order," to the Daily News story and wanted elaboration. These comments/elaboration were also sent to the Daily News.
There is a lot of info here but I encourage reading it all. Then I also engourag writing the BC Divisional Office to express your disgust.
Major Brian Venables - Divisional Secretary for Public Relations and DevelopmentBritish Columbia Division
Address:The Salvation Army 3833 Henning Drive, Burnaby BC V5C 6N5
Phone: (604)296-3821Fax: (604)291-0345 Cell: (778)227-7291
E-mail: ...
Sally Ann meal programs in jeopardy I have put the full text to this link in because my experience has shhown that after a period of time links to past Bulletin stories do not work
By Rachel Stern - Nanaimo News BulletinPublished: May 23, 2010 2:00 PM
The Salvation Army is seeking help from the community to continue its meal programs.
The organization is losing $250,000 a year and is exploring options to cut costs or get more funding. “We cannot continue to lose money,” said Rob Anderson, Salvation Army director of Nanaimo community ministries. The Salvation Army wants to create a volunteer task force to examine the meal program, how it is delivered and how to save money.
The organization recently put a call out to members of the Nanaimo Working Group on Homelessness, of which the Salvation Army is a member, for help. While the church also operates a shelter and thrift stores, the lunch and dinner programs are the only areas to find savings, Anderson said. “It’s gotten to the point where we can’t go it alone anymore,” he said.
The problems the religious organization is facing is increasing in demand – 200 to 250 people were sitting down for the lunch program on average last fall – and increasing overhead costs.
The kitchen employees are unionized, so the Salvation Army can’t bring in volunteers to cut costs. “It ties our hands on what we can do,” said Anderson.
The Salvation Army’s operating budget for the year is $3.8 million. It receives about $700,000 in provincial and federal funding, while remaining $3 million must be fundraised. The New Hope Centre takes about $1.1 million to operate and the meal program costs about $500,000 a year. On average it serves about 6,500 to 7,000 meals each month – about 3,000 of those meals are given out for free.
Gord Fuller, a member of the working group and chairman of the 7-10 Club Society, said a clear accounting of the programs is needed. “We would like to get the breakdown on exactly why it’s not working,” said Fuller, about the Salvation Army’s meal programs. “They have the money in place, so why can’t they?”
Fuller said the 7-10 Club spends about $110,000 a year on its breakfast and lunch programs, serving an average of 125 bagged lunches a day. It also pays its kitchen staff to prepare the food. Unlike the Salvation Army, it doesn’t charge for any meals. The Society is also looking to partner with community organizations to get volunteer help on weekends to offer service seven days a week. Fuller said he might be interested in joining the task force to help the Salvation Army, if it clearly presents where the money is going.
Anderson said the meal program will not be cancelled, but the organization needs to be proactive. Cancelling the meal programs would hit the community hard, Fuller said.
“In the event that it does close, it will be devastating,” he said. “Who will pick this up?”
Anderson asks any community group willing to help or be on the task force to contact the Salvation Army at 250-754-2621.
Daily News
Budget crunch may end free meals
Even the headline is wrong in this story, lunch at the Sally cost $1.00 and Dinner $2.00.
Opinion: Salvation Army now needs our support
Seems to me they already get it to the tune of millions of dollars and food donations from the community.
Points to Ponder
Lets start with the easy ones first. Volunteers not aloud because of union? I would want to see the contract with the union and where it states such. They have and still do use volunteers. I am sure if both the Daily News and the Bulletin were to check their archives they would find stories re this and if someone were to go to the S/A they would see volunteers.
250 - 300 people accessing meal program. When they started charging for dinner their numbers dropped to 70. From what I here they are no more than that for dinner. Lunch numbers, prior to the $1.00 charge, were around 125, this told to me by Rob Anderson. Since the charge the numbers have dropped significantly. During the penny campiagn the numbers counted were around the 70 range. This could be easily determined by having someone count the people going in.
Budget of meal programs. Reported to Bulletin $500,000, reported to Daily News $400,000. Why is the budget so high? How much does charging for meals bring in? They get the lions share of donations from the community in both money and food, much of the latter going to the meal programs. How much of a savings to the overall cost is this? When they talk budget are the estimated cost of food donations factored into the overall cost.
Union wages; When I spoke to Rob Anderson and asked him what the staff were being paid the largest wage was a little over $12.00hr. The 7-10 Club pays its cook $15.00hr and it is not union. They do not have that many staff at the S/A meal program so what is the total in wages.
Did they really lay off staff?
"The Salvation Army’s operating budget for the year is $3.8 million" "The New Hope Centre takes about $1.1 million to operate and the meal program costs about $500,000 " from Bulletin.
Cost of New Hope and Meal Program 1.6 million. Where does the other 2.2 million come in? Where does the $250,000 shortfall fit into all this?
Nowhere do they mention the Meal programs as being a losing proposition just that it would be the easiest to cut. How much was raised by the Kettle Campaign, Monies to go directly to community programs? How much is raised in their Thrift Stores and where does this money go? How much money is raised throughout the year fundraising in Nanaimo? Perhaps the biggest question is How much of what is raised in Nanaimo actually stays in Nanaimo?
It receives about $700,000 in provincial and federal funding. On top of this they are housing federal parolee's in the transitional Housing, Housing that should have gone to local or homeless individuals. We know they charge far more for the parollees than they would get from someone on income assistance. How much?
How can they afford to open a 3rd store if they are running a $250,000 deficit? Are they really running a deficit?
From the Daily News
"While unpleasant, Anderson said the meal program is the most logical program to cut because other community groups can step in to provide a similar service.”It's the one program that takes very little capital to replace.” It’s the one program that takes very little capital to replace. There's more of a chance that a meal program can come from other organizations rather than the capital expense of a facility like the New Hope Centre,"
This is already a service funded by the community. The Salvation Army is mandated by the Community and the communities donations to the program to provide the service. It would not be easy for another group to take on. The 7-10 Club, offering a FREE breakfast and bag lucnh, struggles every year to raise enough to keep its program going and runs on less than a quarter of the funding the S/A receives. It would most certainly take a lot of capitol to replace, that statement is simply ludicrous.
As for the Capital expense of the New Hope, it cost the Sally nothing as over 3.5 million in federal and provincial monies went towards the new building as well as renovating the kitchen and office spaces in the old. Now the costs are Hydro etc and my guess is that because the Sally is a religious organization, they say they are a non-profit when it suits them to do so, they don't even pay taxes. Since opening, the New Hope have cancelled the drop in, devoted most of the transitional units to parolees at the expense of Nanaimo's Homeless and now they talk about shutting down the meal program or even the facility as a whole.
"We've been told by the Salvation Army's district headquarters that unless we can balance our budget, we may have no choice in where the cuts will be made." Was this same statement made to Rachel? Pretty heavy statement and one you would think he would mention.
It really pisses me off when I see the misinformation being put out by the S/A. The 7-10 Club struggles to operate a free meal program and serves just as many people as the S/A for less than a quarter of their budget. For them to state that it would be easy for another group to take this on just aggravates me to the nth degree.
I personally believe that they ultimately want to shut the meal program down and bring in programs where they actually make money. A full audit of all their programs costs etc. will be the only way to find out the real costs.
-----------
A letter to press from another fine activist Wallace Malay:
Dear Editor, Not only is Rob Anderson giving false and misleading info in your article, but you as well. They are not free meals at the Sally Ann. So I know that you are all leading busy lives, and well news just is not what it use to be (unbiased). Get your facts right. The Gospel according to Rob Anderson ( Salvation Army) is at best untrue in many aspects. That this breaking news comes after many in the community are gathering to work on food security and in supporting that the 7-10 location to be opened on Saturday and Sunday's to provide for those who cannot afford to pay for their meals. Also the amount of people that the S.A. says it serves is false.They receive money for their Emergency Shelter, money for clients in the Transitional Housing. Kettle Campaign money, money from not one Thrift Store, but from three as they just opened another. Individual and corporate sponsor of meals. Food donations from many businesses and individuals,etc.Now if the media in our fair city would like to organize an open public forum to address the need to feed our hungry. That Mr. Anderson be present as well as John Horn, then let us just see what is truth and what is fiction. I doubt you will print this, no matter. The word is out and will gather in momentum.
Wallace Malay
Nanaimo, B.C.
Friday, March 26, 2010
MORE LIBERAL CUTS
The Liberal Government, Conservatives in disguise, of British Columbia has sunk to an even new low for them. This latest story in the Nanaimo Daily News, Children’s meal program latest grant funding cut , shows just how low the Liberals are willing to sink.
Please, if you are as disgusted as I am with the ongoing cuts affecting the disenfranchized and poor of our province follow this link and let all members of government know BC MLA's .
Letter to editor Sent March 26
All sarcasm aside the latest word of cuts to the hot meal program for teen’s and low-income parents run by Little Ferns Early Learning Centre infuriate me. Here is the province with the highest child poverty rates in Canada and the Liberal Government is cutting the budgets of many of the very programs that help alleviate child poverty.
Cuts in funding to programs like this not only affect the families that through the availability of the daycare and meal program are able to pursue employment or education. Existing community meal programs and food banks will also shoulder the burden of increased need and yet you can bet there will be no corresponding funding to match.
Honestly, I do not know how members of this government can sleep at night. What is even worse is I have little doubt they will come up with some inane excuse to rationalize what they are doing.
If this isn't bad enough there is really no compelling reason for members of the government to give a rats ass about the effects of their decisions. Conscience aside they can sleep tight knowing that even if they don’t regain power in the next election most will receive juicy little pensions provided in part by those very people they seem to care so little about.
Published March 27
Funding cuts to youth group are truly appalling
Please, if you are as disgusted as I am with the ongoing cuts affecting the disenfranchized and poor of our province follow this link and let all members of government know BC MLA's .
Letter to editor Sent March 26
All sarcasm aside the latest word of cuts to the hot meal program for teen’s and low-income parents run by Little Ferns Early Learning Centre infuriate me. Here is the province with the highest child poverty rates in Canada and the Liberal Government is cutting the budgets of many of the very programs that help alleviate child poverty.
Cuts in funding to programs like this not only affect the families that through the availability of the daycare and meal program are able to pursue employment or education. Existing community meal programs and food banks will also shoulder the burden of increased need and yet you can bet there will be no corresponding funding to match.
Honestly, I do not know how members of this government can sleep at night. What is even worse is I have little doubt they will come up with some inane excuse to rationalize what they are doing.
If this isn't bad enough there is really no compelling reason for members of the government to give a rats ass about the effects of their decisions. Conscience aside they can sleep tight knowing that even if they don’t regain power in the next election most will receive juicy little pensions provided in part by those very people they seem to care so little about.
Published March 27
Funding cuts to youth group are truly appalling
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Couple more letters
Wrote the first one after reading one more story about government funding cuts to gaming and the poor. The sarcasm just oozes from it and it is one of my favourites. This one was actually published as close to verbatum as they get. The second I wrote with regards to some stories about Welfare roles decreasing. They certainly may be but overall, I have no doubt, poverty is increasing.
Written March 17 and published in the Daily News on the 18th Trust our wise elected officials to look after us and the Bulletin on the 20th.
We should all feel grateful to Mary Polak for her extreme generosity reducing cuts to family and community programs from $10 million to $7.4 million. I mean really what would we do without these tremendous gestures from the Liberal Government, brings tears to my eyes the level of caring being shown.
Surely the people of B.C. are appreciative and realize that in no way will these cuts, as those that have gone before, contribute to our province's distinction of having the highest child poverty rates in the country for the greatest number of years. I mean honestly, the fact that B.C. has been distinguished in the child poverty field since the Liberals came to power in 2001 is purely coincidental.
Cuts to gaming grants and funding, why not? Our giving government recognizes this can only have a positive effect by decreasing gambling addictions. Once the consummate gambler realizes they are contributing less to non-profits surely they will look for better ways to support community.
Should we really feel sorry for the cuts to Volunteer Nanaimo, arts, adult sports etc.? Heck no, even the most cognitively challenged of us realize those taking part in the aforementioned would be better off getting second jobs and not wasting time in extracurricular endeavours. All this extra money would surely reduce the poverty rates.
Come on folks lets trust the wisdom of our elected officials, they are after all only looking out for what's best for us.
Written March 5th and published in the Daily News March 8th Welfare role numbers do not tell the whole story
Re: 'Welfare roll rise is slowing down' (March 5, Daily News)
I am afraid I beg to differ with John Horn on this one.
People are still falling into the pit and face even more problems climbing out.
As the gap between the haves and have nots grows ever wider the depth of the pit grows far deeper and the ability of people to climb out, without still having to rely on services like food banks and the 7-10 Club, grows increasingly slimmer.
Yes there are housing initiatives in the works but they are sadly slow in coming.
Those that are coming are low barrier for the hard to house and not for your average Joe or Joanne living in poverty in the community.
Rents have risen, the cost of living has risen and income assistance rates, the last fallback, remain the same.
For years, Nanaimo has been moving from a resource-based to service-based economy. With the move have gone the reasonably well paying jobs now replaced by minimum wage or slightly higher.
Those who have lost and will lose decent jobs, while having Employment Insurance and Income Assistance for survival, now can look forward to jobs paying well below the poverty line and many of these only part time.
While the number of income assistance applications declines the numbers of people, families and children, living in poverty are most definitely on the rise.
Written March 17 and published in the Daily News on the 18th Trust our wise elected officials to look after us and the Bulletin on the 20th.
We should all feel grateful to Mary Polak for her extreme generosity reducing cuts to family and community programs from $10 million to $7.4 million. I mean really what would we do without these tremendous gestures from the Liberal Government, brings tears to my eyes the level of caring being shown.
Surely the people of B.C. are appreciative and realize that in no way will these cuts, as those that have gone before, contribute to our province's distinction of having the highest child poverty rates in the country for the greatest number of years. I mean honestly, the fact that B.C. has been distinguished in the child poverty field since the Liberals came to power in 2001 is purely coincidental.
Cuts to gaming grants and funding, why not? Our giving government recognizes this can only have a positive effect by decreasing gambling addictions. Once the consummate gambler realizes they are contributing less to non-profits surely they will look for better ways to support community.
Should we really feel sorry for the cuts to Volunteer Nanaimo, arts, adult sports etc.? Heck no, even the most cognitively challenged of us realize those taking part in the aforementioned would be better off getting second jobs and not wasting time in extracurricular endeavours. All this extra money would surely reduce the poverty rates.
Come on folks lets trust the wisdom of our elected officials, they are after all only looking out for what's best for us.
Written March 5th and published in the Daily News March 8th Welfare role numbers do not tell the whole story
Re: 'Welfare roll rise is slowing down' (March 5, Daily News)
I am afraid I beg to differ with John Horn on this one.
People are still falling into the pit and face even more problems climbing out.
As the gap between the haves and have nots grows ever wider the depth of the pit grows far deeper and the ability of people to climb out, without still having to rely on services like food banks and the 7-10 Club, grows increasingly slimmer.
Yes there are housing initiatives in the works but they are sadly slow in coming.
Those that are coming are low barrier for the hard to house and not for your average Joe or Joanne living in poverty in the community.
Rents have risen, the cost of living has risen and income assistance rates, the last fallback, remain the same.
For years, Nanaimo has been moving from a resource-based to service-based economy. With the move have gone the reasonably well paying jobs now replaced by minimum wage or slightly higher.
Those who have lost and will lose decent jobs, while having Employment Insurance and Income Assistance for survival, now can look forward to jobs paying well below the poverty line and many of these only part time.
While the number of income assistance applications declines the numbers of people, families and children, living in poverty are most definitely on the rise.
Friday, February 19, 2010
On Housing the Homeless and Government Stupidity
The two letters following my little diatribe, with links to attendant stories, were written as news of upcoming housing developments and the implementation of the ACT team has come to the for in local news media. The first letter has been published in both local rags and will wait and see if the latter letter gets published in the Daily News.
You can find out more with regards to What is happening and what is proposed in Nanaimo with regards to Homelessness and Housing at the following link Social Planning which will also lead to this link as well Nanaimo's Response to Homelessness Action Plan .
Bottom line is that we need the rent subsidies and not just new housing. Rent subsidies are by far the quickest means to house the disenfranchised in safe accomodation and not continually having people cycling in and out of substandard accomodation provided by the slumlords of the community. This is a NO Brainer and actually ends up costing the government nothing when you consider the cost of providing a $200 per month subsidy is born out by the fact that housing a homeless person saves the governmtent $8,000 to $12,000 per year. In effect the government actually makes money.
Something else I am working on is getting the City to require significant contributions to the Housing Legacy Fund from land developers ie. Oceanview (Cable Bay) etc.. More on this at a later date.
Written February 16, 2010
In response to
Homeless strategy needs support Feb 10th Daily News
Letter to the editor:
That we are moving forward with Nanaimo ’s housing strategy is great, just how far we move forward is entirely up to the Provincial Government and one would hope help from the Feds as well. Recent announcements of the 40 unit low barrier housing on Wesley St. and Tillicum’s 18 units for seniors and youth are indeed good news but have been a given since the province contributed close to 15million in funding in late 2008. Where do we go from here?
It is important that people remember the province, in a memorandum of understanding with the city in November 2008, committed to providing funding for 160 units of housing and not just 58. One has to ask, how will the province honour this commitment when they are continually cutting back funding to services helping the provinces most vulnerable. The provincial government itself has stated that, "it is no longer possible to achieve the fiscal targets for 2010/11 without baseline reductions to funding for community service providers."
Since coming to power in 2001 this government has seen gutting social programs as a means of balancing budgets. It is time this policy was abandoned. Research shows housing a homeless person saves government between 8 & 12,000 dollars a year. On the low end the savings by housing the estimated 15,000 homeless in BC would be 120 million dollars, on the high end 180 million. Even a 2nd grader would recognize this as preferable.
Written February 18, 2010
In response to
Outreach workers face rent challeges to help homeless Daily News Feb 18th
Letter to the editor:
For year’s Social advocates such as I have mentioned rent subsidies as an easy cost effective means to get the homeless into safe housing. While creating new housing is another component these projects take time and large funding commitments before they even get off the ground. Nanaimo is lucky that 58 such units are in the process of development but the likelihood is that it will be 2011 or 2012 before they are move in ready.
The province is and has been aware for years of the need to implement rent subsides in Nanaimo . It is after all a major component of Nanaimo’s Homeless and Harm Reduction Plan developed in 2008, the very document that initiated provincial commitment to Nanaimo’s plan in the first place.
It is important to know that monies available last year through the Federal Governments Homeless Partnering Initiative that could have easily gone to providing rent subsidies were not allowed to be allocated as such. Why, because they say it is a provincial responsibility.
Nanaimo’s action plan also called for the creation of ACT teams. Providing the funding to staff the team without providing the easiest and most cost effective means to get the homeless off the streets and into safe housing is ludicrous.
Both the feds and the province need to take ownership of the problem of homelessness and work closer together.
You can find out more with regards to What is happening and what is proposed in Nanaimo with regards to Homelessness and Housing at the following link Social Planning which will also lead to this link as well Nanaimo's Response to Homelessness Action Plan .
Bottom line is that we need the rent subsidies and not just new housing. Rent subsidies are by far the quickest means to house the disenfranchised in safe accomodation and not continually having people cycling in and out of substandard accomodation provided by the slumlords of the community. This is a NO Brainer and actually ends up costing the government nothing when you consider the cost of providing a $200 per month subsidy is born out by the fact that housing a homeless person saves the governmtent $8,000 to $12,000 per year. In effect the government actually makes money.
Something else I am working on is getting the City to require significant contributions to the Housing Legacy Fund from land developers ie. Oceanview (Cable Bay) etc.. More on this at a later date.
Written February 16, 2010
In response to
Homeless strategy needs support Feb 10th Daily News
Letter to the editor:
That we are moving forward with Nanaimo ’s housing strategy is great, just how far we move forward is entirely up to the Provincial Government and one would hope help from the Feds as well. Recent announcements of the 40 unit low barrier housing on Wesley St. and Tillicum’s 18 units for seniors and youth are indeed good news but have been a given since the province contributed close to 15million in funding in late 2008. Where do we go from here?
It is important that people remember the province, in a memorandum of understanding with the city in November 2008, committed to providing funding for 160 units of housing and not just 58. One has to ask, how will the province honour this commitment when they are continually cutting back funding to services helping the provinces most vulnerable. The provincial government itself has stated that, "it is no longer possible to achieve the fiscal targets for 2010/11 without baseline reductions to funding for community service providers."
Since coming to power in 2001 this government has seen gutting social programs as a means of balancing budgets. It is time this policy was abandoned. Research shows housing a homeless person saves government between 8 & 12,000 dollars a year. On the low end the savings by housing the estimated 15,000 homeless in BC would be 120 million dollars, on the high end 180 million. Even a 2nd grader would recognize this as preferable.
Written February 18, 2010
In response to
Outreach workers face rent challeges to help homeless Daily News Feb 18th
Letter to the editor:
For year’s Social advocates such as I have mentioned rent subsidies as an easy cost effective means to get the homeless into safe housing. While creating new housing is another component these projects take time and large funding commitments before they even get off the ground. Nanaimo is lucky that 58 such units are in the process of development but the likelihood is that it will be 2011 or 2012 before they are move in ready.
The province is and has been aware for years of the need to implement rent subsides in Nanaimo . It is after all a major component of Nanaimo’s Homeless and Harm Reduction Plan developed in 2008, the very document that initiated provincial commitment to Nanaimo’s plan in the first place.
It is important to know that monies available last year through the Federal Governments Homeless Partnering Initiative that could have easily gone to providing rent subsidies were not allowed to be allocated as such. Why, because they say it is a provincial responsibility.
Nanaimo’s action plan also called for the creation of ACT teams. Providing the funding to staff the team without providing the easiest and most cost effective means to get the homeless off the streets and into safe housing is ludicrous.
Both the feds and the province need to take ownership of the problem of homelessness and work closer together.
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