I want to refer to a quote by Adrienne: "embraced by a loving community like Jubilee." Therein lies one very positive, available, welcoming comfort when living in poverty, and I hope it's not limited to Jubilee. I don't mean simply availing oneself of the Sunday lunches, the pantry of groceries, the clothing selection. What I saw there and what I perceive as a real, if band-aid, treatment, for poverty is inclusion and support. I think we've all concluded that this week of challenge can't 'fix' the local poverty issue, but we have learned what a difficult life many welfare recipients face. If we can increase public empathy (or ire!), view those living in poverty as someone to whom we can reach out, provide supplies and funds as our own situations allow, and get alongside those who are pushing locally and provincially for better housing, we'll have reached our goals for the week. I was startled to read on Mike's blog that we have lost 120 housing units since the Norman hotel was taken down. And no replacements? It makes one look askance at the Kenricia, the Kenwood and Parker's.
I just had a call-back from Ontario Works about the Winnipeg appointments. I did have some of the information right about the third-party section of the travel grant: The patient should have an appointment notice and OW will up-front the travel grant allowance, including $100 for accommodation. Then the travel grant cheque goes directly to Ontario Works. There are still logistical issues, like getting to your local medical doctor to get the form signed...or emerg if that's who did the referral and either getting to the bus or paying someone to drive you to the city. Once the specialist has completed his/her section of the travel grant we need to get it back to OW so they can be reimbursed. But it's a relief to know that there IS a way.
I had lunch at the home of friends and while we didn't start out with this goal in mind, we did spend much of our conversation on how various organizations contribute in the community and what services they provide. There really are a lot of caring, committed people in our little town, doing really good things. ...And lunch was great, with real meat in the chili! That whetted my appetite for something that used to go 'moo' so I got dropped off downtown, bought ground beef for my pasta sauce. Tonight I'll have a hamburger patty and sweet potato. 3.19 for a lb of lean ground beef and I walked home. Again. I'm left with 11.16 and have two days to go.
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