Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Summer Resources – Poverty Task Force/United Way Community Update # 210

Dear Colleagues, 

Summer heat has exploded, and school will soon be out for the summer.   We have pulled together some resources for individuals and families. 

COOLING STATIONS

Heat Warning: Environment & Climate Change Canada has issued a heat warning for southern Ontario, including Grey-Bruce.

Cooling Stations are open in Grey County and Bruce County. Contact 211 for the latest listing in your community. 

Grey Bruce Public Health has Extreme Heat resources on their website.

Safe N Sound: has created a list of needs for their center to keep people cool and prevent heat stroke. They are a designated cooling station.  Other locations may also need similar items to help keep people cool.

FOOD SUPPORTS 

Grey Bruce Good Food Box: locations will be running through the summer/year-round – Ayton, Chesley, Kincardine/Ripley/Tiverton, Lucknow, Markdale, Owen Sound, Port Elgin, and Sauble Beach. https://unitedwayofbrucegrey.com/good-food-box/

Family Assistance Market: OSHaRE is hosting a bi-weekly drop-in market for families. Food supports will be provided from OSHaRE, The Salvation Army OS and the Good Food Box to provide more than daily food, but large amounts for families to get through the week.  

Summer Lunches for Children and Youth: there is a variety of summer lunches for children and youth in communities across Grey Bruce. A few but not all are listed on 211 but many are posted on Facebook and shared out in their local community.  Please let 211 know about your summer food programs!  

Grey Bruce Food Banks and Community Meal Programs: will be open throughout the summer and most are listed on 211.   

Free Food Listing for Owen Sound: the United Way has compiled a list of free food services in Owen Sound on 211.

SUMMER ACTIVITY SUPPORTS

Bruce County – Child Activity Assistance Program (CAAP): is a fund available to assist families with the cost of activities. Includes funding for school trips, school nutrition programs, extra-curricular activities, arts and cultural programs, Scouts/Girl Guides, and many more. Bruce County families with a gross income of less than $49,466 can access this program for their dependent children under the age of 18, and receive up to $500 per child, per year. There is a fillable application form at https://www.brucecounty.on.ca/services/human-services/child-activity-assistance-program or call 1-800-265-3022 for more information.

Grey County – Social Initiatives Funding (Recreation Subsidy): is administered by the YMCA of Owen Sound Grey Bruce. It can be used for sports, art, music or drama programs, swimming lessons, camps, and fitness memberships. Activities do not have to be done with the YMCA. Families with incomes of less than $70,000 having children under the age of 18 living with them on a regular basis can apply. There is a scale for how much per child per calendar year the family can receive. See the link for more information and application: . You can also call the YMCA at 519-376-0484 ext. 227 or email socialinitiatives@osgb.ymca.ca.

Municipal Recreation Funds: some municipalities offer support. Call 211 or visit Bruce Grey Community Info to find out if your municipality has a fund.

JumpStart: Canadian Tire has individual child grants and special initiatives for girls. Online applications are here:  https://jumpstart.canadiantire.ca/pages/individual-child-grants 

Grey Transit Route 5 offers summer service to Sauble Beach. The route runs several times daily between Owen Sound, Wiarton, and Sauble Beach – including long weekends! All GTR routes are FREE on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the summer. Find more info and book rides at https://www.grey.ca/grey-transit-route

Girls Empowerment Summer Camp: Women’s House is offering this camp for girls aged 11-16, August 19th-22nd, Durham.  For more details and registration go to: https://www.facebook.com/WomensHouseBG

Stay cool,  Jill 

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Poverty Task Force/United Way Community Update # 119

Dear Colleagues, 

Last week our Income & Employment Security Action Group heard from Natasha Pei/Tamarack Institute and Misty Schonauer/United Way BG about the Business Reducing Poverty Project.

The project is a multi-sector collaboration – TD Bank, non-profits (Prosper Canada, Momentum, etc.) and people with lived experience – with the aim to increase bankability. A human first and co-design approach has been taken. Read more about the co-design approach at Liberatory Design or human-centered design at IDEO Human Centered Design Toolkit 2nd Ed.pdf (hubspot.net)

This approach puts people with low income in charge of defining and diagnosing their own unique, multidimensional poverty—who by owning the problem, own the solution.  Who owns poverty? (povertystoplight.org) The project has come up with 6 personas and scenarios to create protypes and has come up with 70 ideas in its first year. The next 2 years of the project will unpack those ideas and check in with people with lived experience. Watch the Tamarack webinar – Tamarack Institute Webinar: Businesses Reducing Poverty (2023) – YouTube

We have seen an increase in hate activity in our communities during and after Pride Month. A new grant provides funding for physical security but we still need to do more to address the action.  

INCOME SUPPORT

  • ODSP: was increased by 6.5% on July 1, 2023. The basic ODSP rate for a single person with the maximum shelter allowance is now $1,308 a month. This is up from $1,228. The 6.5% raise applies only to the core amounts like: basic needs for singles and families, shelter maximums for singles and families, board and lodge amounts for singles and families the maximum amount provided for a couple where both have disabilities.
    • The 6.5% increase does not apply to several other benefits that ODSP recipients often get. This includes the Remote Communities Allowance, Special Diet Allowance, and the Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Nutritional Allowance. ODSP rates are now indexed to the annual inflation rate. If there’s no change to inflation or if inflation rates go down, ODSP rates stay the same. Inflation is calculated using the Consumer Price Index for Ontario, which measures how much the cost of things like food and housing have gone up or down.
  • There are no increases to Ontario Works (OW). If people have questions about their OW benefits, they should contact their caseworker. If they’re having problems getting benefits, they can contact their local community legal clinic.
  • Licence Plate Stickers: Service Ontario no longer issue licence plate stickers for passenger vehicles, light-duty trucks, motorcycles and mopeds. However, you must continue to renew your licence plate every 1 to 2 years, usually before your birthday. Eliminating renewal fees saves vehicle owners $120 a year in Southern Ontario. Get a refund or credit for your licence plate sticker or driver’s licence | ontario.ca
  • The Auditor General reported in 2022 that pandemic supports for individuals and businesses totalled $211 billion. While $4.6 billion went to ineligible individuals, more than $15 billion went to businesses whose revenue ultimately didn’t decline enough to qualify for the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. 1,046 individuals have filed court challenges over pandemic benefits, including cases that have been closed and those still pending. CRA loses sometimes in court over COVID-19 relief | CTV News  
  • United Way Backpack Program:  registration for school backpacks is open. To apply, call 2-1-from June 14th through to August 25th. Outside of these dates, call the United Way of Bruce Grey office at 519-376-1560. Backpack Program – United Way of Bruce Grey
  • The United Way has assembled more than 32,800 backpacks over the past 18 years and saved families more than $2.25 million in school supply expenses. Annual backpack program shifting into high gear in Grey-Bruce | Owen Sound Sun Times

HOUSING SUPPORT

  Stay well, Jill 

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Poverty Task Force/United Way Community Update # 94

Dear Colleagues, 

The provincial election is over and we were able to use our Income Solutions advocacy to raise the issue of basic income and living wage at many All Candidate Debates. We shall continue to hold space for solidarity on justice, equity, diversity and inclusion. Power is held accountable within and outside of the ballot box. We shall continue to raise our rural voices and amplify the voices of the most vulnerable in our communities.

This month is Pride Month and National Indigenous History Month. We recognize the rich history of Indigenous Peoples, the resilience of Indigenous communities and the work being done towards truth and reconciliation. This month, take the time to learn and explore Indigenous history. Access resources and join community activities.

  • National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation: visit their education hub for additional learning and teaching resources.
  • Indigenous People’s Day – Sacred Fire June 21st, 
  • Giiwe Youth-In-Transition and Housing Sharing Circles invites Indigenous and Non-Indigenous partners to join the upcoming Giiwe in-person circle. Friday, June, 17th, 10am-2pm, Traditional Fire at the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority near Inglis Falls. People are welcome to come and bring colleagues, family and friends. Lunch is potluck and Nadia Ellis (is coordinating all donations.   (nadia.ellis@grey.ca) 
  • Anishinaabe Giizhigad (Anishinaabe Day) on June 6. To learn more about this new holiday, have a read via Anishinabek News.

We recognize and celebrate the 2SLGBTQI+ community in Grey Bruce. The Grey Bruce Pride have pulled together a list of events throughout the two counties.

HEALTH EQUITY 

INCOME SUPPORT

  • Ontario government support: people who are affected by a fire (and other circumstances), who are not being supported by OW or ODSP can apply for financial support (under $1,000) at: https://ea.mcss.gov.on.ca/
  • Owen Sound Water Rates:  according to a recent study, the average annual residential Owen Sound water/wastewater bill (for 200 cubic metres of consumption) was $1,344 in 2020, in line with the average for other municipalities with water services in Grey Bruce ($1,371). Water and wastewater surcharge rates have been raised which will impact on many people’s ability to pay bills quarterly. However, people can now negotiate monthly payments to make it easier to make payments. 

HOUSING SUPPORT

  • YMCA Emergency Shelter: ·        
    • In 2019, the YMCA provided 2,569 nights of shelter with 214 nights of shelter/month.
    • In 2020, the YMCA provided 6,513 nights of shelter with 543 nights of shelter/month.
    •  In 2021, the YMCA provided 8,380 nights of shelter with 698 nights of shelter/month.        
    • In Jan-Apr 2022, the YMCA provided 3,875 nights of shelter with 968 nights of shelter/month. 
  • Cooling Stations are open in Grey County and Bruce County: contact 211 for the latest listing. 
  • Hanover Fire Response: community partners continue to provide support for tenants who are homeless after the fire. The trauma of the event is still being felt by tenants as expressed in this first person account. But the community and social service partners are doing their best to assist people to find shelter and recover. 
  • People impacted by the fire should contact 2-1-1 for support. These needs will be channeled to the appropriate service agency. 

FOOD SECURITY SUPPORT 

Recent data collected at Foodbrucegrey.com (20 May 2022): 

  • 46,000 community meals were distributed in the 1st quarter of 2022. This is a slight increase over 2021 but with less organizations providing meals. Community meal programs are busier than anytime in the last 20 months. This is driven by the cost of housing and living right now.
  • 21,000 kilograms of food was diverted under food rescue so far in 2022. 17,000 kilograms were diverted in 2021. Please reach out to Paul Wagenaar or Jill Umbach to assist in onboarding new retailers.
  • 55,000 kilograms of food was distributed by food banks. This is a 32% increase over the same period in 2021.
  • 8,000 volunteer hours were donated in the 1st quarter of 2022. Volunteers are largely seniors and they are doing an incredible job. Reach out and thank these volunteers.
  • Community gardens are in the planning and preparation stages for summer production. Food donations and volunteers are tracked for these important programs as well.

Stay well, Jill