Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Growing Together: The Power of Community Gardens

At our March Food Security Action Group meeting, Simona Freiberg shared their latest numbers and documentation from the Grey Bruce Community Garden Network.

In a world that often emphasizes individual success, the true strength of a community lies in its togetherness. Community gardens serve as a beautiful testament to the power of collaboration, fostering food security, wellness, and shared purpose. They are not just about growing food; they are about growing relationships, resilience, and hope.

Food Security Through Community Effort

Food security means having reliable access to sufficient, nutritious food. In community gardens, members take an active role in ensuring this security, cultivating fruits, vegetables, and herbs that nourish both body and spirit. Growing our own food fosters independence while reinforcing interdependence—when a neighbor needs support, the community is there to help. Watch this inspiring video on community gardening in Grey Bruce: Community Gardens Video

The Role of Each Member

Each person who participates in a community garden plays a vital role. Whether it’s planting, watering, harvesting, or sharing knowledge, every contribution strengthens the collective wellness of the group. In these shared spaces, the emphasis is on cooperation rather than competition. Unlike the isolation of individualism, community gardens promote unity, showing that we are always stronger together.

Healing Through Growth and Sharing

The act of planting and harvesting is deeply therapeutic. Gardening has been shown to reduce stress, improve mental health, and create a sense of fulfillment. The joy of watching seeds turn into nourishment reflects the potential for transformation—not just in the soil, but within our communities. Sharing the harvest further deepens the sense of belonging, reinforcing the idea that no one should go hungry when abundance exists within our collective hands.

Join the Movement: 2025 Garden Educational Workshops

To continue this journey of empowerment and sustainability, we invite you to take part in their 2025 Garden Educational Workshops. These workshops will offer hands-on learning experiences for both beginners and seasoned gardeners, covering topics such as soil health, sustainable practices, and efficient food production.

Together, we can cultivate a future where food security is a shared responsibility and our communities thrive through the bonds we build in the garden. For more details, contact Simona at simifreiberg@gmail.com.

Get Involved with the Community Garden Network

To further support and expand the impact of community gardens, explore the Grey Bruce Community Garden Network through The Sustainability Project. This initiative connects individuals and organizations, fostering knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and sustainability in community gardening efforts.

Please feel free to contact Simona with any questions, thoughts, or ideas you may have for Community Gardens. If you are interested in gathering some seeds for gardening, please reach out as there are plenty to share. If your organization is interested in starting a garden, Simona is always happy to share knowledge and collaborate when possible.

Simona’s Contact Details: simifreiberg@gmail.com

Community Foundation Grey Bruce Grant deadline is April 15, 2025.

Community Grants are an opportunity to support new or expanding projects and programs that improve the community vitality of Grey and Bruce Counties. Applications from eligible community service organizations of up to $5,000 will be considered. Applicants must either have a registered charitable number or be sponsored by an organization that is a CRA qualified done within Grey or Bruce County. Contact the office at 519-371-7203  to ensure your project is eligible for funding before filling out an application form or email foundation@cfgb.ca Criteria for Granting- https://cfgb.ca/grants/community/criteria/ https://www.communityfoundationgreybruce.com/grants/community

Robin Cork, Food Security Action Group Chair and Food Coordinator, United Way of Bruce Grey

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Community Updates, Poverty Task Force

Poverty Task Force/United Way Community Update 212

Reconciliation begins with a commitment to truth-telling. However, the burden of truth telling should not be placed solely on the shoulders of survivors. Reconciliation requires institutions, governments and individuals to live up to their own responsibilities and complete/fulfill the TRC’s 94 Calls to Action.

The most recent Annual Report from the National Commission on Truth and Reconciliation reports that the voices of Residential School deniers are getting louder. The truth is that 699 Indian Day Schools were established and operated by the Canadian Government since the 1920’s, with an estimation of over 200,000 Indigenous children attending.

Seven of these schools were located in Bruce County – 4 in Nawash – Sydney Bay, Little Port Elgin, St. Mary’s Junior and St. Mary’s Senior School; and 3 in Saugeen – French Bay, Saugeen Village and Scotch Settlement.

We need to find more opportunities for truth telling.  Please read the full report here: 2024-NCTR-2023REPORT-LAYOUTS-FIN-WEB.pdf

FOOD INSECURITY

  • United Way, OSHaRE and Owen Sound The Salvation Army: have rung alarm bells saying that there will come a day when they won’t be able to keep up with the unsustainable rate of demand for free food. They are calling for income solutions such as the Guaranteed Basic Income.  Food banks and soup kitchens in Owen Sound struggle to meet growing demand | CTV NewsDemand for food charity skyrocketing
    • OSHaRE served 20,000 meals in September 2024; they provided 20,000 in all of 2020. 
    • OSHaRE served over 146,000 meals so far this year, the same as in all of last year. 
    • The Salvation Army Owen Sound is providing groceries to 1,300 clients/month, up 20% from last year alone.
    • The Salvation Army Owen Sound is providing over 30,000 lbs (13,610 kgs) of food to families each month. They have provided over $1.5 million of practical food assistance in one year to a community of 21,000 people. 
    • 125-130 families are attending the bi-weekly Family Assist Market.  
  • Food Affordability and Food Insecurity Report: was released by Grey Bruce Public Health and they are calling for income solutions to food insecurity.Food Affordability and Food Insecurity
    • Almost 1 in 5 Grey Bruce households struggle to purchase the food they need and are food insecure (18.3% averaged over 3 years). 
    • The report determined the cost of groceries for a family of four in Grey-Bruce in 2024 was $289 per week or $1,250 per month, representing a 1% increase from 2023. A single adult, meanwhile, must spend about $434 a month on food to meet Canada’s Food Guide recommendations, which is also a 1% increase from 2023. 
    • A full-time worker (40-hour week) earning minimum wage, which in Ontario is now $17.20 per hour, earns a gross monthly income of $2,752. 
    • Female-led single parent and lower income households are vulnerable to food insecurity. In 2022, 41.2% of households with children led by female lone parents were food-insecure.
    • In Meaford, a response to the report had Meaford Councillor Harley Greenfield state that municipalities are increasingly being drawn into these sorts of social issues, largely due to pressure from the public, but municipalities aren’t equipped to address social issues, as they have always been outside of the scope of a municipal council. The largest, and likely most important role that municipalities can take on in order to help to find solutions to the housing crisis, or the food insecurity crisis, or the opioid crisis, is that of an advocate by pressuring upper levels of government, who are supposed to oversee such issues, and who are equipped and funded for such problems. GBPH’s Report on Food Affordability Highlights What Many Already Know | The Meaford Independent
  • Parent Infant Feeding Support: a free virtual infant feeding support group starts up in Hanover (October 16th to December 4th) to support ALL families with food support.  They also offer free individual infant feeding support at the Family Health Team. 

HOUSING SECURITY

INCOME SECURITY

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

Stay well, Jill

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Food Security Action Group Meeting Highlights

The Food Security Action Group of the Poverty Task Force meets on the 1st Friday of the month. Here are highlights from the most recent meeting. Please contact Robin Cork, food@unitedwaybg.com to join the group.

The National School Food Program is rolling out across the country as agreements are made between federal and provincial governments. Details for Ontario are not yet available as the agreement has not been signed. We will be sure to make an announcement when details are available.

Hayley Hundt from our local Grey Bruce Ontario Student Nutrition Program (ONSP) let us know that there are 61 schools in our region that would benefit from the program. She can be contacted directly to answer any questions you may have at hayley.hundt@von.ca. We are hopeful that the program will be in addition to the provincial supports in place and we will not see a reduction in supports in Ontario. Ontario Student Nutrition Program Impact Report 2023-2024 (attached).

Ontario Coalition for Healthy School Food: Over the past few weeks we’ve had meetings with policy staff in the Ministry Finance, the Premier’s office, and the Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services MCCSS to present our Ontario school food proposal (attached) which recommends that the Ontario government accept federal funding and increase its provincial investment to stabilize and grow school food programs in Ontario. Here’s what we’ve learned:

  • The Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services (MCCSS) is actively working on a deal with the federal government to receive national school food funds, and we should be hearing more about it in the coming weeks.
  • MCCSS is leading the negotiations with the federal government.
  • MCCSS confirmed that federal funding will support existing student nutrition programs (SNP) and funds will flow as they do now to Lead Agencies through MCCSS.
  • They’re still looking at making policy changes recommended through the SNP review, but for now they are concentrating on getting funds out the door.

We’ve also reached out to some of our Chapter members and supporters to ask for help setting up meetings with some Ontario MPPs to educate them about school food and the opportunity to leverage federal funding to further enhance the provincial program. Thanks to everyone who has helped so far – we have ~20 meeting requests to MPPs sent out already, and further outreach is in the works.

Newfoundland and Labrador are the first to reach an agreement with the federal government through the new National School Food Program. This initial investment of approximately $9.1 million over three years will help more kids get access to school food.  In the coming weeks, Manitoba, Prince Edward Island and British Columbia are expected to follow suit. 

Many of our local Food Banks are providing school snacks for clients.

OSHaRE Lunch Program: in 2023, we shared 9,667 school lunches with children in local schools. To date in 2024, they have shared over 14,000 school lunches.  School lunches are picked up by local schools or provided to families referred to OSHaRE through local agencies.

Feed Ontario – Ontarians are Drowning Amid Surging Affordability Crisis: released a new report.

  • 1,001,150 unique individuals visited a food bank between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024, an increase of 25% over 2022-2023.
  • Food banks were visited 7,689,580 times between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024, and increase of 31% over 2022-2023, and 134% over 2019-2020.
  • 2023-2024 is the eighth consecutive year food bank use has risen in the province.

United Way of Bruce Grey Backpack Programs: As of Friday, August 30th, 2,664 students have received fully stocked backpacks, thanks to the incredible support from the Grey Bruce community. That’s 195 more than last year.

United Way of Bruce Grey Community Fund Grants 2025: call for applicantions from registered non-profits/charities in 3 categories –

§  From poverty to possibility –We are looking for initiatives that meet people’s basic needs for food, shelter and safety; as well as those that ensure individuals have opportunities to seek stable and sufficient employment, and make education, training and learning opportunities affordable and accessible for all.

§  Healthy people, strong communities –We are looking for initiatives that reduce barriers and isolation for those with addictions and mental-health issues through counselling, referrals, rehabilitation and other services. As well, services that support seniors and individuals with physical, intellectual and emotional disabilities.

§  All that kids can be – We are looking for organizations that are supporting the healthy growth and development of young people. This means actively targeting the source of their challenges and working to address systemic issues.

To apply and gather more details please visit: https://unitedwayofbrucegrey.com/about-us/community-impact-grants/ Please follow the links on the website to do the applications. Do NOT use the PDFs to fill out the applications. Deadline is Friday, December 13th, 2024.

Grey Bruce Good Food Box: the full season is up and running with all locations.

Stay well, Robin

Robin Cork, Food Security Coordinator, United Way of Bruce Grey

Bruce Grey Poverty Task Force Poverty Task Force

Poverty Task Force/United Way Community Update # 18

Dear Colleagues, 

Basic Income Canada writes that we are at a critical juncture in Canada where emergency COVID-19 benefits can be wound down or reshaped into an ongoing basic income that enables everyone to be part of a better, new normal.

There are panels, briefs and community voices being presented to the government – most recently to the Senate.  

  • We know that we live in a rich country and we can fund programs that are good for the economy and the community.   
  • We know that Basic Income is not a pancrea for people living in poverty.  Lives are too complex for a single solution. 
  • We know that it does not solve the problem of affordable housing, quality accessible childcare or gender inequality in the workplace. 
  • We know that a Basic Income+ would be a supplement to other programs that serve to meet basic needs. 
  • We know that it will not address sexism, racism etc. across our society but that it will move us toward more equity and equality.
    • We know that 56% of women in Canada work in 5Cs jobs: caring, clerical, catering, cashiering and cleaning. 
    • We know that women are 2 times more likely to lose their job or have their hours reduced under COVID19. 
    • We know that many women are now working triple shifts – homeschooling children, unpaid house work and paid at home work.
  • We know that Basic Income+ needs to be a liveable income and be tied with the cost of living.
  • We know that Basic Income+ could enable women’s economic independence, offer greater choices, more flexibility, childcare affordability, more bargaining power in employment and access to better housing & neighbourhoods, improved health and wellbeing.   (Evelyn Forget, 18 June 2020 – Tamarack webinar: Basic Income & Gender Inequality)

The CERB has given some people a taste of what they could gain if a universal basic income program were implemented. CERB was designed to keep people at home. As we reopen our community and country, we need to design a system that will increase people’s ability to fully participate in our society. 

INCOME SUPPORTS 

  • CERB Extension:   The Federal government announced that it would be extending the CERB by 8 weeks, making the benefit available to eligible applicants for up to 24 weeks.  But it will begin asking applicants to sign an attestation acknowledging the government wants them to work and directing them to the government’s job bank.     
  • CERB Overpayments: People may have applied for and received CERB when they were not eligible or became ineligible after applying. It is important for people to know that the government is asking those who received CERB in error to repay.  
  • The safest ways to repay CERB overpayments are through CRA My Account or by phoning CRA at 1-800-959-8281.  
  • If someone is unsure about whether they were eligible or not, they can visit the following link for clarification and information on repayment. 
  • Scams using CERB overpayments as their hook have become common. If someone thinks they have received a call, mail, or e-mail from a scammer, they should report it to the Canadian Anti-fraud Centre. 
  • United Way Financial Literacy Program: can assist families with budgeting, accessing additional income sources if they are not already utilizing them, system navigation along with a sensible and realistic approach to household finances. Will be focused on providing advice for households that have OW, ODSP and CERB interactions as we understand them. Contact Caroline Araujo Abbotts – Financial Literacy Program Coordinator, via advice@unitedwaybg.com or call 519-376-1560, 519-378-4773 (cell).  
  • A COVID-19 aid bill proposed to offer a one-time, tax-free payment of up to $600 for Canadians who have disabilities was defeated. Opposition parties raised concerns about a number of aspects of the bill, including proposed penalties for fraudulently claiming the Canada Emergency Response Benefit.  
  • Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) the government will start accepting new applications for the starting Friday. The government has expanded program eligibility to include farmers.

HOUSING SUPPORTS 

  • CEAP (Covid-19 Energy Assistance Program): Available to consumers who have fallen behind by at least two billing cycles, but whose accounts were in good standing when the provincial emergency was declared. 
    • Available for those unemployed on the date they apply for funding, and have received Employment Insurance or the Canada Emergency Response Benefit since March 17, 2020; 
    • Provide electricity customers with up to $230 in support if they primarily use electricity for heating, or if they use energy-intensive medical devices, and up to $115 otherwise; 
    • Provide natural gas customers with up to $160 if they reside in Northern Ontario, and up to $80 if they reside elsewhere;
  • Wood, Furnace Oil and Propane Support: the United Way isstill processing applications for these sources of heat.  Sewer and Water Arrears: the United Way is working with only households with a disconnection order and in the communities of Owen Sound, Meaford and Saugeen Shores.  The intakes are done by 211 and then processed by Karen Baxter, assist@unitedwaybg.com or 519-376-1560.  Karen can also provide support and knowledge on the rules and regulations. 
  • Low-Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP): all intakes and processing of applications have been halted under the direction of the Ontario Energy Board (OEB).  Those in arrears can apply as soon as the disconnection ban is lifted. 
    • The grant is still $500 and they need to pay what is owing on top of that. People are encouraged to contact the utilities they have outstanding balances with and try to negotiate payment arrangements at this time. 
  • AffordAbility Fund Trust:  assists people who do not qualify for other low-income energy programs. Applicants may be eligible for free energy upgrades that can lower overall home energy use and electricity bills.  Applicants can call 855-494-3863 or email Kim Williams (aft@unitedwaybg.com), Community Activator. 
  • The Housing Action Group: meets weekly to respond to homelessness and COVID19 housing challenges. The group is concerned about recent overdoses and analyzing unsafe conditions or situations exacerbated under COVID19. While Housing workers are seeing more complex cases involving addictions with some deaths there remains a low number of calls to 911/EMS. Trust factors and structural stigma remain factors. Potential solutions are to increase peer-support workers and increase outreach services.   
  • The Community Drug and Alcohol Strategy joined this week’s call. The Opioid Working Group has reconvened and action is being taken to address issues with a harm reduction approach. Dr. Ara has released a statement on recent concerns. 
    • People who use drugs and their friends and family are also encouraged to access naloxone and opioid overdose training. Naloxone works to temporarily reverse an opioid overdose caused by drugs such as fentanyl, heroin, oxycodone or morphine. 
    • A free Naloxone kit is available at the Grey Bruce Health Unit, no appointment necessary, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. It is also available from some local pharmacies. Find out more at www.ontario.ca/Overdose 
  • Ontario Student Nutrition Program (OSNP): The Province announced that it would be investing $1 million in funding to support families experiencing food insecurity by adapting the Student Nutrition Program to continue to provide school-age children with access to healthy meals and snacks during the COVID-19 outbreak. 
  • The OSNP program in Grey Bruce has distributed grocery gift cards and food boxes to families with Federal funding in partnership with the United Way, Bruce Grey Child & Family Services and so many other community partners. 
  • The Salvation Army Chesley Food Bank: starting on July 8th they will be serving the community in a new location at the Chesley Community Church (307 1st Avenue), Wednesday mornings from 9 am to noon.  Appointments can be made by calling 519-364-3450.  Jennifer Sachs is available as the Family Services Worker at 519-364-3450 or jennifer_sachs@can.salvationarmy.org.   
  • The Food Security Action Group meets bi-weekly to discuss logistics, gaps and barriers in emergency food response. Recent challenges identified include the transportation of meals by  frozen meal programs. These programs were operating pre-COVID19 and have significantly scaled up during the pandemic.  But many health staff in South Bruce and South East Grey who have been delivering meals to homes now have caseloads that are too high and the service is evolving, so they cannot continue to make deliveries in July.  Solutions may include establishing Regional Distribution Hubs, staff hiring and new volunteer recruitment. 
  • De-stigmatizing food insecurity: COVID19 has highlighted the need to reach out to isolated seniors. Organizations are seeing that seniors are hesitant to receive charity food. The Tara & Area Food Bank has been working with Bruce County Housing to get the message out that the food banks are community resources that everyone in the community has contributed to ensure their neighbours are taken care of. 
  • Community Meal Programs: continue to see increasing numbers. 
    • OSHaRE: 14,474 meals (Jan–April 2020) plus 7,029 meals in May were served for a total of 21,503 meals. Continuing to share extras out with other community meal programs. 
    • YUM Program: South East Grey CHC distributes 100 meals/week supplied by St. Aidan’s Community Meal Program. 
    • St. Aidan’s Community Meal Program: provided 700 meals in May and from June 1-12th has provided 275 meals. 
    • Chesley Baptist Church: provides 90 hot meals/week. 

EMPLOYMENT SUPPORTS

  • connect2JOBS.ca has been launched by Four County Labour Market Planning Board. 
  • WSIB has extended First Aid Training Certification to Sept 30th, 2020.  WSIB will continue to monitor and adjust this date, if necessary. 
  • To help keep knowledge of First Aid in the workplace at a critical time, the WSIB is endorsing certification and recertification for the knowledge component of the training through a Blended Learning First Aid course.  Individuals would complete the online portion and then have up to 120 days to complete the one day in class portion.  
  • Contact Kathy Murphy Ermel, St. John Ambulance, Grey Bruce Huron Branch by email (kathy.ermel@sja.ca) or leave a message at 519-364-7004 ext. 2 if you wish to arrange training and verify costs. 
  • Enabling Accessibility Fund: for projects that improve the accessibility of persons with disabilities in facilities where they work are a priority with a grant of up to $100,000. To receive funding, your organization must be a: not-for-profit organization; business; small municipality; Indigenous organization (including band councils, tribal councils and self-government entities); territorial government. Applications accepted until July 13, 2020.   

CHILDREN YOUTH SUPPORTS 

  • The Province announced up to $46 million in new funding over 5 years to increase community-based and Indigenous-specific supports for child and youth victims of sex trafficking. The deadline for applications to the Community Supports Fund and the Indigenous-led Initiatives Fund is July 30, 2020 at 5 p.m.     
  • The Province has announced an additional $10 million for school boards to boost mental health services for students to help them cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.   The additional $10 million is on top of a previously announced $25 million used to hire about 180 mental health workers for Ontario high schools.
  • The Province also announced $15 million for boards to buy about 35,000 computers in total across all school boards.  And $7.6 million for a Summer 2020 Transition Programs for Students with Special Education Needs and Mental Health Concerns.
  • Camp in a Box or Camp Kits: virtual summer camps are being designed by various organizations across Grey Bruce. One such example is a partnership with  The Municipality of Meaford has partnered with The Imagination Studio to bring two Camp in a Box activities: Magic and Science Kit & Camp, and POM POM Sculpture Kit & Camp.      

GOVERNANCE SUPPORTS

  • The Province is providing employers with a new general workplace guide to help them develop a safety plan to protect workers, customers and clients through reopening. The guide explains what employers should think about, and provides examples of controls as well as a template for creating a plan. 
  • Volunteer Canada Resources on COVID-19 and Volunteering: Board Governance– Information and resources for boards of non-profit organizations to help navigate governance issues during COVID-19, including virtual annual general meetings and legislative considerations. 

Stay well, Jill