Leadership Summit on Poverty Reduction

Keynote speaker Mark Chamberlain, chair of the Hamilton Roundtable on Poverty Reduction described poverty reduction in Halton at the Halton Regional Centre in Oakville. The event was reported in the Milton Champion Tuesday November 30th on the front page. In Halton 8.5% of the population lies under the poverty line. Halton Hills Councillor Clark Somerville commented on the 'living the math' exercise; saying that they couldn't make it work in trying to devise a monthly budget based on a single income that a single person receives on Ontario Works if $561.

Salvation Army Kettle Drive

The Salvation Army commence their Kettle Drive through the week located at Wal-mart, Loblaw, Metro, Milton Mall and La Rose bakery on Saturday. Whatever is raised in Milton stays in Milton they state. All money goes to the operation of the Food Bank.

First snow

Milton had its first snowfall of this winter season this morning, a light flurry but an important time to reflect on the fact that not all residence of Milton have somewhere warm and dry to sleep each night

Halton Women's Place fundraiser

Wednesday November 17th 6.30pm @ Boston Pizza, 1085 Maple Ave there will be a fundraising dinner in support of Halton Women's Place, the regions only shelter for abused women and their children. Proceeds will be directed to Halton Women's Place, which last year helped 800 women and 1000 children. See the Milton Champion or contact Carm Bozzo cbozzo@halton-womensplace.com. Tickets $20 to receive a buffet dinner and bid in the silent auction.

Salvation Army gearing up for holiday hamper drive

This was the page 2 headline in the Milton Champion, Tuesday November 9th 2010. The article by Christina Commisso reports that the need is up as much as 10% this winter season. About 100 families have already put their names down with the Salvation Army to receive hampers including toys and food. A need for youth aged 110-16 is already apparent according to the interview with Angela Hunt from the Salvation Army. To register as a volunteer for Christmas kettle program and food drive visit www.khicommunity.com or call 9058751022.

Jail is not a solution for our homelessness problem

The 'Homeless Hub newsletter' website ran a recent story entitled 'jail is not a solution for our homelessness problem'. The article is by Stephen Gaetz. Visit the homeless hub website at http://getrevealed.bm23.com/public/?q=preview_message&fn=Link&t=1&ssid=9815&id=2xs4y5vsvsm9gcqiox39nrvmtz8uh&id2=0kvt1rwfgcyc529rynfaguaxkkllo&subscriber_id=aezpyxmyhsufynvttceikoxlwufxbfe&messageversion_id=bpcvnboghyabaxfvjkqwzpostwltbdp&delivery_id=baxspmcipgnqonipxkcoyemzgqvkbae&tid=3.Jlc.BIUCRw.B7B4.JzVi..Kizx.b..s.veQ.a.TMc6jA.TMc-4A.YZBmWA

"When we talk about the Canadian response to homelessness, we usually refer to things like emergency shelters, charitable food programs, drop ins and other supports. One of the things we don't talk about enough is the relationship between homelessness and criminal justice. That is, one of the central features of our response is the use of policing, courts and jails as a way of dealing with homelessness. A recently released report by the John Howard society presents a powerful indictment (if I can use court language) of this situation. In their study, Homeless and Jailed, Jailed and Homeless, the JHS research team interviewed 363 sentenced prisoners, and they uncovered some disturbing findings. For instance, I think that many Canadians would be surprised to learn that roughly one in every five prisoners was homeless immediately prior to winding up in jail."

Milton Municiple Elections

Congratulations to Mayor Gord Krantz on his landslide victory and 11th term as mayor of Milton. We welcome the newly elected ward consitituents making up the Milton Council. I hope that they are able to carry forward the same passion and resiliency demonstrated by Wendy Schau to campaign for the rights of the most needy in our community. We need each of them to accept responsibility for those in need in our community and to advocate to the Region for appropriate resource to address homelessness and provide transitional housing. Good luck - we will be watching and holding them to account.

New Video on Being Poor in Halton

New video posted on Coummity Development Halton website
http://www.cdhalton.ca/

MACCWT approve foster relationship

MACCWT voted (almost unanimously) to approve our proposal so we now have a "formal" relationship and can move forward.

Home Suite Home Oakville Empty Bowl

http://www.insidehalton.com/community/oakvillebeaver/article/888273
Home Suite Hope Oakville 4th annual Empty Bowl, at Appleby College this Sunday, October 17th noon to 3pm. $50 for great soup and hand crafted bowl

Special Meeting of MACCWT

INVITATION to the MACCWT Project Committee to attend a SPECIAL MEETING of the MACCWT Board of Directors to consider the Outreach Project proposal regarding transitional housing in Milton on:

Thursday, October 14, 2010 at 7:30 pm St. George's Anglican Church, Guelph Line just north of Derry Road

The only thing on the agenda for that meeting will be discussion and voting on the proposal tabled at the September 23, 2010 Board of Directors meeting

For the first hour (7:30-8:30) questions and discussion with the full MACCWT Board as well as members of the Project Committee -- committee members available to answer questions and provide clarification of background, etc.

Home Suite Home Milton

There is progress being made on a transitional housing project in Milton with a working committee as part of Milton Area Christian Churches Working Together. A Home Suite Hope Milton is being formed and a governing Board of Directors established.

Over $1000 from Monster Yard Sale raised

Wesley Urban Ministries was the beneficiary of last Saturday’s Monster Yard Sale at St Paul’s. Over $1000 was raised, further items have gone to auction and therefore it is likely that this year’s yard sale will exceed the $1140 raised in 2009. Unsold items were taken and will be donated to other charities. Mission & Outreach would like to thank all those who donated items, the volunteers and eager buyers! There were many Milton resident’s who came in from the Farmer’s Market on main street with items over $5 outside on the grass and other items inside Graham Hall.

The Wesley Urban Ministries reaches out to the needy in the inner city of Hamilton as it has done for over 30 years helping people get back on their feet to live independently. St Paul’s United Church is a strong supporter of funding for Wesley’s programs and the more than $1000 raised will go a long way to providing meals, shelter, clothing and laundry.

Massive Charity Yard Sale

St Paul's United Church, 123 Main Street East is holding a massive charity yard sale on Saturday August 14th from 9am until noon. Proceeds of this yard sale will go to the Wesley Urban Ministries providing shelter and support for those in need. Yard sale will ideally on the grass on main street outside the front facade of the church or in Graham Hall if it is wet. Donation of items welcome.

Many struggling to make ends meet

This Tuesday's Milton Canadian Champion had a front cover story 'Many struggling to make ends meet: report' (Tuesday July 27, 2010 Vol 151 No. 40. A Halton Social Audit report noted a 6.5 % of Halton households considers low income. The story by Dennis Smith includes an interview with Chrystal Orbis. Please read it. It reminds us all of the challenges that low income families have with transport, children moving schools.

Affordable housing project underway

The Canadian Champion reported yesterday (May 11th), that ground was broken for a new affordable hosuing project in Milton for low income seniors and people with disabilities. This is at the Childs Drive and Ontario Street site behind the Milton Seniors' Activity centre. The three-storey buidling will contain 80 units, of which 40 will be affordable rental units, 32 for low income seniors and 8 for people with disabilities. It is expected to be completed in October 2011. Wendy Schau commented in the Champion that it was wonderful to see this first step but similar projects are needed for young families just starting out and people who have lost their jobs.

Landmark! Motion is passed to form project partnership with Home Suite Hope

Last night the MACCWT voted to approve the motion. This is a great first step in enabling a project committee to explore and plan a potential Home Suite Hope transitional housing project in Milton. The motion passed reads: "That Milton Area Christian Churches Working Together establish an outreach project committee, headed by Ruth Parkinson (St. Paul’s Mission & Outreach Chairperson) and Lorna Turner (St. Paul’s representative to MACCWT), to investigate the options and formulate a workable plan which will allow MACCWT to partner with St. Paul’s United Church Mission and Outreach Team and interested groups from any other Milton church, and to propose a program offering transitional housing to those in need in Milton and area; and that this project committee have authorization to partner with Home Suite Hope (Oakville) in developing a Milton-based program; and that MACCWT’s publicity and networking resources be at the disposal of this project committee; and that any financial commitment to this project from general MACCWT funds not exceed $2000 per fiscal year.”
This motion passed means:
Approval in principle to establish project committee
Approval to publicize to MACCWT member churches to test interest, seek input and advice, and recruit volunteers for project committee.
Agreement to invest in formualting a full working plan to bring to a future MACCWT Board meeting

MACCWT vote on Home Suite Hope for Milton

Tonight the Mission & Outreach team in partnership with Home Suite Hope presented a proposal to the Milton Area Christian Churches Working Together for a transitional housing initiative in Milton. Figures crossed.

Salvation Army Khi Community Food Bank in need

The Salvation Army, Khi Community exists to give hope today to those in need in Campbellville. The food bank is in need of a helping hand this summer. They need help stocking shelves to take them through the major food drive for Thanksgiving. they are in particular need of rice, juices, canned vegetables, lunchbox snacks, tuna.salmon/stews and cookies and crackers.

Leslie McLaren now chair of United Way of Milton

United Way of Milton has a new chair, Leslie McLaren. She has an excellent background as a government affairs and corporate communications manager. In 2009, United Way on Milton raised $642,000. They have helped fund programs with 24 agencies that serve Milton residents - children, youth, families, seniors and those facing disability and illness. www.miltonunitedway.ca Is this an opportunity to collaborate with the homeless initiative in Milton. Why not?

Poverty in your Backyard

Home Safe Toronto. A documentary film by Laura Sky. Sunday April 25 at 7pm at St Stephen's on the Hill United Church in Mississauga

Fantastic news from the Wesley Centre

For some time now, Wesley Centre and other emergency shelter providers in Hamilton have been working on transforming the way we work with homeless men and women. The results of a number of years of work have been dramatic. More individuals are being housed and staying housed. As a result, shelter numbers have been dropping consistently for the last few years. This work is part of an initiative we are calling the “Shelter Blueprint”.

One of the resulting changes from the implementation of the Shelter Blueprint is that Wesley Centre will become a day-time drop-in only as of August 1st, 2010. That means Wesley Centre will no longer provide emergency overnight shelter which we have been doing since 1991.

This is a fantastic news story. Not just for Wesley Centre, but for the shelter system as a whole. Over the last five years, fewer and fewer people are accessing emergency shelters and the reduction in the demand for shelter beds is indeed cause for celebration. By implementing innovative and effective housing programs with critical support systems, we are achieving a decrease in the quantity of individuals requiring emergency shelter. This means there are more shelter users becoming housed and less homeless people on the streets and seeking safe refuge.

While change is never easy, this is a really good news story. Social service organizations often talk about “putting themselves out of business”. Well, in a small way we are doing that. This move towards a more justice based approach is one that feels really good – despite the very real pain of the transition we are entering into with our staff, clients and volunteers.

MACCWT committee proposal vote

The MACCWT Board did NOT make a decision on our Home Suite Hope proposal as there were insufficent members present and they were not familiar with the proposal. many of the same questions were asked which is frustrating. One encouraging outcome was that the board members who were aware of the proposal and had given is thought were generally supportive. Those who were hearing it for the first time were frightened of it. Consequently, my choice was to move that the proposal be tabled once again and that a special meeting be called to discuss this proposal alone, and that is what happened. The special meeting idea was popular and it was agreed that each church should bring people to this meeting who were interested -- some of the reps were quite supportive and had ideas for people who might be interested in getting involved. This special meeting will be planned for 2 hours, with the first hour open and guests. The second hour would be closed and involve only the MACCWT board. That way, we can have a vote on the proposal immediately with the same people who have heard the information. The special meeting date has been set for Thursday, May 6 -- location TBA but I'm going to see if there is space at St. Paul's. It will be necessary to put together a package of information that includes our original proposal, the chronology of our journey so far with this, and a summary of what is being asked of the MACCWT, and hopefully a projection of how we see this developing over the next few years. We have most of this information gathered already. We'll send this info package out in advance of the May 6 meeting, which will hopefully allow us to summarize the proposed project in 30 minutes and then field questions for 30 mintues before we move on the the voting part.

St Paul's proposal to Milton Christian Churches Working Together

On March 25, the MACCWT will consider the following motion " That Milton Area Christian Chruches Working Together establish an outreach project committee, headed by St Paul's Mission and Outreach chair to investigate options and formulate a workable plan which will allow MACCWT to partner St paul's M&O and interested groups from any other Milton church, and to propose a program offering transitional housing to those in need in mitlon and area; and this project committee have authorisation to partner with Home Suite hope (Oakville) to develop a Milton-based program; and that MACCWT's publicity and netwroking resources be at the disposal of this project committee; and that any financial committment to this project from general MACCWT funds not exceed $2000 per fiscal year.

2010 Social Audit Revealing Poverty in Halton April 26, 2010

Halton Community Legal Services is assisting te Interfaith Social Assistance reform coalition (ISARC) to provide opportunities for the most vulnerable in our community to tell their stories of living in poverty and we need your help.

On April 26, 2010, hearings will take place in the region of Halton as part of ISARC's provincial social audit. The Social Audit is a way to communicate the social effects of government policies and actions on people living in poverty. Information, personal stories, and other remarks gathered will be used to highlight issues of poverty in Halton and to lobby to end poverty in Ontario.

People with the lived experiences of poverty, will have an opportunity to share their stories and be heard in a private hearing. Hearings are being held in north and south Halton in front of a panel of representatives of the faith community, public health and education.

Brice Balmer, Coordinator of the Provincial Audit describes “The Social Audit process will not bring revolutionary changes to the lives of Ontarians most marginalized by social assistance and low wage jobs. It will not build affordable housing nor put food on the table. But it will allow for a different kind of power or influence to emerge for all who participate in the Social Audit. People testifying feel a spark of dignity returning.”
To learn more about the Social Audit process go to: www.isarc.ca
To learn more about what is happening in Halton contact: Halton Community Legal Services 905-875-2069

Big-budget shelter for homeless coming to nightclub zone

The Toronto Star reported this week that the opening in May for the long delayed 40-bed refuge at the former site of Fez Batik nightclub. The article reports that on a given night, Toronto has 1,000 people living outdoors in the rough. The article is written by staff reporter, Donovan Vincent. The new shelter will offer the homeless what most others don't; actual help in getting a permanent home. The goal at 129 Peter Street will be to get occupants of its 40 beds stabilized and settled in a real home, preferably within days. The article interviews peter Brown, overseer of city shelters. A major component of the 12,480 square foot shelter will be a 24/7 assessment and referral centre where people can come in, have a coffee and sit down without having to spend the night there. It is hoped the centre will people who often shy away from other 'regular' shelters.

CBC Metro Morning

This morning on CBC Metro Morning on Food Connections. The interview was with a member of the Toronto Food development Strategy team. He discussed how food is a central pillar in many urban environmental, economic, social, health and community matters. The CBC website links to the Food Strategy report: Food Connections: Toward a Healthy and Sustainable Food System for Toronto. A Consultation Report. submitted to the Toronto Board of Health on Feburary 16, 2010 by Toronto Public Health. The interview discussed how the demise of local food stores has resulted in difficulty for the less mobile and affluent members of our community to access and afford food. In converse, by supporting food production, accessibility it in turn supports social development, community, education, work and economic stability. The report identifies other urban cities which have been successful; London, San Francisco, New York and Waterloo Region. See http:/wx.toronto.ca/inter/health/food.nsf.

Open Forum February 24th Milton Affortable Housing Program

Good news! At last the Region is moving ahead with housing on the Martin House part of the Allendale campus. They decided not to wait for Provincial-Federal funds after all, but to move ahead with the first 40 units on their own and keep applying for funding for the remaining 40 units. Not the range of housing that MAHC has been advocating for on the site, but glad to see some new housing being built. The decision on the type was made to qualify for funding. The Regional staff have said that they are in agreement with the site at the corner of Childs & Ontario being used for a mix of commercial/office on the lower floors and assisted rental housing above. There is hope for housing for people who are not seniors.

The purpose of the Open Forum is to share information with the Seniors community of Milton, tenants of Ontario Street, and neighbours of the surrounding townhouse community of the proposed development of a residence for seniors and seniors with disabilities on the south-east corner of the Ontario Street property under the Canada-Ontario Affordable Housing Program (AHP) Extension, New Rental Housing Component. Representatives from Halton Region, the Town of Milton and Regional Architects will be on hand to provide information and answer questions regarding the proposed development, the local planning process, and the architectural design, and how the project meets the needs of the community.

Session 1 will be primarily targeted to Seniors and staff of the Seniors Activity Centre, and Allendale Long-term Care facility, Halton Police Services, EMS and Halton Women's Place.. Session 2 will be open to the community.

Session 1:
Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Time: 3:00 - 4:30 pm
Place: Milton Seniors' Activity Centre - Games Room

Session 2:
Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Time: 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Place: Milton Seniors' Activity Centre - Games Room

Open Forum
Proposed Housing Development - Ontario Street
Hosted by: Regional Councillor Best, Councillor Schau, and Councillor Scherer