Making Kenora Home organizers believe in taking a proactive approach to raise public awareness of the day-to-day challenges faced by low income families, the homeless and poor in Kenora. The affordable housing advocacy group is once again sponsoring the Week of Action Against Poverty, Feb. 13-19.
According to Making Kenora Home co-chairman Nan Normand, you can't solve a social problem by pretending it doesn't exist.
"It was originally created as a day of action but we got so many volunteers and activities it was expanded to a week," she explained. "It's not a Making Kenora Home fundraiser but benefits many local charities such as the Fellowship Centre, Triple PLAY, Minto Family Resources Centre, Agape Table and the Salvation Army Food Bank."
Normand encourages individuals, families, schools, community groups and businesses to get involved through activities ranging from talking about poverty, to sponsoring a fundraiser or collecting donations of nonperishable goods for local food banks.
"It can be fun, it doesn't have to be somber and serious," she said, recalling the Hawaiian theme of last year's office lunch at her workplace, the Northwest Community Legal Clinic/Ontario Legal Aid. "We had Hawaiian pizza for lunch and made a donation to Triple PLAY."
Normand referred to the Métis Warmth and Wellness Group ladies who knit mittens and warm winter wear as a group project for donation to the Fellowship Centre. Another planned event is Red Day on Feb. 14. So instead of exchanging Valentine Day cards, supporters wear red to show awareness of the affects of poverty in the community.
"The lack of affordable housing is the key issue for Making Kenora Home," Normand related. "If low income and minimum wage earners can't afford to live here then the service industry suffers, businesses close and we don't want to see that happen in Kenora."
Coun. Rory McMillan outlined the Walk a Mile in My Shoes initiative to city council on Monday. Participants will try to live on a $35 budget for the week, the same weekly amount people on social assistance receive for groceries. He anticipates 10-15 volunteers will take part. The project is scheduled to kick off Feb. 9 at council chambers.
"It's an uniquely Kenora event and encourages residents to act to alleviate poverty experienced by some community residents," McMillan explained.
The book launch of the fourth edition of Homeless in Kenora is set for HoJoe Coffee and Books, 4 p.m. Feb. 14. The theme of this year's publication addresses the effects of homelessness on families.
Now in its fifth year, the Week of Action Against Poverty is the only community event of its kind in Canada, according to Normand. She cited examples of progress with the $2.9 million awarded to Aamikkowiish Non-Profit Housing last year to build or acquire 17 new low income housing units in Kenora. Long-time efforts to establish a local Habitat for Humanity group are also moving forward in the community in 2011
"We're starting to get somewhere. It's beginning to happen," she concluded.
Source:
No comments:
Post a Comment