Finally My Final Thoughts!

Better late then never they say!

I have had one week to reflect on the Poverty Challenge and spend time considering how it had an impact on my life then and going forward. Many people have asked me if it was hard, it really truly was, most of all it was hard on my heart. Ignorance is bliss and having what little bit of ignorance I had left wiped away last week was more difficult then I imaged it would be. Some people asked me if I would write about how I would "get myself out of poverty" or about "how everyone on social assistance should go get a job". What I have taken away from this is that poverty is a full-time job. It is a relentless battle of trying to survive, always working on others schedules and times, always in survival mode. The sense of powerlessness that comes along with always having to have your hand out for something to eat, somewhere to sleep, somewhere to do your laundry or even a pair of socks without a hole is unimaginable. The impact that living below the poverty line has on a persons self-esteem and self-worth are heartbreaking to consider. Never mind adding job hunting, trying to find the time and energy to finish high school or the hours it takes to plan out grocery shopping down to the penny. I truly do not think I would "be able to get myself out of poverty".

During one of my meals I had the honour of sitting with a mother and daughter for lunch. I noticed that this mother did not have a dinner plate in front of her, instead she focused on her daughter who was eating. Once her child said she was full and ran off to play with the other kids, the mother finished what was left on her daughters plate. There was plenty of food that day, and I knew from our conversation that this mom had most likely not eaten yet that day. This small thing, the act of eating what was left of her daughters meal instead of taking a second plate is something I don't see often in my social circles. We live in a world of excess, we show little thought or remorse for wasting food or not finishing our meals, but not everyone in our community lives this way. This is something that has stuck with me. 

Going forward from here I will be more conscious of my choices, but more then that I will be giving back to my community. I have seen the impact volunteers and emergency supports have on our community and those who access these services and it is incredible.

I am fortunate enough that I had the opportunity to 'pay it forward' to those that supported me during the challenge:

- I added a coffee to the community coffee board at Ho Joe's

- I donated two large bins to Jubilee Church, one of men's and women's clothing, the other of kitchenware 

- I brought a night time snack to the Ne-Chee emergency shelter

- I brought socks and underwear to the Fellowship Centre

- My YPN team has signed up to participate in the Hot Meal Challenge this coming year 

My co-challenger Megan did an amazing job of summarizing some of the ways you can pay it forward in Kenora - check it out here! --> http://meganshewfelt.blogspot.ca/2017/02/donating-in-kenora.html

Thank you for taking this journey with me and for reading along. Your words of encouragement, questions and support have been so meaningful. Please consider the messages you took from reading along with each of our journeys and paying it forward in some way. It doesn't have to be monetary - a smile or taking a moment to have a conversation with someone you don't know can go along way!

Finding Shelter from the Wind Last Night

This challenge has caused me to pause and consider how far off poverty, and homelessness are my current life. What I have realized is that no one is that far away from living below the poverty line. While speaking with a service provider on Friday I asked, what causes people to walk through the doors of the Kenora District Services Board? She shared that there are hundreds of reasons people find themselves seeking support and assistance. Some common reasons she shared were barriers to employment like lack of education, unreliable employment like contract or odd job work, unavailable or unaffordable daycare, or medical reasons that prevent people from working. I questioned her example of medical reasons as I know the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) should be their access point. She shared that accessing ODSP can take anywhere from 6 - 12 months to kick in, leaving people with no other choices but to access any funds available through Ontario Works (OW).

If my circumstances were to change tomorrow and I needed assistance, Ontario Works would provide me with $330 for basic needs and $376 max for shelter. I did some research and the cheapest apartment I can find for rent is $775.00, plus hydro with no laundry in the building. Without the support of family or friends, or a couch to crash on, I would be left with no choice but to spend my night at our local Emergency Shelter. This isn't stretch from our reality as NeChee staff have shared that their are working members of our community who spent their nights at the shelter because of the unaffordable housing available in Kenora.

Last night I visited the shelter with the intention of spending the night. When I shared with others that I was planning on doing this I was met with concern; I was told that it was not safe, I would be putting myself in danger and I was likely to bring home bed bugs.

I arrived a few minutes after 9pm, although the doors opened at 8. What I was expecting to find: a brightly light room, a coffee pot, tables, maybe a TV, people sitting around talking or playing cards and a few people sleeping on mats in the corner. What I did find: a very clean, calm space, light with a few candles and lamps, smiling staff who greeted me kindly, large bathrooms with fresh towels, clean sleeping clothes with blankets and plastic covered mats and pillows.  Laundry machines working all night to give patrons something clean and dry to wear in the morning, separate areas for women and men to sleep, water and some sandwiches and muffins that had been donated earlier in the evening.

I shared with the staff that I was surprised to find everyone already asleep at 9:15, they replied "Sam, these people have been out walking around all day, they have been moving from place to place trying to find something to eat and somewhere warm to go where they won't be told to leave, when they get here they are exhausted". I knew what he was talking about, I knew how exhausted I felt from having faced only a small faction of the struggle they had faced all day long.

Earlier this week someone told me that homelessness and poverty are two different things, by staying the night at the shelter I was taking this challenge 'too far'. After spending just a few minutes on paper considering how close the poverty line is, and the simple math of realizing I would no longer be able to afford my home, never mind any home I truly do not see these two things as different.

During the few hours I spent at the shelter several patrons came in to find a space to sleep for the night. The women's side of the room began to fill up and I no longer felt it was appropriate for me to take the spot of someone who needed shelter from the wind and cold for the night. I am grateful to the NeChee staff who took the time to show me how the Emergency Shelter operates and for sharing their stories with me.

When this door unlocks at 8pm each night it opens safety, warmth and a place of belonging to so many people in our community: