Benefits of Living in Poverty?

It sounds wrong, I know. But I'm tired of seeing all the tweets about everything that is wrong with poverty. The hardship, desperation, and stress.

Because I live in it, I can honestly see the benefits of living in poverty; because if you take the time to look, you will find it. Especially living in poverty in #yyc in 2016.

So, what are they? WHY would there be any reason to find the good in living in poverty. Well, here is ten reasons why:

1.  I live in close proximity to my neighbors. I know each of them by name. Which makes a greater social connection with others.
2.  My neighbors share their food. When they get an item at the food bank that they would normally not eat, they knock on my door and share their food.
3. We check up on each other. We know when someone is ill and to help them out when needed.
4. I am now an empty nester, but I am not. Every night the children knock on my door and we sit on the sidewalk and talk. Or play house, or join our hands with all the kids (and adults) and play Ring Around The Rosie. Although I am lonely, I am never alone.
5. When one of the neighbor kids is doing something wrong, I can discipline them! I don't mean beating on them. I mean telling them to cut out what they are doing wrong out. They listen, respect me and the parents back me up.
6. We are resourceful! We know what to do and where to go for the things we need.
7. We share joys and successes, sadness and grief.
8. We learn from each other! My neighbor has taught me how to grow fruits and vegetables.
9. I often get food from the neighbors, a plate of their cultural food. I learn to appreciate their countries dishes.
10. Governments are listening. They're not just listening, they're ACTING and making changes to better the lives of Canadian's.

I want this blog to be an active, positive, engagement with people. So tell the world, and me, what else do you learn/appreciate/love and value about the lived experiences of people who live in poverty?

Elder's Teachings with Vibrant Communities Calgary

It's amazing to me how much I see the world and people differently from when I was growing up.

You see, my mother's side of the family comes from four children. My Uncle Robert, My Auntie Shirley, My Auntie Donna, and my mom.

But within the last decade, I've realized how much your cultural background is very important to a family. You see, my Auntie Donna, was raised within my mother's family, but was a young woman from the Child Welfare System and came to my grandparent's home as a foster child.

See to me, I don't look at people as black or white, brown or oriental. I've always seen people as just plain Human Beings, this is still true.

But now I am beginning to realize it's just as important to take into consideration everyone's cultural heritage, and to honor that as well.

And thanks to Vibrant Communities Calgary, I have been given an opportunity to learn about many different cultural backgrounds through the Elder's Teachings they have put on this month.

Please see their website http://vibrantcalgary.com/ for more information, and mine (posted tomorrow) and others blogs that are posted on this. And issues regarding their work on  reduction, education, and activism on poverty reduction in Calgary.

I am grateful, and humbled. And have been given even more reason to search my heritage.

One - Point entry system

So here is my opinion on the one-point entry system brought to council regarding Affordable Housing Strategy.

This is complicated, so bear with me.

As with the Fare's Fair program regarding subsidy to Calgary services, this single point entry system will allow Calgarian's to put in one application, to all non-market Rental Housing.

While the applicant does not have to go from service to service and miss time from work just to find an affordable home to live in.

I can tell you my story and that of my neighbours.

I originally applied to Calgary Housing Company when I was 22 and pregnant. They denied my application form because I was living at home with my parents and needed an eviction before they would accept my application form.

Well, my parents are wonderful people. This meant writing a false eviction notice and committing fraud. Instead of writing an eviction notice they let me stay. When my son was roughly 6 months old I went back to school and took my Business Office Skills Diploma. I graduated and got a career as a receptionist and data entry clerk. I was able to pay off my student loan in a year and a half.

My grandparents aged and came to live with us. There were four generations under one roof. The company I worked for was bought out and the majority of staff was laid off. Just before this time I had leased a car.

So, to pay the bills instead of going back to work as a receptionist I went back to my old job as a cashier at a gas station. It was time for me to move out so I rented a one-bedroom apartment downtown, took on another full-time job, and moved out leaving my son with my parents.

Needless to say I quickly became burnt out and struggled with mental health issues. Working two full-time jobs is not easy, especially night shifts. I lost both of my jobs and ended up living out of my car for 9 months before getting into a women's shelter.

I got kicked out of the shelter because the facility did not offer me the help that I needed. I rented and shared accommodation and put my name on the Calgary Housing list. No agency told me about any other programs that would be able to help me. So i moved around. A LOT!

I applied in roughly 2004. On February 22, 2005 I wrote a heart wrenching letter to Calgary Housing as I had moved seven times in four years and the current place I was staying was looking to move.

My son said to me he was afraid he wouldn't be able to find his mommy one day. Because I had moved so much.

Unfortunately, because I had given my son to my parents for joint custody, I was a low priority on their waiting list. All that I wanted was stable housing to get my son back and raise him!

In march of 2005 I got a phone call asking me to come view a place. I was elated! My son was eight now. I stayed employed as a cashier for a while until I realized I was much smarter than this and went back to school for my Medical Office Assistant (MOA) Diploma. This wouldn't have been possible without affordable housing.

although i no longer work as an MOA due to a disability, i still do have my home and a wonderful community to live in.

A one-point application system might prevent others from losing their children, or give them easier access to all the non-market housing available to them. Applicants should be able to check off boxes on this application form as they should have the choice to put their name on any list available to them. There should be staff available to walk them through the application progress. People with lived experience should be a part of helping make that application form and consulted in that process!

After reading the 2011 Survey of Non-Market Rental Housing in Calgary, things are very complicated. Some facilities are only offered for specific market of people. For instance, Horizon Housing has 7 facilities or projects, I do believe that Horizon Housing only provides affordable housing for people experiencing mental health issues.

As a friend of mine, Mary S recently said:

"I think streamlining the process is a good idea, especially if the only thing a person is looking for is affordable housing. I too waited for 5 years on Calgary Housing's wait list. Looking back though I am glad I didn't get into Calgary Housing. I needed more help then what Calgary Housing could provide due to my mental illness to be able to live on my own successfully.

However I think there may be some problems doing it.

Horizon Housing society doesn't accept applications from directly prospective tenants (http://www.horizonhousing.ab.ca/tenants/faqs/

). They tenant applications through their network partners.

I can't speak for all of the ways prospective tenants can connect with their network partners, with exception for those who get into Horizon Housing through Canadian Mental Health Assoc. Apartment program.

Up until 3 1/2 years ago people with mental illness could apply directly to CMHA;s Apartment program.

I applied for housing with Canadian Mental Health Assoc. right at the same time the application process was being streamlined by Alberta Health Services Regional Housing program. I had to reapply through AHS Regional Housing program for a place to live. The streamlined process was designed to help people with mental illness have access to an affordable place to live in a supported environment. The con is/ was that people with mental illness don't get a choice of where they want to live (because it's provincial I could have been sent to another town that could have triggered my mental illness since I don't know anyone there.), and what agency they wanted to get support from. I just happened to be lucky. I was assigned a worker through CMHA's apartment program and an apartment that is close to where I volunteer.

The way my housing differs from someone who is subsidised through Calgary housing is that I got to follow Horizon Housing Society's rules and Canadian Mental Health Assoc. Apartment program rules. I got to meet with my supported living co-ordinator bi-weekly (or if I am struggling more often than that), I got to attend the bi-annual CMHA apartment program meetings at CMHA's head office, I got to take my meds on a regular basis as prescribed, I got to be working on my goals, if Horizon Housing staff think I am not fulfilling their requirements and they complain to CMHA about me I got to be willing to work with my SL co-ordinator to fix the problem. All of those things are on top of following Horizon Housing's rule about paying rent on time, cleaning my place, and being a good neighbour.

I hope that if the city decides to streamline the application process for housing, they only do it for those who are in need of affordable housing without any additional supports.

Horizon Housing network agencies are specialized in helping their clients maintain independence while living in an affordable home, city of Calgary isn't. That is why I think agencies that provide support should be the ones handling their clients application to live in a Horizon housing building."

Careful thought and consideration needs to be put in to this. This is a great start. But you do need to include people with lived experience to consult in this process.  As well as consider the laws regarding FOIP. 

As well, shelters should NOT be put on the affordable housing list. Shelters are a temporary place to stay, not an affordable home. (In my opinion)

We are a growing and diverse city. Why shame people multiple times into applying for 31 possible agencies? 31 days of work missed! For the working poor, this is unacceptable, unjust, and humanly degrading.