Latest News

Re-envisioning Windsor goal of ChangeCamp- May 10th, 2010
Kelly Ouellette isn't just talking about connecting with others for a better Windsor. She's putting it into practice. Ouellette, who operates Slice of Style gift shop on  Parent Avenue, was one of about 40 people sharing ideas to re-envision Windsor Saturday at an event called ChangeCamp. READ FULL ARTICLE

News Release- Advocates Set 5 Tests for Long-Awaited Ontario Affordable Housing Strategy- April 30th, 2010
The Ontario government's highly anticipated Long-term Affordable Housing Strategy must include 5 key measures for it be effective in reducing housing-related poverty, says a report released today by the Housing Network of Ontario (HNO). READ FULL ARTICLE.

United Way Hounours Windsor-Essex Volunteers- April 29th, 2010
Ask her about the low point in her struggle with poverty and Lillian Gallant will probably mention the incident with the raman noodles. "One time, all we had in the house for 3 days until our cheques came were raman noodles," she said. READ FULL ARTCILE

News Release- Community Hearings Find More Poverty Reduction Measures Needed in Essex County- April 26th, 2010

Over 50 people attended two community hearings in EssexCounty on Thursday to discuss the status of poverty within Windsor-EssexCounty. One hearing was held for service providers and another for community members to speak to their own experiences and provide suggestions for change. READ FULL ARTICLE

Breaking the Cycle of Poverty (re: "Where's Poverty Reduction?") -April 9, 2010
In these challenging economic times, the McGuinty government remains deeply committed to breaking the cycle of poverty. Our Poverty Reduction Strategy set a target to reduce the number of children living in poverty by 25 per cent over five years, a move which would take 90,000 children out of poverty by 2013. READ FULL ARTICLE

Where's Poverty Reduction?- Mar 30, 2010
More than a year into a recession that hit Ontario harder than most provinces, hundreds of thousands of working Ontarians have lost their jobs -- either slipping into the ranks of the poor or hanging on by their fingernails. READ FULL ARTICLE.

Documentary 'Poor No More' Comes to Windsor- Mar 15, 2010
The Art Gallery of Windsor was host to the movie premiere of Poor no More,a documentary hosted by Mary Walsh. The movie was brought to Windsor by the combined work of Pathway to Potential, Windsor-Essex County's Poverty Reduction Strategy, and David Langille, the executive producer of the film. READ FULL ARTICLE.

Voices Against Poverty Meets with Social Assistance Review Advisory Council Member- March 12, 2010
Voices Against Poverty had an excellent half-day meeting with Pedro Barata. Pedro is a member of the Social Assistance Review Advisory Council (SARAC). The McGuinty government has asked SARAC to (a) advise the govt on short-term changes to social assistance rules and (b) make recommendations about the review's scope and terms of reference.
Voices has already provided SARAC with a report outlining problems and solutions for social assistance, but yesterday they provided additional recommendations on how the review should be conducted. For more information on the review,  CLICK HERE.

"Poor No More" Highlight Solutions for the Working Poor- March 6th, 2010
More than 65 people from the Windsor-Essex community attended a screening of "Poor No More" at the Art Gallery of Windsor on Saturday. The film, hosted by comedian and actress Mary Walsh, suggested that Canada's poverty rates are unnecessarily high as  result of poor public policy decision. READ FULL ARTICLE

Windsor schools learn social justice- March 5, 2010
Over 120 Grade 8 students gathered to learn about poverty at the Social Justice Forum held at the University of Windsor. Invitations were sent out to 60 schools across Windsor asking for two Grade 8 students from each school to attend the free forum on Feb. 24. READ FULL ARTICLE

Healthy Food Supplement- March 2, 2010
An Ontario-wide campaign for a healthy food supplement is currently being advocated for by local organizations in Windsor-Essex County.  Developed by the 25in5 Network for Poverty Reduction in partnership with the Association of Local Public Health Agencies, the Put Food in the Budget campaign presents the idea for a $100 monthly supplement for those living on social assistance. READ FULL ARTICLE

Panelists discuss multiple areas of poverty as kick-off for Social Work Week- March 1st, 2010
A panel comprised of community activists, professionals and people with lived experience with poverty spoke at the Central Public Library today to have an in-depth discussion on the multiple and intersecting issues surrounding poverty including race, gender, mental health, and disability. READ FULL ARTICLE

A fight against Poverty- Feb.14, 2010
The poverty-reduction strategy known as Pathway to Potential, took a visit to Essex politician Bruce Crozier last Wednesday to ask for aid in their fight against poverty.Key members of Pathway sat down with Crozier in a big and well-lit meeting room at the Essex Civic Centre.  Members of Voices against Poverty, a grassroots group of people experiencing poverty, were also present to help persuade Crozier to help in the cause. READ FULL ARTICLE

Building Resilience in Windsor-Essex County- January 28, 2010
On Jan. 21 Pathway to Potential hosted a day-long event entitled Building Resilience in Windsor-Essex County.   The first of its kind for P2P, the conference exhibited a roundtable of more than 30 individuals and five sub committees. These individuals included people who have experienced poverty, business leaders, government representatives, and voluntary and public sector organizations, all working towards the local reduction of poverty. READ FULL ARTICLE

Council backs anti-poverty strategy - January 26, 2010

A new funding strategy to take aim at poverty in Windsor and Essex County received unanimous support from city council Monday night.The Pathway for Potential program sees a fundamental reworking of the allocation of more than $1.5 million in funding from the National Child Benefit and the Windsor Community Children's Fund allocated based on a request for proposals awarded according to a series of criteria. READ FULL ARTICLE

Social Policy Expert Sees Potential in Regional Poverty Reduction Strategy- January 21, 2010
Social policy author and vice-president of the Caledon Institute of Social Policy Sherri Torjman made a presentation today to members of the Pathway to Potential roundtable as the centerpiece of a daylong conference entitled "Building Resilience in Windsor-EssexCounty."  READ FULL ARTICLE

Low Income Key to Stimulus - December 7, 2009

More money needs to be put into the hands of the poor if the province hopes to stimulate the economy, anti-poverty advocates said recently. "In order to stimulate the economy you need to put the money back in the hands of people who are earning some of the lowest incomes and who are more likely to spend their money locally," said Adam Vasey, co-ordinator for Pathway to Potential, a local anti-poverty group. READ FULL ARTICLE

Case for EI Reform, October 1, 2009: 

While much has been said about the correlation between the economic recession and the rise in mental health cases, little has been said about this correlation and its relationship to Employment Insurance.   In a recent survey of family physicians in Canada, 88 per cent noted that they had seen patients with stress-related problems attributable to the economy READ FULL ARTICLE

Toward Poverty Reduction, July 2, 2009:

Poverty is a complex problem with multiple causes. We cannot talk about poverty without talking about housing, child care, education, employment, health and income security. With more than 38,000 people experiencing poverty in Windsor and Essex County, the City of Windsor and the County of Essex have endorsed the need for a community-led solution. Pathway to Potential is a poverty reduction strategy for Windsor and Essex County that aims to address local poverty in a collaborative and comprehensive way. READ FULL ARTICLE

Crowd Gives Input on Housing Strategy, July 16, 2009:  

Robert Levis always expected his life would be a struggle to the end, but even he never saw this coming.  Levis, who lost his job and now scrapes by on $572 a month from Ontario Works, was among 100 people who came Wednesday to offer suggestions on how to build a provincial long-term affordable housing strategy. READ FULL ARTICLE

The Poor Next Door - March 27, 2009:

The poor could be your neighbour next door, and you wouldn't know it. But soon you will.That's the reality Windsor is facing, says Adam Vasey, co-ordinator for a new city and county group that has set its goal at bringing relief to the poor. READ FULL ARTICLE

Social Assistance Rates Inadequate, Forum Told - May 27, 2009:

Inadequate social assistance rates haven't kept pace with rising costs in a community beset with double digit unemployment, impoverished Windsor residents told a forum Tuesday at the Downtown Mission.  "The price of food has become astronomical," said Robert Levis, who has eked by on Ontario Works since being laid off a year and a half ago. "Paying $2.29 for a loaf of bread is a lot more for me than someone making $700 a week."