Pathway E-Bulletin - June 2010
Welcome to the inaugural edition of Pathway to Potential's (P2P) monthly e-bulletin. The purpose of the e-bulletin is to inform community members of the progress of P2P and to highlight opportunities for you to take action to reduce poverty in Windsor Essex County.
Contents
P2P currently involves a network of more than 120 individuals, businesses, and organizations dedicated to reducing poverty in Windsor-Essex County. This network includes a multi-sector Roundtable and eight action orientated Working Groups in the following areas: Affordable Housing, Affordable Transportation, Child Care and Early Learning, Education and Employment, Health, Income Support, Public Awareness and Advocacy, and Voices Against Poverty. In 2010, our work is strategically focused in four key areas:
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Affordable transportation for City and County residents;
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Healthy, affordable, and accessible food for City and County residents;
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Increased job training opportunities for City and County residents; and
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Increased community awareness and advocacy about poverty.
Canadian Social Forum
The Canadian Social Forum, held in Windsor, Ontario, on June 18-20th, brought together more than 20 local and national organizations delivering workshops, panel discussions, seminars, and cultural events to the community. The event concluded on Sunday with the People's Assembly, an opportunity for the community to gather, network, and discuss solutions.
On Friday, June 18th, Pathway to Potential hosted a screening of the feature documentary
Poor No More (2010), followed by a panel discussion "Solutions Start with Us: Combating Poverty in Canada". Following the film, panelists Lillian Gallant (Voices Against Poverty), Taras Natyshak (Federal NDP Candidate), and Rev. Kevin George (St. Mark's by-the-Lake) engaged in lively and thought-provoking discussion with the more than 50 community members in attendance.
Since April of this year, Pathway to Potential and Voices Against Poverty have jointly held five social audit hearings throughout Windsor Essex County. The hearings have reached more than 70 community members with the lived experience of poverty and 70 service providers across the City of Windsor and the County of Essex.
Hearings were conducted in over 20 communities across Ontario as part of the Interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition's (ISARC) Social Audit. The audits were used to gauge the status of poverty across the province, to assess the effectiveness of Ontario's poverty reduction strategy, and to provide a space for those affected by poverty to voice their concerns.
As a follow up to the hearing, Ray Poisson and Donna Labonte, co-facilitators of the hearings and members of Voices Against Poverty, attended the Religious Leaders' Forum in Toronto on Wednesday June 2, 2010, to learn about and discuss the initial findings from each of the participating communities.
Visit
http://isarc.ca/ for more information on either the social audit hearings or the Religious Leaders' Forum.
25in5 Network for Poverty Reduction - Leadership Assembly
On Tuesday, May 18th, 2010, the 25in5 Network for Poverty Reduction hosted a Leadership Assembly in Toronto. Lillian Gallant (Voices Against Poverty) and Adam Vasey (Pathway to Potential) co-presented as part of the panel, "What have we learned: community level poverty reduction strategies". The panel provided the opportunity for P2P members to share key accomplishments and lessons learned with the more than 100 participants who attended from across Ontario, and to discuss ideas for ensuring poverty reduction is a central issue for voters and candidates in the upcoming municipal elections.
On Wednesday, April 7, 2010, members of Voices Against Poverty met with Ronna Warsh, Community Development and Health Services Commissioner for the City of Windsor, along with several senior managers from Ontario Works (OW). Many innovative ideas were discussed, including: providing Voices Against Poverty with space in the City of Windsor's 400 Building to educate the public about poverty and its effects and to recruit new members; involving Voices Against Poverty in the design and delivery of training opportunities for OW staff; and, the establishment of a quarterly meeting schedule between Voices Against Poverty and OW Managers.
Health Access Day
On Tuesday, April 27th, 2010, P2P participated in the Multicultural Council of Windsor and Essex County's Annual Health Access Day, held at the Caboto Club in Windsor. The goal of Health Access Day is to help educate those who are new to Canada on the health-related services available in the Windsor-Essex community. An estimated 300-400 people attend this event every year.
Windsor Community Services EXPO
On Wednesday, May 19th, 2010, P2P participated in the annual Windsor Community Services EXPO sponsored by Brain Masse (M.P. Windsor-West) and Joe Comartin (M.P. Windsor -Tecumseh). This year's Community Services Expo was an opportunity for community members to learn about more than 50 community services and programs available to individuals and families. More than 500 people attended last year's event.
Community Garden Project
(Sandwich Community Health Centre)
On the morning of Wednesday, May 19th, 2010, the Sandwich Community Health Centre community garden opened for its second consecutive year. The Community Garden, named "A-Grow-Culture", is a free program in which all are welcome to participate. The plot of land used for the garden is located at Prince Road and King Street, in Windsor's west-end. The garden's yields include corn, tomatoes, zucchini, and peppers. Last year the garden yielded over 4,000 pounds of food. This year the garden is bigger so more families can participate. The produce grown will be distributed to those in need.
For more information about the community garden and how you can help, please visit
http://www.sandwichchc.org/CommunityGarden.htm
