I try really hard not to post negative blogs, because I want to know that differences can be made, things can change, the world can improve! But today I am feeling stuck.
I am saddened and angered that Calgary City Council struck down the Secondary Suites second reading, and that many people will become homeless, in major credit debt, or other unseen, unspeakable things because these politicians wouldn't do what is best for their citizens. I don't know why they voted the way they did. Maybe some of them got so many angry emails that they were afraid that they wouldn't be voted for in the next election if they did what was right for society.
I am furious that I am in a revolving cycle of never ending poverty and I feel that I have no control over my circumstances.
There was a time where I felt I had control over my circumstances and could make it out of poverty. When I decided that I was smart enough to go back to school, and when I graduated landed employment with a company as a Medical Office Assistant. It was with a company that had helped me when I was a teenage run away, and I wanted to work with them because of the great work they do to help people out of their circumstances, and to support people when they are in the situation they are in. Also, to give back to a company that greatly helped me in my time of need.
But then I became mentally ill, I developed an addiction, I encountered a bully at work, and I quit my job. I became more depressed, because I was not eating my iron, Vitamin D, and Calcium levels dropped. I had a diagnosis of sleep apnea and could not afford the mask. Which probably contributes to the depression. I started antidepressants and was able to get at a level where I could get a job.
And then.......I slipped on ice at a Calgary bus stop. I got up, went to work, and stood on it for 4 hours. What else was I supposed to do? I had to go to my first employment and then go to my second job which was my third day of work.
After 4 hours I was in excruciating pain. I had my parents come and take me to an urgent care centre where they xrayed it. Instead of coming back and telling me that it was bruised, they came back and told me I had broken my patella.
Months later when I was able to get back on my feet and start physiotherapy I was surprised to learn that Alberta Works did not cover this. I contacted the city to see if they could help me with the cost of physiotherapy as it was city property I fell on. They informed me they would not cover this. I don't understand, wouldn't you WANT me to get back to work full time and support me in doing that as soon as I could????
Now, I have developed a lump that we are trying to figure out what it is. It's left me in pain constantly. The only relief is taking 4 narcotic pills twice a day until I see a specialist. (The wait lists are long). The money for that comes out of my pocket because Alberta Works does not cover that medication, and I've tried many that are ineffective. And I am only able to work 2 days a week for 5 hours with modified work duties.
Sigh.....This post is too long, and I'm tired of complaining. There is some good news today. The NDP Government boosted the minimum wage to $11.20/hour starting October 1, 2015.
It's a start.
Monday, June 29, 2015
Thursday, June 25, 2015
The Tool Box
Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) builds on the assets that are already found in the community and mobilizes individuals, associations, and institutions to come together to build on their assets - not focus on their needs. An extensive period of time is spent in identifying the assets of individuals, associations, and then institutions before they are mobilized to work together to build on the identified assets of all involved. Then the identified assets from an individual are matched with people or groups who have an interest or need in that asset. The key is to begin to use what is already in the community.
It formed when a Community Neighborhood Service (CNS) worker with the City of Calgary came in, talked with neighbors, and found what THEIR assets were in the community. Information was gathered and a key issue coming up was tools for their garden and household.
The CNS worker contacted the local church, Bethany Chapel, who's congregation members were able to donate tools to the library.
Calgary Housing Company had an unused building they were able to provide to the community for the space of the library.
A Recreation Program Specialist came to do an orientation session, making this program a volunteer opportunity with the City of Calgary to give residents a chance to meet new neighbors, develop leadership skills and gain valuable experience, become actively involved in the community, learn about basic tools and their functions, etc. This also gives residents an ability to volunteer with other City of Calgary programs, a reference letter for future employers, and job skills, right in their own community!
But the GREATEST, and most IMPORTANT part of this, is the residents who continue to take part in this. Who developed this. Using their ASSETS to benefit their community for a long-term functioning goal of all community members. Funding will never run out, it's resident run, and residents use the skills they already have, and are given the opportunity to develop their skills to further benefit them in life and society.
Sunday, June 21, 2015
Neighbour Day
Yesterday was Neighbour Day, and although we did not host another big event like we did last year, the community spirit was still alive and living in Lincoln Park.
But it always is, an ongoing thing in our community.
A couple of weeks ago I was unable to care for myself anymore and had to leave my home. My neighbour took my key and looked after my cats while I was away.
Another neighbour watches her neighbours children.
Last year I did a community mapping project with Vibrant Communities Calgary and the Calgary Interfaith Council. We hosted a Community Hubs Workshop and spoke about the Head, Heart, Hands effect of community.
While mapping this out I learned of the skills, talents, knowledge, and devotion it takes to build a strong community. And we focused on the skills that each community member has to CONTRIBUTE to the neighbourhood to make it a stronger, healthier, friendlier place to live.
Neighbour Day was simple yesterday, I watched two women finish painting their neighbours steps after last weeks community clean-up, they then came over to help me clean my house, and then my other neighbour hosted a BBQ in her back yard and invited everyone over to share.
This is what community is, caring for one another, looking out for one another, helping one another.
Not just one day out of the year, but continuously through the year. Neighbour Day is just 1 day of celebrating the successes a community has, and to recognise the hard work that people who come together to rebuild a broken city, through a flood, can come together and remain strong!
But it always is, an ongoing thing in our community.
A couple of weeks ago I was unable to care for myself anymore and had to leave my home. My neighbour took my key and looked after my cats while I was away.
Another neighbour watches her neighbours children.
Last year I did a community mapping project with Vibrant Communities Calgary and the Calgary Interfaith Council. We hosted a Community Hubs Workshop and spoke about the Head, Heart, Hands effect of community.
While mapping this out I learned of the skills, talents, knowledge, and devotion it takes to build a strong community. And we focused on the skills that each community member has to CONTRIBUTE to the neighbourhood to make it a stronger, healthier, friendlier place to live.
Neighbour Day was simple yesterday, I watched two women finish painting their neighbours steps after last weeks community clean-up, they then came over to help me clean my house, and then my other neighbour hosted a BBQ in her back yard and invited everyone over to share.
This is what community is, caring for one another, looking out for one another, helping one another.
Not just one day out of the year, but continuously through the year. Neighbour Day is just 1 day of celebrating the successes a community has, and to recognise the hard work that people who come together to rebuild a broken city, through a flood, can come together and remain strong!
Friday, June 19, 2015
Super Women!!!
If you think the people who live in poverty are "weak", I have a story to tell you.
As Father's Day approaches I am honored to still have my father in my life and be able to spend that valuable time with him, and appreciate everything he has done for me.
I look around my community and notice the lack of Father's in the lives of the children, and it breaks my heart. But at the same time, I notice the strength in the Women who take on both roles.
There's my 50 some neighbor who has a child with Down Syndrome. She escaped an abusive husband, and had to take herself and her child to a shelter. Her baby has heart issues, lung issues, is 6 years old and is fed through a tube. Her strength that I see, is her ability to trust and rely on God to provide for her and her child, her ability to always have a great attitude, and encourage those she meets.
There's another lady who is raising her child with FASD, before you judge her, she STOPPED drinking when she found out she was pregnant. Her child's father passed away, and she is raising her child on her own, and has Dyslexia. I find her strength in her ability to celebrate her child's successes, even if they are delayed. To take her needle point skills and put them to good use, to find and utilize great activities, and she has wonderful creativity.
There's another lady who is in her 70's. Raising her two grandchildren. She has many health issues, but she took on the role of being a parent when her children couldn't do it for them. She encourages them to be involved, to be active, to be great citizens.
There are many more women that I can talk about, but you get the idea.
So Happy Father's Day to the SUPERMOM'S, who are STRONG enough to survive the unsurmountable pressure and carry on!!
As Father's Day approaches I am honored to still have my father in my life and be able to spend that valuable time with him, and appreciate everything he has done for me.
I look around my community and notice the lack of Father's in the lives of the children, and it breaks my heart. But at the same time, I notice the strength in the Women who take on both roles.
There's my 50 some neighbor who has a child with Down Syndrome. She escaped an abusive husband, and had to take herself and her child to a shelter. Her baby has heart issues, lung issues, is 6 years old and is fed through a tube. Her strength that I see, is her ability to trust and rely on God to provide for her and her child, her ability to always have a great attitude, and encourage those she meets.
There's another lady who is raising her child with FASD, before you judge her, she STOPPED drinking when she found out she was pregnant. Her child's father passed away, and she is raising her child on her own, and has Dyslexia. I find her strength in her ability to celebrate her child's successes, even if they are delayed. To take her needle point skills and put them to good use, to find and utilize great activities, and she has wonderful creativity.
There's another lady who is in her 70's. Raising her two grandchildren. She has many health issues, but she took on the role of being a parent when her children couldn't do it for them. She encourages them to be involved, to be active, to be great citizens.
There are many more women that I can talk about, but you get the idea.
So Happy Father's Day to the SUPERMOM'S, who are STRONG enough to survive the unsurmountable pressure and carry on!!
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
Programming verses Empowerment
For the first time in a very long time, I think the City of Calgary and people are getting it right.
I'm not saying that there is no need for programming, there definitely always will be, but giving people the skills, knowledge, encouragement, support, and resources they need to look after themselves, now there's where real change begins to happen.
This includes long lasting change. This is how you build community. This is how you make people feel better about themselves and have them feel like they have some control of their circumstances.
What is that quote? "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
I've seen it time and time again. A program starts, people take part, and then the funding for that program runs out and the people who relied on that program are left lost and abandoned.
Open a food bank and people go there for reliance on their food. Now give them a field in their community for plants, teach them the skills and knowledge to care for and grow that fruit, vegetables, herbs, then you have less reliance on a program and more opportunity for people to feel empowered, encouraged, productive, PROUD, it gives them a feeling of confidence.
I can see that in the eyes of the volunteers for the upcoming Tool Box. They've been given the tools needed to look after their homes, they've been given the knowledge on how to properly use the tools, the opportunity to be an active member of society, and skills to carry with them for future employment and life long skills. I see the pride in my neighbor who looks after the garden, she has quite the green thumb, drive, love for the community and the plants.
One of the great things about living in poverty, is that we look after our own, I don't see this kind of caring, love, and grace in a wealthier neighborhood.
So Thank You Lincoln Park Family, for doing what you do, for being who you are, and for taking an active role in your community. People like you are priceless and rare.
I'm not saying that there is no need for programming, there definitely always will be, but giving people the skills, knowledge, encouragement, support, and resources they need to look after themselves, now there's where real change begins to happen.
This includes long lasting change. This is how you build community. This is how you make people feel better about themselves and have them feel like they have some control of their circumstances.
What is that quote? "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."
I've seen it time and time again. A program starts, people take part, and then the funding for that program runs out and the people who relied on that program are left lost and abandoned.
Open a food bank and people go there for reliance on their food. Now give them a field in their community for plants, teach them the skills and knowledge to care for and grow that fruit, vegetables, herbs, then you have less reliance on a program and more opportunity for people to feel empowered, encouraged, productive, PROUD, it gives them a feeling of confidence.
I can see that in the eyes of the volunteers for the upcoming Tool Box. They've been given the tools needed to look after their homes, they've been given the knowledge on how to properly use the tools, the opportunity to be an active member of society, and skills to carry with them for future employment and life long skills. I see the pride in my neighbor who looks after the garden, she has quite the green thumb, drive, love for the community and the plants.
One of the great things about living in poverty, is that we look after our own, I don't see this kind of caring, love, and grace in a wealthier neighborhood.
So Thank You Lincoln Park Family, for doing what you do, for being who you are, and for taking an active role in your community. People like you are priceless and rare.
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
Change
I have been lucky enough to move into a wonderful community.
When I moved into Calgary Housing I was lucky enough to find a place close to work, so it was not a long commute from home.
In the last two years I have noticed the tremendous support we have from our local church, Bethany Chapel. We were lucky enough to get a wonderful Community Development Pastor who had wonderful visions and dreams for our community and had the funds and support to implement those ideas.
She opened up a thread shed, a building that was being evacuated by Calgary Housing that was used to store their equipment. She turned this wonderful building into a clothing store. Congregation members from the church donated gently used clothes and people from our community can go and buy these clothes for $1 dollar. Making it affordable for us, and giving us the feeling that we can provide for ourselves and our families.
There is a building in our neighbourhood which is used kind of like a resource centre. Twice a month the women get together in this building to have coffee, make cards, meet new friends and neighbours. The Boys and Girls Club comes in on Monday's and Friday's when the kids get out of school to encourage them with skills and activities. The last year we have had more programs come in with it. With help from the Community Neighbourhood Social Worker, a nurse has come in from AHS and given presentations on: Self Esteem, How to Talk to your Doctor.
I started a campaign with my friends and acquaintances to get used books to start a Book Lending Library, that is in the resource centre now. Children can bring books and exchange them for the equal number of books. I like to watch the children come in and borrow a book, our neighbourhood is all so culturally diverse, it's great to see them wanting to improve and learn their English skills.
3 wonderful ladies live in the red Calgary Housing Buildings down the street. They live there to bring programs and activities to the community. They have done potlucks, recently set up a reading program for the children, and a soccer club.
Every other Saturday a young adult group comes into the neighbourhood to deliver bread for the families, this is a great gathering place on Saturday nights. They come pouring rain, shine or snow.
Another wonderful lady has started a cleaning company to bring employment for the ladies. She has also started an affordable dance program at the church for local youth.
I am working on a mural project for the children. Graffiti has been an issue in our neighborhood lately and I think if they had the opportunity to design a beautiful image on this garbage shed that it would lessen the graffiti.
Last year we sat down for a neighborhood concern meeting with Calgary Housing Company, our area Councillor, our Community Pastor, our Community Resource Officer, and Community Neighbourhood Services social worker. Residents raised their concerns on the issues going on in the neighborhood, the people who could make a difference listened, and some changes were made. It was a great feeling to know that you can make a difference.
My neighbour has an exceptional green thumb, and has planted some wonderful healthy, affordable food for our community.
On June 24th 2015 a new program will start in our neighborhood. It is the Grand Opening of The Tool Box, the second largest tool lending library in all of Alberta. The clothing from the old Thread Shed has been moved into a room at the Resource Centre, making room for saws, lawn mowers, and tools. For $10 membership/year this gives people in low-income a wonderful opportunity to upkeep their yards and homes at an affordable price. My neighbours volunteer to open up The Tool Box and gives them job skills.
I can't wait to see what the rest of this year brings us!!!
When I moved into Calgary Housing I was lucky enough to find a place close to work, so it was not a long commute from home.
In the last two years I have noticed the tremendous support we have from our local church, Bethany Chapel. We were lucky enough to get a wonderful Community Development Pastor who had wonderful visions and dreams for our community and had the funds and support to implement those ideas.
She opened up a thread shed, a building that was being evacuated by Calgary Housing that was used to store their equipment. She turned this wonderful building into a clothing store. Congregation members from the church donated gently used clothes and people from our community can go and buy these clothes for $1 dollar. Making it affordable for us, and giving us the feeling that we can provide for ourselves and our families.
There is a building in our neighbourhood which is used kind of like a resource centre. Twice a month the women get together in this building to have coffee, make cards, meet new friends and neighbours. The Boys and Girls Club comes in on Monday's and Friday's when the kids get out of school to encourage them with skills and activities. The last year we have had more programs come in with it. With help from the Community Neighbourhood Social Worker, a nurse has come in from AHS and given presentations on: Self Esteem, How to Talk to your Doctor.
I started a campaign with my friends and acquaintances to get used books to start a Book Lending Library, that is in the resource centre now. Children can bring books and exchange them for the equal number of books. I like to watch the children come in and borrow a book, our neighbourhood is all so culturally diverse, it's great to see them wanting to improve and learn their English skills.
3 wonderful ladies live in the red Calgary Housing Buildings down the street. They live there to bring programs and activities to the community. They have done potlucks, recently set up a reading program for the children, and a soccer club.
Every other Saturday a young adult group comes into the neighbourhood to deliver bread for the families, this is a great gathering place on Saturday nights. They come pouring rain, shine or snow.
Another wonderful lady has started a cleaning company to bring employment for the ladies. She has also started an affordable dance program at the church for local youth.
I am working on a mural project for the children. Graffiti has been an issue in our neighborhood lately and I think if they had the opportunity to design a beautiful image on this garbage shed that it would lessen the graffiti.
Last year we sat down for a neighborhood concern meeting with Calgary Housing Company, our area Councillor, our Community Pastor, our Community Resource Officer, and Community Neighbourhood Services social worker. Residents raised their concerns on the issues going on in the neighborhood, the people who could make a difference listened, and some changes were made. It was a great feeling to know that you can make a difference.
My neighbour has an exceptional green thumb, and has planted some wonderful healthy, affordable food for our community.
On June 24th 2015 a new program will start in our neighborhood. It is the Grand Opening of The Tool Box, the second largest tool lending library in all of Alberta. The clothing from the old Thread Shed has been moved into a room at the Resource Centre, making room for saws, lawn mowers, and tools. For $10 membership/year this gives people in low-income a wonderful opportunity to upkeep their yards and homes at an affordable price. My neighbours volunteer to open up The Tool Box and gives them job skills.
I can't wait to see what the rest of this year brings us!!!
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Self Talk
Today's entry is a brutally honest confession. I have to warn people about reading further, it is a conversation with myself. How I talk to myself. So if you are going to judge me after reading this, then please don't read any further. I struggle with who to share this with, so if you are family, please don't read further, I don't want you to think that any of these thought are your fault, because their not. They're MY thoughts, and MY issues, it has NOTHING to do with anyone else, and no one is to blame for these thoughts.
This is not how all people who live in poverty talk to themselves, but I am telling you how I talk to myself. The last two years have been challenging for me, I think in some ways, the most challenging in most of my life.
I think I have always struggled liking myself, let alone loving myself. My mom tells me that since I was a young child (6) I have always thought of myself as stupid. I failed Grade One, had a speech issue. Failed horribly in Junior and Senior High School.
So most of my conversations in my head go like this:
"Amber, the city police hate you. You might as well just buy a BBgun, take it to the arrest processing unit, point it at a police officer, and let them shoot you. This is how you should die, they would be ecstatic about this. They would never had to deal with their District Two nutcase ever again. You shouldn't have been born in the first place, everyone would be better off without you."
"Amber, you don't belong at your church. The congregation member's are wealthier than you. Look at you, you're ugly and a piece of shit. They would never associate with you outside of church, you're a freak!"
My mom tells me that God doesn't make junk. The conversation in my head when she told me this went something like this. "Are you kidding me? God was high on crack when he created me, otherwise he wouldn't have fucked me up so much. Why couldn't he have made me fucken normal?"
My handsome son graduated High School this year. After falling on ice at the bus stop last year and breaking my knee cap, I have developed a very painful lump on the side of my knee which has left me unable to work full-time and struggling in pain to go to work and provide for myself and my son. I am lucky, my parents have helped me raise him. Still, I have a responsibility to him. And graduation is expensive. My conversation with myself was something like: "Look at you, you're such a dumb bitch! You can't even provide for your own child! He would be SO much better without you. You've never been able to provide for him. You're a fuck up, a loser, a FAILURE!"
I was invited to a hockey game by our Councillor Brian Pincott earlier this year. My first thoughts we're: "He really doesn't know what kind of a person I really am, if he knew what kind of a loser, failure I am, he wouldn't associate with me."
I am so amazingly lucky, and grateful. I know my thoughts are emotionally based. That I am not thinking rationally. I am in pain, struggling to make ends meet, not eating, unable to look after my home because all of my energy is exerted in going to work in pain. I have wonderful parents who believe in and love me. I have a church family who never gives up on me, Councillor Pincott doesn't judge me, and my community social worker's support me by advocating for me. I have an employer who wants me to be well and succeed at work, and I have neighbors and friends who love and care for me. They know I am not a bad person. And I would never speak to my friends the way I speak to myself, so I don't know why I think it's OK to talk to myself like this. I sometimes believe my thoughts though, and that's dangerous for me.
This is not how all people who live in poverty talk to themselves, but I am telling you how I talk to myself. The last two years have been challenging for me, I think in some ways, the most challenging in most of my life.
I think I have always struggled liking myself, let alone loving myself. My mom tells me that since I was a young child (6) I have always thought of myself as stupid. I failed Grade One, had a speech issue. Failed horribly in Junior and Senior High School.
So most of my conversations in my head go like this:
"Amber, the city police hate you. You might as well just buy a BBgun, take it to the arrest processing unit, point it at a police officer, and let them shoot you. This is how you should die, they would be ecstatic about this. They would never had to deal with their District Two nutcase ever again. You shouldn't have been born in the first place, everyone would be better off without you."
"Amber, you don't belong at your church. The congregation member's are wealthier than you. Look at you, you're ugly and a piece of shit. They would never associate with you outside of church, you're a freak!"
My mom tells me that God doesn't make junk. The conversation in my head when she told me this went something like this. "Are you kidding me? God was high on crack when he created me, otherwise he wouldn't have fucked me up so much. Why couldn't he have made me fucken normal?"
My handsome son graduated High School this year. After falling on ice at the bus stop last year and breaking my knee cap, I have developed a very painful lump on the side of my knee which has left me unable to work full-time and struggling in pain to go to work and provide for myself and my son. I am lucky, my parents have helped me raise him. Still, I have a responsibility to him. And graduation is expensive. My conversation with myself was something like: "Look at you, you're such a dumb bitch! You can't even provide for your own child! He would be SO much better without you. You've never been able to provide for him. You're a fuck up, a loser, a FAILURE!"
I was invited to a hockey game by our Councillor Brian Pincott earlier this year. My first thoughts we're: "He really doesn't know what kind of a person I really am, if he knew what kind of a loser, failure I am, he wouldn't associate with me."
I am so amazingly lucky, and grateful. I know my thoughts are emotionally based. That I am not thinking rationally. I am in pain, struggling to make ends meet, not eating, unable to look after my home because all of my energy is exerted in going to work in pain. I have wonderful parents who believe in and love me. I have a church family who never gives up on me, Councillor Pincott doesn't judge me, and my community social worker's support me by advocating for me. I have an employer who wants me to be well and succeed at work, and I have neighbors and friends who love and care for me. They know I am not a bad person. And I would never speak to my friends the way I speak to myself, so I don't know why I think it's OK to talk to myself like this. I sometimes believe my thoughts though, and that's dangerous for me.
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Community Clean-Up
Today was the Community Clean-Up, and again it was a great turn out making our neighborhood a brighter, prettier, friendlier, cleaner place to live.
Many volunteers from Bethany Chapel came out to my Smurfville looking Calgary Housing building. Congregation members who know what it means to do Christ's work in the heart of a community.
When I moved in to this residence it was dishevelled looking, grass was ruined, garbage thrown about. I can't say it was ALL from previous Calgary Housing Tenants, because buildings run down, the government doesn't have the money for upgrades so it becomes an eye sore, a not so nice looking place to live.
I would love to plant flowers, re-do the grass on my lawn, resoil the dirt in my garden. But I can't. I have to chose on a month to month basis on whether or not I can feed myself and my child.
So every year people come out from the church and help us make it a more beautiful place to live. It is really quite glorious. Seeing the children pick up a broom and help sweep, families from the neighborhood getting together in one place to help each other out in whatever help they may need.
I watched two strong burly men go and help my neighbor lady who isn't strong enough to lift the heavy furniture in her house from the basement to upstairs, I sat and helped the Community Neighborhood Social Worker, Twyla Moon, register people for our brand new Tool Box.
The Tool Box is a new program in the neighborhood. It is a tool lending library where we can sign up for $10 a month and go and borrow whatever tools we might need throughout the year. It will open sometime in the next few weeks.
This is my Calgary neighborhood, proud, strong, supportive, encouraging, inspiring, helpful, and together, hopeful.
Many volunteers from Bethany Chapel came out to my Smurfville looking Calgary Housing building. Congregation members who know what it means to do Christ's work in the heart of a community.
When I moved in to this residence it was dishevelled looking, grass was ruined, garbage thrown about. I can't say it was ALL from previous Calgary Housing Tenants, because buildings run down, the government doesn't have the money for upgrades so it becomes an eye sore, a not so nice looking place to live.
I would love to plant flowers, re-do the grass on my lawn, resoil the dirt in my garden. But I can't. I have to chose on a month to month basis on whether or not I can feed myself and my child.
So every year people come out from the church and help us make it a more beautiful place to live. It is really quite glorious. Seeing the children pick up a broom and help sweep, families from the neighborhood getting together in one place to help each other out in whatever help they may need.
I watched two strong burly men go and help my neighbor lady who isn't strong enough to lift the heavy furniture in her house from the basement to upstairs, I sat and helped the Community Neighborhood Social Worker, Twyla Moon, register people for our brand new Tool Box.
The Tool Box is a new program in the neighborhood. It is a tool lending library where we can sign up for $10 a month and go and borrow whatever tools we might need throughout the year. It will open sometime in the next few weeks.
This is my Calgary neighborhood, proud, strong, supportive, encouraging, inspiring, helpful, and together, hopeful.
Friday, June 12, 2015
Childhood
Growing up, I wanted to be a teacher, a foster Mom, a member of the Canadian Coast Guard.
I never dreamt of growing up to be poor, of not being able to support my family, of having suicidal thoughts and struggling to live day to day.
I wanted to be married with 2 children, a boy and a girl. Have a career, live and enjoy life. Bring children into my home to parents who could not be there for them.
I never dreamt that I would be that parent who would need someone to look after her child for her.
And for ALL people who live in poverty, they never dreamt of this when they were children, this is not something they CHOOSE to be in.
It is reality, and they strive to do better every day.
I hope to find many different stories to bring to this blog, to share not just my journey in life of poverty in Alberta, but those of my friends and neighbors as well.
I hope this changes some people's views on how they view people who live in poverty, and the challenges they face. Not to pity them or feel sorry for them. But to UNDERSTAND them and lessen the stigma and judgements people make of them.
I never dreamt of growing up to be poor, of not being able to support my family, of having suicidal thoughts and struggling to live day to day.
I wanted to be married with 2 children, a boy and a girl. Have a career, live and enjoy life. Bring children into my home to parents who could not be there for them.
I never dreamt that I would be that parent who would need someone to look after her child for her.
I never wanted to be like this. Never woke up one day and said: "Gee, Today I want to suffer with mental health issues, struggle to feed myself, and possibly be homeless by the end of today!"
And for ALL people who live in poverty, they never dreamt of this when they were children, this is not something they CHOOSE to be in.
It is reality, and they strive to do better every day.
I hope to find many different stories to bring to this blog, to share not just my journey in life of poverty in Alberta, but those of my friends and neighbors as well.
I hope this changes some people's views on how they view people who live in poverty, and the challenges they face. Not to pity them or feel sorry for them. But to UNDERSTAND them and lessen the stigma and judgements people make of them.
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