Response to "Money Can't End Poverty" in National Post
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
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There was an article printed in the the National Post entitled, "Money Can't End Poverty" on November 26, 2009 and in it, it basically said that too much money was being spend on the poor, with very little in the way of measurable results.
The person who sent me the link, asked that we take the time to send in our comment, so I did.
I also thought I would also share my comment here, in case they don't print it, or I miss seeing it, if they do.
Here what I wrote:
As a person who grew up in an upper-middle class family and who, as a result of a disability, is dirt poor and a recipient of a variety of social programs, I have to say I agree with the opinion of said authour in the Toronto Star.
While there are a lot of social programs and money being invested in them, there is a huge disconnect on how well these programs are working. There is money being thrown at a problem but no money being spent to decrease, or get at the root of, the problem.
The reality is if someone is born and raised poor, their skills, energy, and learning curve, is focused on trying to eat, find affordable housing, and spending money for buses to run all over town to get answers and the appropriate proof to show they are not cheating.
They also have a very hard time getting ahead if they can't get the help of various community supports because they don't meet their eligibility criteria. Many people do not qualify for supports, while others will get their supports cut off if they make progress or their circumstances have changed.
There are also new measures being put into place to stop a perceived cheat. This means if a person applies for an educational fund that requires the use of a computer and they can't afford to own one, they may not be able to complete the course. This is because the funding to buy, upgrade, or add software to, a computer will no longer be covered by the funding for education. The reason that will be cited is that too many people have cheated by starting the course, getting a computer, and then quiting. They have been allowed to keep the computer, likely because of the loss of its value for resale.
Other things that would help, those on low income, break free of poverty is to have all the resources in one place and, if more than one resource is needed, allow the first agency to make a referral on the person's behalf, instead of telling them to go from place to place, to repeat, or start over providing the same information, again and again. A hand-up to go with the hand-out, would go a long way.
Requiring those without skills to try to figure out how to weed through the bureaucracy to self-serve, or figure out how to prove they are honest, will wear a person down in no time. It is even harder when cost saving measures are allowed to be taken where nobody will answer the phone anymore. We can't wait at home all day for a return call so it is often easier to invest in the bus so we can show up in person.
I can't speak for others, but I have become severely depressed as the result of my most recent attempt to break free of poverty. I took on a full-time job in December 2007 and in July of 2009, they decided to change the time of my shift to a time I can no longer manage as a person who uses a wheelchair, specialized transit, and who has limited access to the stores and services in my city. I burned out and eventually had to quit my job.
As a result, I am now trying to get back on ODSP. I did an income review a few months ago, but because I was on Employment Insurance sick benefits and my rent was $22.29 too little to qualify for the rapid reinstatement on ODSP, I had to wait. I have been without coverage for mandatory medical supplies, which far exceed the $22.29 that deemed me ineligible.
Now EI has run out so I went back to ODSP last week with proof that will run out on December 1st. They told me it would be reinstated because I had done the income review. Well, I didn't receive a cheque, so today, I went back. Would you believe I have to do the income review all over again, plus go to housing to get something in writing to show the amount of what my rent will be? Well, if you're not on ODSP, your rent is 30% of your income. If you're on it, and they need proof to provide this calculation, the rent is capped at $109 or it could be less. How does housing provide a calculation without proof that I'm back on ODSP? Obviously, it is impossible, so I told housing to write both formula on a piece of paper. Hopefully ODSP will accept it when I go back for an appointment next week.
Once they've done the income review, I will get the medical benefits immediately, but the income will have to wait until the next pay period which, fortunately will come early because of Christmas. I will get spending money on December 21st.
This means that, until then, I will be trying to make $432 stretch for the month after housing took their 33%. Needless to say, I will have to be Scrooge this year.
If someone can ever see the need to provide the hand-up with the hand-out the money would not be wasted and some successes could be achieved. Until then, people like me, who are so down-and-out that they are barely able to be polite, will try not to give up and resort to using, or abusing the system.
Be sure to read my other Blogs:
Transit: http://wheelchairdemon-transit.blogspot.com
Health: http://wheelchairdemon-health.blogspot.com
The person who sent me the link, asked that we take the time to send in our comment, so I did.
I also thought I would also share my comment here, in case they don't print it, or I miss seeing it, if they do.
Here what I wrote:
As a person who grew up in an upper-middle class family and who, as a result of a disability, is dirt poor and a recipient of a variety of social programs, I have to say I agree with the opinion of said authour in the Toronto Star.
While there are a lot of social programs and money being invested in them, there is a huge disconnect on how well these programs are working. There is money being thrown at a problem but no money being spent to decrease, or get at the root of, the problem.
The reality is if someone is born and raised poor, their skills, energy, and learning curve, is focused on trying to eat, find affordable housing, and spending money for buses to run all over town to get answers and the appropriate proof to show they are not cheating.
They also have a very hard time getting ahead if they can't get the help of various community supports because they don't meet their eligibility criteria. Many people do not qualify for supports, while others will get their supports cut off if they make progress or their circumstances have changed.
There are also new measures being put into place to stop a perceived cheat. This means if a person applies for an educational fund that requires the use of a computer and they can't afford to own one, they may not be able to complete the course. This is because the funding to buy, upgrade, or add software to, a computer will no longer be covered by the funding for education. The reason that will be cited is that too many people have cheated by starting the course, getting a computer, and then quiting. They have been allowed to keep the computer, likely because of the loss of its value for resale.
Other things that would help, those on low income, break free of poverty is to have all the resources in one place and, if more than one resource is needed, allow the first agency to make a referral on the person's behalf, instead of telling them to go from place to place, to repeat, or start over providing the same information, again and again. A hand-up to go with the hand-out, would go a long way.
Requiring those without skills to try to figure out how to weed through the bureaucracy to self-serve, or figure out how to prove they are honest, will wear a person down in no time. It is even harder when cost saving measures are allowed to be taken where nobody will answer the phone anymore. We can't wait at home all day for a return call so it is often easier to invest in the bus so we can show up in person.
I can't speak for others, but I have become severely depressed as the result of my most recent attempt to break free of poverty. I took on a full-time job in December 2007 and in July of 2009, they decided to change the time of my shift to a time I can no longer manage as a person who uses a wheelchair, specialized transit, and who has limited access to the stores and services in my city. I burned out and eventually had to quit my job.
As a result, I am now trying to get back on ODSP. I did an income review a few months ago, but because I was on Employment Insurance sick benefits and my rent was $22.29 too little to qualify for the rapid reinstatement on ODSP, I had to wait. I have been without coverage for mandatory medical supplies, which far exceed the $22.29 that deemed me ineligible.
Now EI has run out so I went back to ODSP last week with proof that will run out on December 1st. They told me it would be reinstated because I had done the income review. Well, I didn't receive a cheque, so today, I went back. Would you believe I have to do the income review all over again, plus go to housing to get something in writing to show the amount of what my rent will be? Well, if you're not on ODSP, your rent is 30% of your income. If you're on it, and they need proof to provide this calculation, the rent is capped at $109 or it could be less. How does housing provide a calculation without proof that I'm back on ODSP? Obviously, it is impossible, so I told housing to write both formula on a piece of paper. Hopefully ODSP will accept it when I go back for an appointment next week.
Once they've done the income review, I will get the medical benefits immediately, but the income will have to wait until the next pay period which, fortunately will come early because of Christmas. I will get spending money on December 21st.
This means that, until then, I will be trying to make $432 stretch for the month after housing took their 33%. Needless to say, I will have to be Scrooge this year.
If someone can ever see the need to provide the hand-up with the hand-out the money would not be wasted and some successes could be achieved. Until then, people like me, who are so down-and-out that they are barely able to be polite, will try not to give up and resort to using, or abusing the system.
Be sure to read my other Blogs:
Transit: http://wheelchairdemon-transit.blogspot.com
Health: http://wheelchairdemon-health.blogspot.com
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