Food challenge
Posted Sep 23, 2010 05:13:30 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Anti-poverty activists are encouraging Ontarians to “do the math”, and calculate what it would be like to live on social assistance for a week.
The “Put Food in the Budget” challenge asks participants to live off $20 of food for a week.
Anti-poverty activists are encouraging Ontarians to “do the math”, and calculate what it would be like to live on social assistance for a week.
Provincial co-ordinator Mike Balkwill says they’re asking for an immediate increase of $100 a month in social assistance.
“There’s a perception in the public that people on social assistance have a lot of money and have it easy,” says Balkwill. “(But the reality is that) a single person on social assistance has $585 a month. I just ask anybody to think how they could pay their rent and do anything else with just $585 a month.”
That’s why 15 communities across Ontario are taking part in the challenge, and Balkwill hopes they use it to pressure their MPP’s. He describes Ontario Minister of Community and Social Services, Madeleine Meilleur, as being “out of touch.”
“People all around our province are running out of food every month. That’s unconscionable in this society,” Balkwill states bluntly.
Challenge participant Sheryl Loeffler is taking part in the program for a second time. She admits to being disappointed in herself for failing to follow the challenge strictly the last time, and spending more than the allotted $20 a week on food.
This time will be different.
“I’m very committed to social justice issues,” Loeffler insists. “This is one of extreme importance in our community.”
570 News is taking part.
You can track our progress here.
