A coordinated effort

After the poverty conference concluded I came to the same conclusion (but with more clarity) that what our community needs (and by community I mean the big C-Community, as in our city, region, province, and nation) is a coordinated approach at combating poverty. There were several major themes that stood out to me. Mainly that we must actively engage all stakeholders in the process while looking at how every “system’s” policies effects the other – from separate departments within each level of government, to different levels of government.   We must take an innovative approach.  And there needs to be far greater general/public awareness of poverty. It is too easy to turn the other cheek, but when 1 in 10 Canadians feel the impact, it is far too important that the face of poverty become ingrained in our minds!

How many people can here the words “smoking is bad for your health” without picturing those god-awful photos of blackened smokers’ lungs? If poverty is responsible for killing more humans than cancer, why is it not at the top of the agenda at all levels of government? Whay can’t we envision what poverty does to our souls?

People, until you have had the rug pulled out from under your feet and experienced the demoralizing “system” of welfare in our nation (among others), you cannot fully fathom the impact of poverty. I know I don’t get it entirely. I know that I have worked hard to stay above water, and out of the entrapment of our systems, but I also know that I have been just one crisis away at more than one time in my life. AND I am not alone. And there are people worse off than I have ever been.

It is time that we stopped and really looked at the face of poverty and said “It is NOT okay!” “I do NOT accept fellow citizens of my nation living this way!”. Stand up with me to form a united voice: Poverty MUST end!!!