In Elgin County, there may be each seen and invisible poverty.
“I have both lived in poverty and I have lived not in poverty,” mentioned Lillian Christine Sorko. “I’ve had a little bit of both worlds recently.”
Having coronary heart surgical procedure a yr in the past, Sorko mentioned she is “a bit behind.” She’s additionally just lately moved her daughter and 4 grandchildren into her dwelling.
“My daughter was evicted at the beginning of the month, and it’s a ‘renoviction,’” mentioned Sorko. “She has four children, and she’s struggling immensely. We’re kind of house sharing right now, and I’m probably one heartbeat away from homelessness because we’re overcrowded.”
It’s estimated that greater than 12,000 folks in St. Thomas and Elgin County live beneath the poverty line.
Wednesday, the St. Thomas-Elgin Coalition to Finish Poverty held a neighborhood session at Memorial Enviornment in St. Thomas.
St. Thomas Mayor Joe Preston and Kelly Ziegner, president and CEO of United Manner Elgin Middlesex, take locally session placed on by the St. Thomas-Elgin Coalition to Finish Poverty on June 12, 2024. (Brent Lale/ Ontario Chronicle London)
“Although we have about 10 per cent of folks who are living in low income, we also have a really great and caring community who’s really coming out to do this work,” mentioned Randi Gregoire, chair of the coalition. “It’s evident by having over 130 people sign up to come today from all different areas and walks of life that people really care.”
These folks included members of municipal authorities, enterprise leaders, volunteers, and other people like Sorko who’ve lived expertise.
The day had breakout periods and featured audio system.
“Although we need to support people where they are now and make sure that their needs are met with things like the food bank and our food provider’s network, it’s also important to work towards preventing these things from happening,” mentioned Gregoire.
The coalition introduced in Paul Born, the founding father of Vibrant Communities Canada who’ve helped over 400 municipalities with poverty discount methods.
Randi Gregoire, chair of the St. Thomas-Elgin Coalition to Finish Poverty, speaks to 130 folks throughout a neighborhood session on June 12, 2024. (Brent Lale/ Ontario Chronicle London)
“What’s important to understand is that in the last 10-15 years, St. Thomas-Elgin has reduced poverty by 50 per cent,” mentioned Born.
He praised the work already being performed, however wished to spark dialog and take concepts to the subsequent stage.
Earlier within the day, Sean Dyke, CEO of the St. Thomas Financial Growth Company, informed the group that enterprise is booming and that may permit more cash to enter social companies.
“Whenever there is prosperity, there is the opportunity to reduce poverty,” mentioned Born. “You have one of the most dramatic reductions in homelessness in the entire country. A 30 per cent reduction in homelessness in seven months. That is remarkable. I think that Elgin-St. Thomas is going to have the most dramatic reduction of poverty in the country, and it’s going to happen in the next five years.”
Folks sit exterior the Inn out of the Chilly homeless shelter in St. Thomas, Ont. on June 12, 2024. (Brent Lale/ Ontario Chronicle London)
That may be nice information for folks like Liz Windover.
“I really rely right now on my child tax benefit and my Ontario works,” mentioned Windover, who can also be navigating assessments of autism for herself, in addition to her three youngsters. “What helps the most is the fact that I am in geared-to-income housing. My rent is far, far less than market value. Without some of those pieces, and without some of those community supports, I wouldn’t be able to make ends meet the way that I do.”
