For an out of town mother on income assistance taking a child to the IWK for tests or surgery, especially if it requires an overnight stay, is a logistical and financial nightmare. Meal allowances haven’t changed since 2008, and even then they were terribly inadequate.
For Rose, who Kendall Worth introduced us to earlier, will have to apply for income assistance because her parents are only able to pay her rent for two more years due to their health going downhill and her father recently retiring.
Sarah is 38 years old. She has lived with a learning disability her whole life and when she got older was diagnosed with OCD, mild anxiety disorder and Asperger. She has $315 left after rent, special diet and telephone is paid. That is $315 to pay her power bill and get groceries that are not covered in the special diet allowance.
Kendall Worth checks up with William, a man who lives with bipolar disorder, and is relieved to find out that he made it safely through the lock down.
Things are looking up big time for two friends, Daryl and Darlene, who both try to make ends meet on income assistance, Kendall Worth reports. Nice to be able to report on some good news for a change.
Kendall Worth reflects on a summer without festivities, and reminds us of his excellent idea of a buddy system for people on social assistance and others.
“When will the various places the poor depend on, not only for meals but also for getting out and socializing, reopen?”
Kendall Worth on all the super important things poor people relied on that disappeared when COVID-19 started,
Kendall Worth on poor people being stigmatized during the pandemic.
Kendall checks up on two more folks he has written about before. Many do not even have social contacts in the community to talk to except the people at the soup kitchens and various drop-ins that people living in poverty attend.These are difficult times and we must look after one another, and Kendall is doing his share.
Kendall Worth on living through the pandemic when life is hard even at the best of times.