“I try my best. Everything I do is for my kids. And to look after my kids, I have to look after myself.”
Anna’s* face lights up when she talks about the plans she has for her family’s future. A proud, young, single mother and provider for four (three kids and a younger brother), she came to Bissell Centre in September looking for help supporting her young family.
The rising financial burdens of life in Edmonton meant that Anna was looking for resources to improve her family’s wellbeing. Last fall, she was referred to Bissell Centre by a friend who had participated in our Parenting Plus Program – a free, weekly service for parents like Anna to learn parenting skills, share stories and gain vital social supports.
Thanks to Bissell Centre’s network of services, her children were able to attend our free child care and Anna was able to join Parenting Plus herself.
“My baby’s face lights up whenever she sees the staff. It’s her favorite daycare.”
Anna was ready for a better job. To raise her family, she has to rely on income supports that are shrinking in value. The Women’s Pre-Employment Program was created to give women the skills to earn a decent living. It wasn’t long before Anna decided to join and improve her family’s livelihood.
“I had worked in trades for four months, but had to give up once I became pregnant.”
Since completing her job skills training at Bissell, Anna has signed up for a professional 17-week course for women in trades. With looming labour shortages, she is in an excellent position to earn a better income for herself and best-of-all, her children.
Because of your support, families like Anna’s can look forward to a better future.
About our donors, Anna says, “I think that it’s really good what you’ve done. You’re really generous, especially to people that you don’t know.”
With compassion and training, families can move from daily hardship to prosperity.
Thank-you for providing new beginnings for families across the community.
*Names have been changed to protect family privacy.
Story taken from our most recent newletter.
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a prevalent issue in our society that needs to be talked about. Awareness, education, and prevention, are key to eliminating this 100% preventable lifelong brain disability. Through the Fetal Alcohol Spectrum of Services (FASS) at Bissell Centre we offer presentations to various groups wanting to learn more about this invisible disability.
Together we must put forth a clear message that no alcohol is best during pregnancy. As a community I believe it is our responsibility to work together to not only raise awareness but to provide supports to pregnant women struggling with addiction and also to those who are currently living with the effects of prenatal alcohol exposure. Even by talking to our friends and families we can help to start these much needed discussions and start to break down the stereotypes, misconceptions, and stigma associated with alcohol, pregnancy, and FASD.
Prior to her current role as FASD Community Educator, Alaina Thursby worked as a Parent Child Advocate with the FASS team at Bissell Centre, providing intensive support to at-risk pregnant women struggling with addiction. Alaina brings this experience to the community education piece and would be happy to share her thoughts on FASD, prevention, and support based on these experiences.
Our FASD community presentations are offered at no cost for Edmonton and surrounding areas and can be tailored to your group. Also, it is expected that the education will take place in a venue supplied by the group requesting the presentation.
As the cost of living continues to increase, access to transportation is an ongoing concern to many of those we help. As a recipient agency of the City of Edmonton’s Donate-a-Ride program, we are able to provide free transit tickets – helping people return to school, obtain gainful employment, prevent home eviction and attend often life-saving, medical appointments.
Recently, a young man came to Bissell Centre in desperate need of help to prevent being evicted from his home – picking bottles for the bus fare he needed to make it here. Meeting with one of our workers, we were able to connect him to Bissell services for resume writing and casual labour, as well as make him an appointment with Alberta Employment and Immigration to discuss his desire to return to school. All that was missing was the means to return home and attend his appointment for a chance at school and work. Through Donate-a-Ride, Bissell Centre was able to give the young man five tickets – one to go home, two for his appointment and two more for work.
By supporting Bissell Centre with bus tickets, this young man was able to receive funds to prevent his eviction, secure funding to return to school at NorQuest and obtain work through our Casual Labour Program to pay for food and transportation. Imagine – five bus tickets were all it took to prevent homelessness and secure a future.
“Thank you Bissell Centre, without your help with bus tickets I would never be able to keep all of my doctor’s appointment to stay alive.”
M.R.
“Without ID I couldn’t work. Without bus fare I couldn’t get my ID. Thank you for opening your hearts and the 2 tickets. I got a job now.”
L.G.
Here are some of the highlights of the recently announced Provincial Budget. Bissell Centre sees some encouraging numbers in this budget related to strengthening the health and well being of citizens as well as ensuring that there is appropriate support of vulnerable people. The changes to AISH are very encouraging, though more progress is required with Alberta Work benefits.
Bissell Centre also values the analysis provided by the Edmonton Social Planning Council.
Health and Wellness
- 7.9% increase in operating funding for Health and Wellness to $15.9 billion.
- 6% increase to Alberta Health Services’ base operating funding to $10.2 billion.
- $267 million to support staffing and operating costs of South Calgary Health Campus and Edmonton Clinic South.
- $125 million in each of the next three years to support strategic health investments, including family care clinics, additional addictions and mental health services, home care, and enhanced rehabilitation programs.
Benefits and Supports to Vulnerable Albertans
- Maximum monthly income benefit rises by $400, effective April 1, for clients of the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped program, and monthly income exemptions will double. The program also provides employment income exemptions to clients and their spouses, enabling them to retain a portion of their earnings. The thresholds for the employment income exemptions will double, from $400 to $800 per month for single AISH clients and from $975 to $1,950 per month for AISH clients with cohabiting partners or dependent children. Doubling the employment income exemptions for AISH clients will also come into effect April 1. About 17 per cent of AISH clients and/or their cohabitating partners (more than 7,500 households) report some form of employment income.
- Income support rates increase by an average of 5%, the first rate increase since November 1, 2008.
- Child care subsidy program enhanced to include full subsidy for families with a household income of $50,000 or less.
- 6.6% funding increase for Alberta Seniors Benefit to $351 million.
- Wage increases for contracted agency employees providing services to Albertans with developmental disabilities as well as vulnerable children, youth and families.
- 12.3% funding increase for child intervention to a total of $682 million to provide for higher caseloads and increased case complexity, wages for agency staff, and foster care support.
Helping Municipalities Serve Albertans
- More than $2 billion in capital and direct operating support to municipalities in 2012-13, mostly through the Municipal Sustainability Initiative and infrastructure grants through the Capital Plan. Funding includes nearly $273 million in direct operating support for Family and Community Support Services, policing, and other services.
- $14 million for the Safe Communities Innovation Fund to support crime prevention pilot projects and development of municipal, regional and Aboriginal community crime reduction and prevention plans.
- 90 new RCMP officers and 55 new sheriffs by 2013-14.
- 180 new correctional peace officers and other staff for the new remand centre in Edmonton.
- $110 million to provide outreach support services as well as housing for another 1,800 homeless Albertans, and more than 3,100 spaces in emergency and transitional shelters.
Public Infrastructure
Over the next three years, $16.5 billion will be allocated to public infrastructure to support Albertans’ quality of life, including:
- $5.6 billion in combined total support for municipal infrastructure over three years, including $2.8 billion from the Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI),
- $2.6 billion for health facilities and equipment.
- $300 million for housing programs including social housing, affordable housing and Homelessness Prevention Initiative.
- $25 million in each of the next three years for the Affordable Supportive Living Initiative for seniors’ housing.
– Story by Bissell Centre Drop-in Staff Member
A gentleman came into the drop-in about 8 weeks ago. He approached me and asked about several of our programs. Further discussion revealed he is a recovering alcoholic that had relapsed for the last four months and lost his home and job.
We met daily for three weeks when he decided to detox and head to AA to resume work with his sponsor. I encouraged him in this and provided bus tickets. Two more weeks passed and he regained his sobriety. He remained sober despite many stressors and I encouraged him daily with affirmations and active listening. Last week he told me he wanted to go try out for a job. I encouraged him and offered tickets to get him to the appointment.
He has good skills and believed this would assist him to get back into an apartment and off the street. He seemed to me to be a very motivated individual so I believed him about the interview. We role played and I tried to be as supportive as possible. Friday last week he came into the drop-in beaming. He was offered a job! It was very apparent how happy he was when he showed me his letter of offer for a very well paid position. I coached him around self confidence and gave some referrals for assistance with addictions when working.
He thanked me and asked about housing. I referred him to our Adult Support progam and instructed him as to what he needed to do to get funds for the first month’s rent and some start up funds for returning to work. Today I saw him and he showed me the copy of his lease. He moves in the 25th of January and starts his new job the 23rd. I am very happy for him. He told me he could not have done it without me. I told him I could not have done “it” were HE not so motivated and skilled and in the end it was he not me that “done it”. He promised to send a postcard to the Bissell from his first international posting. BRAVO!!!
Bissell Centre got a call from J’Lyn Nye from Corus Radio’s JOE FM! She wanted to know if Bissell would benefit from some donations of warm, winter clothes. I said, “Of course we could!” as our clients visit our Community Closet for their clothing needs – especially when it gets cold. When I asked her what had inspired her, she said that she was at home watching the news, when the idea came to her, “I must do something for Edmontonians who don’t have enough warm clothes!”
One idea, a couple calls, some on-air announcements and several tweets later the Corus lobby was full of donations.
More than ten bags of winter coats, sweaters, gloves, mitts, toques, scarves and so much more were delivered to us. A single thought from a person with a caring heart created a tremendous movement to provide warmth for those who are cold and often at risk for frostbite.
Bissell Centre is creating a movement to end poverty. We are partnering with individuals, businesses, schools and anyone who yearns to see all people housed, employed, and living a life where their basic daily needs – and more – are met.
Thank-you to J’Lyn, her co-host Gary, and the myriad of others who made this possible!
Here are a few statistics gleaned from the recently released 2011 Tracking the Trends report published by the Edmonton Social Planning Council.
- Between 2000 and 2010, a nutritious food basket for a family of four increased $69.99 per week, rising to $196.02 per week, an increase of 55%.
- From 2000 to 2011, average rents increased as follows:
- Bachelor Suite: from $421 to $731, (+ 73.6%)
- 1 – bedroom : from $489 to $842 (+72.2%)
- 2- bedroom : from $601 to $1,029 (71.2%)
- 3- bedroom: from $670 to $1,224 (82.7%)
- One in five unattached individuals (20.3%) lives in poverty, twice the rate for all family units (10%). (The number of single individuals has increased 50.5% since 1999 and 158% since 1979, a significantly higher rate than the growth in the number of families.)
- One in four lone parent families (mostly female) are poor.
- One in three (33.3%) youth-led families lives below LICO, three times the average for all families in metro Edmonton. Youth led is defined as 24 years old and under.
- In Edmonton 41,000 children under 18 years of age (15.4% of all children) lived below LICO in 2009, a decrease of 3,000 since 1999, but twice the number in 2007.
- In 2009 the percentage rate of children from two parent families living below LICO rose from 2.2% in 2005 to 13.5%. For female headed lone parent families, in the same time-frame the percentage dropped from 42.9% to 28.5%.
- 73% of children living in poverty have parents who work.
- One in four Aboriginal children lives in poverty.
- The overall median total income for the Edmonton workforce has increased 12.7% , from 1999 to 2009, far less growth than the cost of food and accommodation.
- The median income for seniors was $18,400 in 2009, 11.5% lower than in 1999. Imagine how seniors are doing today with the increases in food and accommodation.
- The median income of two-parent families with children increased 23.2% between 1999 and 2009. Most families are doing okay, but their incomes are erroding, given the costs of food and accommodation.
- The value of Alberta Income Support payments (for those expected to work) has decreased markedly since the 1980s. Since 1993, the value of basic and shelter allowances for families has decreased 38.0% for single parents, and 36.1% for two-parent families. The value of allowances for single adults has decreased 2.7% since 1993.
- In 2011 Alberta Works allowances are about half the value what they were in 1981.
- The value of AISH has decreased 1.4% between 1998 and 2008.
- In 2009, the Alberta Government raised AISH benefits by 9.2%, bringing the value of AISH benefits back to the 1992 level. No increase has taken place since 2009. Just over 15,900 Edmontonians are on AISH, nearly three times the number than in 1995.
Please remember the first two statistics:
Food up 55% (2000-2010) and accommodation has increased between 71 and 83% depending on the size of family.
Income growth has not come close to funding these increases in basic need expenditures for all families. Imagine what people making minimum wage are facing.
Income security programs have been decreased markedly in the last ten years despite the incredible escalation of basic need expenditures.
These trends affect all of us, but even more so those on fixed incomes, who make insufficient wages, and who rely on income security programs that do not come close to even providing subsistence.
Bissell Centre’s vision is to eliminate poverty.
We are keen to hear your ideas and advice about what YOU think we should do to achieve that goal!
Give us your comments below or give our CEO a call at 780 969 5163
The constant struggle to get enough food takes a heavy toll. It wears on the body, mind and soul. Food is literally the fuel for life–when there isn’t enough, all areas of life are affected.
For many people, the impact wears on all three areas:
“The hardest part is all the walking. I am 7 months pregnant. My ankles are swollen and sore. I must walk around 5 miles a day to get to various places for food and shelter.”
“I don’t feel good enough because I can’t build energy. Your self-esteem goes so low and my self-confidence because I can’t provide food for my kids.”
“When the kids don’t have enough food, they get cranky. When they’re not fed properly, they get sick more often and have more health problems in general. They’re not as active. I really do think if affects attitude.”
These quotes come from people who have experienced hunger and struggle to find enough to eat. A few years back Bissell Centre released a report called “Living without Food,” which is as relevant today as it was when it was published. I encourage you to read it, to understand what it is like to go without what most of us take for advantaged.
What is Bissell Centre doing?
We provide a meal to 200 or more people per day in our drop-in centre, as well as bag lunches for the participants in our casual labour program, and meals within other programs like our Women’s group and Child Care Centre.
As well, Bissell is currently the lead agency in an interagency exploration around food security, funded by the City of Edmonton. The final report will be out in March or April. Out of it we hope to identify additional strategies to address hunger and food security.
See our program listing to understanding even more about how we are helping people move beyond poverty, hunger, and homelessness.
Fraser Williamson began volunteering with Bissell Centre just over two years ago. During this time, he has shared more than 800 hours of his life with our staff and community. Fraser first started volunteering in Drop-In as he settled into retirement. When the new housing program – Homeless to Homes (H2H) – was created a year ago Fraser transferred his volunteerism to this area.
Fraser’s work with H2H is hands-on and incredibly beneficial. He has created manuals and brochures for the H2H participants to capture information that used to be communicated verbally. He created Voter Information Packages for our participants during the last civic election. He brings a lot of value to the team, going above and beyond all the staffs’ expectations.
One of the H2H staff comments, “He is a good and wonderful person. He is kind and demonstrates a lot of empathy to the participants, always smiling and so humble. He’s definitely a keeper.” And another remarks, “Fraser is a great guy, he has made my life 100 times easier. We embrace him as a member of our team and we are really happy to have him.”
Many thanks to Fraser and all of our volunteers for truly making a difference!
For the past seven years this incredible school has held a Benefits Concert in support of a non profit organizations. This year the students decided to continue its partnership withi Bissell Centre by holding a Silent Auction and the Concert on March 1, 2012 at the Citadel Theatre. Last year students raised $10,000 for Bissell and this year their goal is to reach $15,000, building on the strong support they already have from the community. We want to also acknowledge Lexus of Edmonton for agreeing to the join the school as the Title Sponsor of this event.
The leadership team at Riverbend Junior High is comprised of students in grades 8 and 9 who want to make a difference in our community. The Benefit Concert has come a long way since its inception. It began in the school’s gymnasium and then moved to the Royal Alberta Museum and is now taking place at the Citadel Theatre.
As an added note, recently Riverbend held a food drive. The results of that effort was over 1,250 kilograms of food being delivered to Bissell Centre, which will greatly help us over the holiday season!
Many thanks to an awesome school with incredible students!
