Michael

The salvation army website published a story about Michael on their website http://www.salvationarmy.ca/2009/11/04an-alleyway-called-home/ . He is a street-wise survivor that society passes by and ignores. His home is an alleyway. He pleads for spare change to stay nourished. He is smart and art, He is homeless, but not helpless.

Milton Affordable Housing Coalition (MAHC)

Milton Affordable Housing Coalition was formed from a St Paul's Mission and outreach initiative in 2001 and has been regarded as a subgroup of M&O. The initiative was to alleviate the shortage of housing for people with low incomes in Milton. It developed into a coalition of members of churches and other interested parties. The churches were St Paul's, Grace Anglican, knox and Holy Rosary. At the time the Town regarded affordable housing as a Regional responsibility and Regional Council were not interested in building more affordable housing.
Initial efforts at getting housing space built were unsuccessful, although Del Ridge Homes made some initial effrts to assit. The emphasis then turned to raising awareness at a political level.
MAHC has become somewhat dormant. The Region and Town are now aware of the need and appear to be supportive of initiatives to meet the need. They are working together to develop affortable housing for seniors and diabled on the site of the old Martin House on the Region's property (Allendale Campus). Once funding is secured the project will move ahead. A recent application was not successful but a new one is being submitted. The Region's housing staff now support the future development of a combination of commercial/office uses and affordable housing on the vacant land right at the corner of Childs and Ontario.
It would be valuable for MAHC and the St Paul's M&O team to meet again to discuss how we might work together.

Toronto Star Wed 18 Nov - Food Grains

Richard J Brennan in the Toronto Star reported Wednesday that the food bank visits soar as jobs disappear. It cites that close to 800,000 Canadians, roughly the equivalent of New Brunswick's population visited food banks in march, according to hungerCount 2009 survey. That represents an increase of 120,000 users or 18% over March 2008. Of the 800,000 individuals 72,000 were for the first time. This is the largest ever increase in food bank use, reported Food Banks Canada. There are 700 food banks in Canada.

Toronto's daily Bread Food Bank reported a similar trend, from a result of people loosing their jobs or having the hours cut very severely.

Habitat Halton

This month celebrates 10 years of Habitat in the region. Ten deserving families across halton now have a place to live. halton's region's 2008 Annual report identified a 300-800 unit gap for government assisted housing and affordable private housing. At the end of 2008, there were 1,888 households on waiting lists for social housing. Habitat fears the numbers will be much higher this year with the economic downturn.
Habitat sells homes to low income families on a non-profit, no-interest basis and provides interest free mortgages. The homeowner pays about 30% of their income toward the mortgage and each homeowner contributes about 500 hours into the build. This is part of a community feature by Christina Commisso that appeared in the Milton Champion on Wednesday November 11, 2009. It marks the launch of their ReNew program where they plan to build 28 properties in the region in the next 5 years. The full report indicates about 1,200 Halton residents becomes homeless due to the lack of affordable housing.