Headwaters Communities in ActionAddressing Poverty and Housing In Dufferin County
Housing and Poverty Forum Brings Light to Poverty in Dufferin
This event has passed.
Thank you to all who participated in (presented and attended) the Poverty and Housing Forum on Nov 24. By all accounts the event accomplished what it set out to do: to raise awareness of the issue of poverty and its presence in Dufferin County, and to bring key people together who want to work collaboratively on solutions and strategies.
The forum was successful at drawing in a diverse range of community members – service organizations, local business, education and municipal government and individuals to hear about local lived experience with poverty and poverty reduction initiatives in surrounding communities.
Presentations throughout the day provided a variety of lenses to the issues and attendees were inspired by stories of action and success in other communities as well as personal stories of hardship. Key presenters recounted how they arrived in situations of need, thereby putting faces and real examples to poverty. The audience was both tested and informed on not just the struggles, but also the far reaching health impacts and cost to community of not being proactive.
The day was an important step forward in recognizing poverty within Dufferin County, its impacts and taking a reading on the desire and need to move into action for the well being of our community.
Those who responded high on the wheel of involvement will be invited to a meeting early in the new year. Everyone who attended will be receiving a qualitative summary of the event early in the new year as well.
The presentations from the forum:
- Public Health Presentation
- Guelph Wellington PresentationDufferin County Housing Market CMHC Presentation
- County of Dufferin Municipal Social Services Presentation
- Narrative – Keith survey roll up
- Narrative – Evaluation results roll up
It will be exciting to watch a Dufferin Poverty Reduction Strategy begin to take shape with the striking of a Poverty Reduction Steering Committee and eventual Task Force.
Housing and Poverty Forum
Date: November 24, 2015
Time: 9:00 am to 3:30 pm
Location: Salvation Army Church, 690 Riddell Rd, Orangeville, ON L9W 5G5
Presented by the County of Dufferin, in partnership with Headwaters Food and Farming Alliance (Headwaters Communities in Action) and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health
About the Event: This event will focus on sharing information and raising awareness on the work being done in the areas of Poverty Reduction, Housing and Homelessness in Dufferin County. The day will involve various interactive activities and guest speakers.
Afternoon Keynote Speaker is Karen Glass, Executive Director of the Ontario Poverty Reduction Strategy.
Who Should Attend?
Community agencies, local businesses, municipal leaders, landlords and concerned citizens, who are interested in learning about Poverty and Housing issues in Dufferin County and taking action on solution focused strategies.
When: Tuesday 24th November 2015 9am – 3:30pm
Where: Salvation Army Church, 690 Riddell Rd, Orangeville, ON L9W 5G5
This event is free and includes lunch. Seats are limited.
To reserve your seat and to advise of any dietary restrictions please register at the link below.
Click to read PDF flyer.
October 16th was World Food Day
This year’s theme is “Social Protection and Agriculture – Breaking the Cycle of Rural Poverty”
Visit the official website at www.fao.org/world-food-day/home/
Read the Food Insecurity in Canada handout from Dietitians of Canada to learn more about food insecurity and proposed solutions.
HFFA-ELA Meeting – Food Access Report
August 20, 2015
In follow up to the June 4th 2015 Community Food Access Conversation on Poverty a forum is being planned for Nov 24, 2015.
The half day forum will provide an opportunity to draw in community members, local business and municipal government together to share local experience and data with respect to poverty, hear about provincial models of poverty reduction work and gage interest in moving forward with and formalizing a poverty table in Dufferin County.
A planning group has been struck that includes representation from HCIA, HFFA-ELA, Dufferin County Community Services and Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health.
The Poverty Forum “Poverty – Let’s Do More Than Think About It “ will be tied into the Dufferin County annual Housing Forum. There will be a common promotional plan, registration, participant agenda and evaluation.
The Keynote address will include representation from the Ontario Government Poverty Reduction Strategy.
Presentations will include the Voice of Poverty in Dufferin County by Darren and the Voice of Community Organizations serving those living in poverty.
The afternoon will also include a facilitated discussion aimed to raise awareness and provoke interest in taking action to reduce poverty.
This will be followed by presentations of provincial models of Poverty Reduction Strategies including the Guelph-Wellington Poverty Task Force and the Hamilton Roundtable on Poverty Reduction.
The afternoon will conclude with an overview of a draft plan for moving forward, commitment required, and expectations/outcomes of an “Interim” Poverty Task Force.
Funding opportunities to support operationalizing the draft plan if it is to move forward are to be explored through the municipalities initially and through the provincial Local Poverty Fund in the future.
Respectfully Submitted By: Kathryn MacDonald, HFFA-ELA Food Access Lead 16/08/15
HI Kathryn, Is registration open for this seminar? Can I invite others to attend? Thanks. Bri
I think low income housing should be priority for our aging population. I am registered for a seniors apartment but the wait list is extremely long. Unfortunately I am not able to attend this meeting.