Poverty Awareness

As part of our Social Studies we are learning about how to be a good citizen and we also learn about poverty in the world and the impacts it has on our community. I will be organizing a visit to the Gathering Place which is a service center committed to building community, promoting equality and providing nourishment. It exists to meet the needs of people whom society has failed.

The programs and services of the Gathering Place are offered primarily to people who are homeless or live in less than desirable housing conditions, people who are often unemployed and to people who do not have adequate social supports at this time in their lives.
We are also working with Vibrant communities which brings together people living in poverty, government, the community sector and the private sector to develop solutions collaboratively. we will be holding a mock Citizen's voice session with our students with the help of Ruth MacDonald from Vibrant Communities and some citizens. Citizen's Voice provides a solution-based discussion forum for people living with low income/poverty, bringing them together to meet and talk on a regular basis in a sharing and supportive environment.

Update (April 6, 2017)

We held our Citizen's Voice at our school and the students discussed the presence of poverty in our community and what we can do to help. We also listened to a member of the community who is presently living in poverty.

Update (April 6, 2017)

Our second step to poverty awareness was a toiletry drive that we held in our school where the students and their families donated various toiletries to give to those living in poverty. Our Grade 6 leadership team organised these items and created 23 bags for men and 23 bags for women.

Update (June 21, 2017)

We used our grant money to buy groceries at a super market to donate to our local food bank. Each group was given $40 and had to come as close to that as possible.