I noticed that in the letters lately there are some who consider themselves self-important and above the plight of the commons.
Maybe we shouldn’t look, but the face of homelessness is changing — it’s woman and child, it’s seniors, it’s a single man or a woman finding themselves in need of assistance, it’s people with a mental disability who have been lumped in with those who have an addiction or are criminal when they are not. Even a drug addict needs help to get out of addiction. The same goes for someone doing alcohol because they have given up hope. Even for the criminal, one has to open the door a crack for them to get back their self respect.
Recently I had to give a man a tent. He had no other place to sleep. The shelter has only a few beds. The rental rates are going sky high, and the vacancy rate is low. One woman puts on a brave face when her landlord evicted her so his relatives can move in. She works part-time but has to live in her truck with her cat. Those on disability are not fairing much better.
The social assistance at $375 for shelter is not enough to keep people off the street and from getting into trouble. Food is becoming an issue. If it were not for the Salvation Army, and the churches, and the Soupateria there could be rioting in the streets. Regular people are having a hard time keeping bread on the table too.
When I called social assistance recently, I became aware that some are waiting for a response for more than six weeks! How do they pay their rent? Do they lose their housing before they are able to get help?
When do we stop griping about our neighbours and start helping them? There is no such thing as status or privilege if the basics falter. Being snotty does not give one a good countenance. Instead of complaining and giving the rest of us a bad rap, perhaps you should get out there and volunteer. Roll up your sleeves. I volunteer for the Mental Wellness Centre. There are great organizations you can help with offers of food or assistance.
And to government, I say that if the basics such as food, shelter, work and education if need be, are not there at reasonable rates for subsistence, it is time to put more attention on these priorities. Confucius said, “Man who chase two rabbits catches neither.” Pick a rabbit and handle the crap out of it. If you find it difficult to find the rabbit, I would be happy to sit on the housing committee to make sure we get social housing and more housing at reasonable rates in Penticton. One can only pull one rabbit out of the hat at a time.
Wendy Tarasoff
Penticton