Author: johnastapleton

This guest blog from Tess underscores the problems faced by families living on a low income in subsidized housing. It goes back to an essay I wrote for Metcalf titled 'Why is it so tough to get ahead?' While today's parents know that their children may have to live with them long past the age of 18, our social welfare institutions continue to adhere to the Age of Majority Act that was passed into law 44 years ago, a time when many 18 year olds could realistically pursue independence.//js  This month my relationship with three policy programs is going to change.  I have not done anything myself to alter these relationships.  The lived circumstances of my life have not changed.  Rather, my son, Troy (pseudonym) celebrates his 18th birthday. These…

Those of us who make up the OW and ODSP rolls, who haven’t worked for years, who have struggled with homelessness, addictions, mental illness and abuse, are at a crossroads in this city. We need to understand that, unless we really start to confront the stark choices we’re facing, there will be no real opportunity to improve our lives through education, training and employment.  Why is this? There are limited resources available to us, and most of those dollars go to agencies, shelters, food banks, community kitchens and drop-ins, to maintain the status quo, to keep us from dying on city sidewalks and alleyways which would disturb public consciousness and elected officials.  At least two-thirds of funding given to agencies goes to rent, staff, and benefits. These places constitute a…