004 – Homelessness: A Battle worth fighting

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homeless

They are out of sight and out of mind.

They are displaced, down-and-out, drifters, vagrants, tramps, bums, derelicts…

They are the unknown and nameless …. But, they are people.

Windsor has a group of people that are not on any radar. You won’t see them filling out any census forms, filing taxes or mowing their lawns.

In fact, you may have passed them on the street and not even acknowledged them as they ask for change for something to eat.

The City of Windsor acknowledges that there is an issue with the homelessness situation in the city, well, at least that’s what shows on its website….

However, it’s the long list of shelters that actually help the homeless that are constantly being bombarded with people that need assistance day after day.

Shelters underestimate the number of people that visit them and many of them suffer from a wide range of health problems like seizures and tuberculosis.

This doesn’t affect just the old… Now, the youth of Windsor, are becoming homeless.

Homelessness affects thousands of Canadians. Local groups like “The Homeless Coalition” depend on your support to continue their mission.

It’s up to you to change the way you think about the homeless in Windsor.

003 – Foodbank Rant

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WIF_003_Foodbanks

Windsor Ontario has eighteen of the twenty-five Foodbanks in the Windsor / Essex County Foodbank Association. They have fed over 235,000 people last year alone. Have you helped out a Local Foodbank lately? Or, did you send your donation to a large faceless multinational organization?

We see those commercials on TV, late at night, asking for pennies a day when it comes to helping feed hungry, starving children in other countries.

We feel obligated to actually send money to these companies, these large multi-national organizations for that matter; and we haven’t even thought to ask the actual questions:

Where is our money going?

Why do I not see what I can do to help my local community?

And that’s the problem, right there.

We don’t think about our local community.

Here is some food needed by the Windsor / Essex County Food Bank Association:

Peanut butter, Jam, Cereal, Tuna, Meat, Rice and pasta, Pasta Sauce, Beans with pork

So, I looked it up.

There are eighteen food banks in Windsor in Windsor alone.

Eighteen food banks that have actually fed over 235,000 people and that’s an increase of over 20% from last year.

That’s astonding.

Children’s snacks, Juice boxes, Canned juice, Cookies, Crackers, Bread, Fresh fruits and vegetables, Canned fruits and vegetables

That’s as if every Man, Woman and child went to a local food bank and grabbed one item. That’s Amazing. That boggles the mind right there.

But, it’s not as if these food banks are constantly stocked and are well funded. That’s where we come in. There’s where you as a person can actually actually assist.

And the great part about all of this is, we can help. It’s not that hard to do.

We can simply grab cans, get donations. There’s a variety of items on the Windsor / Essex County Food Bank Assocation website that you can easily grab, for only pennies a day, it’s amazing.

Dried foods, Macaroni and cheese, Canned and Dried Soups, Canned stews, Baking products, Canned and non-perishable goods, Personal Hygiene Products

So, the next time you see these commercials. Stop, and think about it. Shut off your TV. Collect your cans, collect your donations, collect the items we mentioned about the Windsor Essex County Food Bank Association…

Take a drive. Go down there and help out a family in need… Because, if you don’t help them, who will?