I slept through the night - mainly - and woke feeling rested. I did have a frightening moment when I awoke to find I couldn’t see and something might have been smothering me… turned out to be a shawl I had wrapped round my head to keep it warm!
What is becoming a new norm, a thermos of hot water and a tea bag were on the petition box and an apple inside the box… I think the giver was worried the squirrels would get the apple. I don’t know if I’m going to be able to adjust to not having a hot drink ready when i wake up!
So today’s plan… pop into Community Care West Niagara, find out what it’s like to register with them. I waiting until after the morning school fun, hoping to engage parents and drivers with smiles… mainly ignored again. I don’t think I am ever going to get used to that. I made my way over to CCWN, and was surprised to find they opened at 8:30. I spoke with the women at the front desk, who spoke with a women in another office after explaining that they usually work by appointments… both for intake and for food shopping. She came back and said someone could help me but that they needed 30minutes. I stepped outside and received a text from Melanie that the By-law dudes were at the church looking for me… again.
Back to the church I went… walking as quick as my sore feet and legs could carry me. When I got to the church there were two men standing inside near the office. Mike, the manager introduced himself and then Officer Mike, the By-Law Officer. After asking if I was the person in the tent, was I okay and was I safe, Mike Manager did an awesome job explaining the Town of Lincoln’s policy on homeless people living in tents… the Town didn’t have any services they could offer to help me, other than to contact the Region of Niagara - NASO - Niagara Assertive Street Outreach. If I was okay with that, he would call them and someone would visit me and see what the next steps might be. I granted my permission, exchanged name spelling and cell phone number, and then I parted ways so I could use the washroom and get over to CCWN before I was late.
My experience at CCWH was one that opened my eyes very wide and has me rethinking my thoughts about “Food Banks”. The woman who greeted me and took me back to her office was very nice, very calming, very peaceful. I didn’t ask if I could share her name, so I have dubbed her June for this blog. June sat me down and gently started by asking me some clarifying questions in a way that didn’t seem intrusive, and I felt it was okay to share with her. We were doing quite well, i was answering the questions, keeping with the back story I had generated, and then she asked a question I didn’t think about… how much time did I have on my phone? It’s been so long since i had a pay-as-u-go phone I couldn’t compute! I said something silly like “maybe two or or a few days or the week?” There was a pause and then June sat up straight and said…”Are you that Irene?” In such a way that I knew she was referring to the tent on the lawn. “Oh, what a relief” I said, I “am so glad you figured it out, this has been so hard, answering your questions!” June explained she was catching up on emails and had only just learned about the project. I explained my back story and June explained all of the things that could happen, based on the decisions made by the person who visits CCWN. There are a lot of options, and with a lot of work by people like June, there are ways out of being homeless, but no matter how nicely June said it, no matter how wonderfully it was phrased, it would take time, and a lot of hard work by the applicant and the worker. In a real person scenario, June would have a lot of paperwork to get started, and the process can be very very overwhelming, so she does it in small steps. After accessing the immediate needs and what safety level the person was at, she would help them with the basics and schedule another visit. June would work with the person, and other agencies, like NASO at the Region, to get paperwork done and processes started. Things like filing for Ontario Works, accessing birth certificates, filing taxes, all very important steps to accessing services.
June took me on a tour of the food area, slipping back into the mode of me being a client. There is a daily shopping area and then there is an area set up very close to a store layout where people can make an appointment to shop at, I believe she said weekly.
I left right after that, having declined to take anything. I couldn’t in good conscience take any of their food, even from the daily shop area, because people have been looking after me and I can continue to use my loyalty points to get food.
My thought, after I started walking back to the church was that food banks AREN’T the solution to poverty and homelessness, however the services that they quietly provide outside of food and clothing is extremely valuable band could become the answer for people who attend them. My other thought was to let people know to choose food cans with flip top lids, or included a “cheap” can opener with your donations. There were a lot of cans I would not have been able to accept as I would have no way to open them… and small saucepans for people cooking on fires or camp stoves.
I made my way back to the church as i wanted to visit with the Craft Group to answer questions and get signatures on the petition, and Rev. Jane said she had coffee for me. I had a good visit with the Crafters and Rev. Jane and then I did what I do whenever I’m in a building with plumbing… I used the facilities!
I ran into a member of the congregation who had a care package for me… and I was very pleased to see grapes. I love white grapes. Later on in the day when i looked closer at the bag, i realized there was more… a banana, garbage bags, napkins, a massive carrot muffin and two gift cards. COnverations cafe for supper tonight I said to myself… and save the shoppers drug mart card in case i need bandaids for the blisters on my feet. The thought that went into gathering those items, the time to do that too along with the cost of all of that just made me sit down and think. Think about how much support i have out there, how even when I am starting to doubt the sanity of this plan, there are people out there pulling for me, worried about me and caring for me. Thank You
I spent the majority of the afternoon at the FLeming Centre, charging devices and trying to get news agencies to take an interest in the project. I have a very big bruise on my head from banging it on the wall. Having been married to a radio news reporter for a very long time, having studied Journalism in college, knowing what the general temperature of the public is regarding the cost of living and homeless people, I thought for sure that there would be more interest from the press. Silly, naive me. When we did finally get some interest from the St. Catharines Standard - Metroland/TorStar, no one was available to cover the story until next week… we should have told them sooner! I can see that from a weekly, but the Standard and all of the other city papers under that umbrella are daily papers. NewsNow sent someone yesterday, they wont print until next week, but the Standard won’t even interview me until next Wednesday - when I am back a work and the tent is down. Tomorrow I am going to resend the press release to the major news outlets. I am poking as many news and TV people I can think of, but i am getting very frustrated that so much time is being dedicated to this, when I am supposed to be trying to live as close as possible to an actual homeless person (hate those three words). My only consolation, if that is the correct phrase, is that one of the reasons why a cell phone is so important to people who are homeless is so that they can make calls, to their social worker, to CCWN, to the Region, to find room in shelters and so on. It could easily take them each day as much times as I have spent trying to generate interest from the press. Don’t get me started again!
The Library! I didn’t tell you about the great people at the library at the Fleming Branch of the Lincoln Pelham Library. I went in, asked how I could go about getting a library card if i didn’t have an address, here or anywhere. I knew the answer, I had asked a friend who knows these things. I was vey happy that the woman kept her composure, looked up the answer, explained the process and then worked with to get the process completed. All i needed was some sort of i.d., anything really with my name on it. So I gave her my health card and presets, I received a limited use library card, good for five books and 12 months. Later, when I was in the stacks trying to find a book, another women came up with a sheet of paper and quietly, without pressure, explained the other services that I could be in touch with. The unspoken word, “homelessness” was understood, and I didn’t feel belittled or centered out. She also quietly mentioned that if I used up my five books quickly, they had free books for the choosing and I felt that perhaps five books might not have to be the limit. She also told me about the Little Tea Library, where you could take up to three tea bags, which I had seen and admired. All in all, the library was a good experience, even though, I discovered later, I picked a book I had already read!
I got to watch the local Beamsville Scouts decorate and promote smile cookies at Tim Hortons. That was good to see, they were learning about volunteering in order to receive a benefit, which is an important lesson. Another good lesson that is hard to teach… volunteering only for the benefit of how good it makes you feel… that’s priceless.
So, then it was time to go for dinner and I had already searched the website for Conversations Cafe; I check them hours, I checked the menu, I noted the kitchen closes at 8:30. I already knew what I was going to order. Walked back up Ontario Street, which in some areas is a bit dangerous, but I made it to my destination. When I went in and paused by the board to see if ny choices were still there, I was told that the kitchen closes at 4:30. When I mentioned what the website said, the man said the hours were different Monday - Wednesday. I turned and left, exhausted, annoyed, dejected and frustrated… a lot of feels! I checked all of the signage out Ron, that said they had a night menu etc., and finally found on the King Street entrance, a faded, small handwritten sign that might have said something about 4:30 but it was quite dark and hard to read.
With tired legs,hips and very sore feet I decided to go to Subway, where I had my favourite sub and used up all of the money people have given me. I’m sure tomorrow will offer something, and Thursday I can go to conversations and have a great dinner. I hope.
I’m back at the library typing this and charging my devices. I need to pick another book and get packed up as they close at 8. So that’s all for now. I’m thankful for the weather today - no rain - and for the support I have felt all day long, and for Rev. Jane and Armand for pulling me back up each time i started to slip into the sads.
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