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The Options Committee of Making Kenora Home has proposed the fourth poverty challenge, A Walk in Other’s Shoes. This year the event will spin in a direction evolved from last year’s participants, the Kozak Family. The 2014 Poverty Challenge has become the Poverty Challenge – A Walk in Other’s Shoes – Family.

Participants will be asked to attempt to stay within a social assistance benefits’ budget. The maximum basic needs benefit for families accessing Ontario Works varies slightly depending on the number of adults in the household. The maximum basic needs for a couple with any amount of children is $458.00; this sets the challenge budget at $75.00 per family, or $15 per day. A single parent would receive $344.00 per month, therefore, their challenge budget will be $60.00 or $12.00 per day.

The budget includes all food and drink, entertainment, some personal supplies and transportation costs. Each family will be given a daily challenge card which will reveal an additional challenge to be completed before the end of each day. As the family completes the challenge, they will blog about their experience twice a day. The participants will experience just a few of the hurdles that people living on social assistance face.

A kick-off event will be held at Kenora City Council Chambers on Friday February 7th at 12:00pm. The wrap up event will be held at Northwestern Health Unit City View Board Room (Mount Carmel location) on Wednesday February 12th at 12:00pm. Everyone is welcome.

Monday, February 10, 2014

Day 4

The weather is not letting up. It is another frigid day. Today is the first full day of school the kids will experience during the challenge. It is interesting to read about how they are reacting to the "rules". "Yesterday Branson asked why the poverty challenge didn't happen in summer when walking everywhere would be easier. Poverty does not take winter vacation." Boucher Family "At one point my son threw himself on the floor and threw a 15 minute tantrum about not being able to get a hot dog...he did get over it." Griffiths Family
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