About Shoelace Collective
Neighbours in Woodbine Heights thought it was a good idea to join together to share concerns about poverty and take action instead of struggling alone. So, we had some meetings and started the Shoelace Collective.
The way we tackle poverty is to deal with what causes it and what makes it worse. Neighbours are residents, business leaders, workers and visitors in our community and they act together to find solutions for neighbours who are struggling to make ends meet.
You are a neighbour, too! You can bring your ideas to the meetings and we can work together towards hope for our neighbours in need.
How did we get here?
The people at Woodbine Heights Baptist Church saw the number of people using the food bank was growing and learned more about poverty in the neighbourhood. They wanted to find a better way to help and when they learned about a project to help churches offered by Kairos Canada. They applied and were successful and began the work in March 2007.
We had meetings that included the people who use the food bank, people at the church and volunteers from the food bank. During the last few months we have learned a lot about poverty and the destructive affect it has on people's living, working, health and relationships with family and friends. We all come from different backgrounds, cultures and religions and we have learned a lot from one another.
Where are we going?
Shoelace collective is forming an advocacy support group so we can help each other with systemic issues and problems, such as trouble with welfare, disability and other income security programs, tenant issues, community services etc. The group will help us learn about providing effective advocacy support to solve personal systemic problems and is also open to people are not clients of programs or services but would like to help advocate for others.
Based on our experiences, the support group may also develop and advocate for systemic solutions to the many issues we and our neighbours struggle with all too often. There is a lot of interest in tackling poverty these days. We need to make sure those who can make changes to systems hear from the people directly affected to help ensure new policies and practices will be fair and effective.
Why the shoelace?
People who do not have enough to meet their needs cannot afford to drive and for many, even taking public transit is too expensive. The shoelace is a reminder of how important it is to have healthy feet and decent footwear to get where you need to go. Everyone needs good footwear. The shoelace ties us together so we can move ahead.
Shoelace Collective
Tying us together, moving us forward.