Income assisance and Homelessness at an all time High

We see them and think 'Get a job!'

Who are we to judge? the short fact of the matter is any one of us could be there at any point. One bad day could spiral into a downward spin leaving nothing left but a tent a few belongings and maybe a little pocket change.

We see street walkers and assume them to be drug addicts or worse, we see someone sitting with a sign and assume him to be a drunk. yet we go home to cozy beds and ingnore that altho we gave this person a quarter, they still may have no where to sleep tonight, or that they may be trying to feed a family.

Income assistance in Alberta has reported an all time high influx of people needing more and more help each month since the enconomy crash and though the economy is rising again the only jobs available are those who had simply laid off employee's rather then fire them altogether. Those seeking new employment must still continue to remain on income assistance because there are no readily available jobs.

Now some might say 'well there is plenty of work when you look hard enough' and this might be true, however, some of these people are not bondable leaving out jobs in any part of the tourism industry as well as any job that requires working closely with people, merchandise or Money. They might get a pardon however pardons cost money and in some cases a great deal of money, so where do you get money if you cannot find work to make money? then there is having a license or a vehicle, again it comes down to money. if we do not have the jobs we cannot afford to spend money that might otherwise buy food for our children, sick loved ones or pay our rent.

homelessness has become a way of living in it's own right called Urban camping for some. and there are tents as well as little lean too's erected all over Alberta, even for some who work are still forced to live on the street.

From personal experience, to live on the street and retain some sort of pride and dignity "panning" or "panhandling" is the only way to make money yet since this crash so many people who may have been kind and giving before will find themselves walking past the homeless with out so much as looking back or feeling remorse, some even avoid the homeless as though it's something infectious.

Panhandlers make 60g a year on average in the Us where in Canada the average panhandler averages just over 1000 a year. some use it to pay for food and some bills while the ever decreasing income supplement benefits go to rent, and sometimes don't even cover that.

I feel that our Cities, Provinces and even Country can do so much more, make getting a pardon free or hire someone and help them pay for it, take a chance that the person sitting there with a sign outside Tim Hortons quietly reading a book, isn't going to rob you or drink what you give him. he might simply need work, even if all you have is a painting or cleaning job offer it to him. Some are so desperate for work they will do most anything and will be more then happy to take a meal.

I feel each and every person can do so much if they open their hearts and sometime maybe their wallets, a little more to those in need and i think there can be a huge change in our city and how we see ourselves and each other.