Social Development Centre Waterloo Region
23 Water Street North N2H 5A4 Kitchener, ON, Canada

MARY NEIL & UNSHELTERED - SONICA exibit at theMUSEUM: The Social Development Centre of Waterloo Region produced Life Stories of Displacement & Homes for All, a series of podcasts where local residents who live on low incomes and have experienced marginalization in its many forms, including housing, spoke about their stories. Mary Neil, a community musician, listened to them all and she got angry: "I got angry at how the system is failing. I got angry at how people could be t...reated like dirt. I got angry about unfair stereotypes and unjust circumstances." And she wrote the song "For the Weary" that is now part of the SONICA exhibit at theMUSEUM - you have to listen and see. You will have a chance to watch the musical video edited by Heather Majaury, and posters highlighting testimonies from A Better Tent City, the Unsheltered Campaign, and a poem from your next door neighbour Rick Weber. http://www.waterlooregion.org/for-the-weary-sonica-exibit-i See more

Music of social justice - must see and hear!

A Better Tent City BED IN A BAG Fundraiser: For a limited time we are happy to offer everyone who donates $75 or more to support operations at A Better Tent City one of these bedroom sets. E-transfer to [email protected]. https://civichubwr.org/bed-in-a-bag-fundraiser-for-abtc/

COVID ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CEAP) - On June 1, 2020, the Government of Ontario confirmed that it has made $9 million available for the COVID-19 Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) to support residential customers struggling to pay their energy bills as a result of the COVID-19 emergency. * Customers who applied and received CEAP support in 2020 may apply again to be considered for the increased funding amount. https://oeb.ca//covid-1/covid-19-energy-assistance-program

Mill Street highrise project in #Kitchener put on hold for a month. Affordability of the 5 out of 180 units was not defined, nor was specific information presented to the committee and the community re support for over 12 units being displaced. https://t.co/u6WOgZzZrp?amp=1

UN DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES - MEET THE PANELISTS RSVP https://docs.google.com//1_0WEE7Q4M3Z8PUBSDeTvoBGmDA/edit Brad Ullner My name is Brad Ullner. I was born and raised in Kitchener-Waterloo. I have spastic diplegia cerebral palsy. I work from home proofreading mostly academic papers for clients from around the world. I am a graduate from the University of Waterloo in Political Science, finishing a master's degree in 2001. My master's research paper looked at d...Continue reading

Displacement in KW: I hope the map can be a tool for policy-makers to better engage and respond to displaced BIPOC communities, Faryal Diwan, Social Planning Associate. The experience of seeing cities rapidly change has an impact that doesn’t necessarily show up in planning reports, (Brian) Doucet, said. Hearing the stories of people is a way of shedding light on their experiences and exposing those processes that are happening, but don’t show up in conventional statistic...s, Doucet said. The multi-year project, supported by funding from Ontario Job Creation Partnership and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, maps detailed stories of displacement across the region. The online map, launched earlier this week, will continue to grow and evolve as the project continues. https://www.therecord.com//map-offers-a-living-history-of- Aleksandra Petrovic, executive director of the Social Development Centre, said she hopes municipalities and regional governments respond quickly to the research. We need to take data more seriously, especially qualitative, to actually make a difference in people’s lives, Petrovic said.

"Support, Ampliy and Fund" local BIPOC-led organizations and groups already donig the work in the community during the pandemic with food and housing insecurity, education and health, making sure they are safe and informed-message to all the governments."

KITCHENER Council approves Housing For All strategy to address housing challenges. The strategy outlines seven priorities, including a human rights-based approach to housing, helping to end homelessness, and creating a working group of community members with lived experience of homelessness and housing challenges to advise staff in implementing the strategy. https://www.kitchener.ca/modules/news/index.aspx# https://www.kitchener.ca/modules/news/index.aspx#

Listen to Lesley Crompton from the Unsheltered Campaign: "Inequities persist in the shelter system. Women, persons with pets and couples are not offered enough spaces and appropriate procedures for access this winter. Some still choose to shelter outside. ...With income insecurity druing the pandemic, many will get eviction notices and have the cherif on their door after the evictions ban passes. Newly homeless are not prepared for the cold or the conditions in the shelters for a timely transition".

Disability & Resilience Virtual Celebration of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2020 December 3rd at 11am organized by Disabilities and Human Rights Group. #DHRG #watreg #civichubwr http://www.waterlooregion.org/disability-resilience-virtual

The ask is clear to immediately bring back the ban on residential evictions during the pandemic. Human Rights cannot be an empty promise from the provincial government as local communities work 24/7 to prevent residents slipping into homelessness and filing the gaps left by t he punitive systems in place preventing many still unsheltered to accessing services and care. Ending homelessness during a trialing time of the health crisis will be our greatest testament of upholding human rights of each and every resident in Ontario regardless of their status, age, income or ability and despite the long-lasting legacies of anti-Indigenous & anti-Black racism, xenophobia, patriarchy, colonialism playing out to this day. On the Human Rights Day nothing counts except your swift and immediate action,

Share and invite people in your networks! You can also call in!

Due to recent amendments to the Residential Tenancies Act, between Jan 1 & Dec 31 2021, landlords cannot increase rents, even if they provided paperwork prior to December 31 2020 with intention to raise rent. We still need Vacancy Rent Control!

Join in the sharing & hearing more about resilience of our neighbours with different abilities on December 3rd. Angela Goodwin will share about her collaboration with Disabilities and Human Rights Group #DHRG at @CKWRFM tomorrow at 6pm! http://waterlooregion.org/disability-resilience-virtual-cel

Ambika Opal, a treasured Board Member since 2018, received the Community Leader awards for their outstanding volunteerism and community outreach. Read more about her dedication, generosity and brilliance: Ambika Opal demonstrates her commitment to sustainability and social inclusion through avid volunteerism. She sits on the boards of the Social Development Centre Waterloo Region and REEP Green Solutions, and volunteers with newcomers at Reception House Waterloo Region. She is committed to youth engagement, coaching for several years with Special Olympics KW and the KW Sertoma Speed Skating Club, and she is a former facilitator of the Waterloo Riding Youth Council. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ambika has sewed masks, supported remote learning for newcomer families and planned outdoor concerts for seniors.

Between a Rock and a Hard Place - Saturday November 14 was the Inauguration of the KW Homeless Memorial dedicated to those who have lost their lives due to homelessness in Waterloo Region. A number of residents with lived experience started the initiative a few years ago. Huge thank you for everyone who supported the initiative and contributed, and it remains our collective duty to decriminalize and eliminate homelessness in Waterloo Region and to stop premature deaths due to poverty and marginalization.

BLM-WR IS CALLING ON THE SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY AND OUR ALLIES TO STAND WITH US TO PROTECT A LOCAL BLACK YOUTH WHO WAS A VICTIM OF POLICE VIOLENCE on OCTOBER ...3rd 2020. In recent weeks we have been walking alongside a Black Youth and his family to ensure his access to legal support. We continue to denounce the excessive use of force by police on members of the Black community. Please donate to the GoFundMe Campaign, and all funds raised will be directed to the family of the Black Youth to pay for the legal defense fees: gf.me/u/y9a47x YOU CAN ALSO SUPPORT OUR CAMPAIGN BY SHARING THIS POST WIDELY. #PROTECTBLACKYOUTH #BLACKYOUTHLIVESMATTER #BLACKLIVESMATTER

#Ontario Modernizing Application Process for Social Assistance: Never easy as it sounds for low income & marginalized; Never thought through without their voices integrated into the planning process. Our Tax-clinic work is telling... as is the work of the peer-workers with the Unsheltered Campaign. https://news.ontario.ca//ontario-modernizing-application-p #onpoli #SAreform

#WaterlooRegion announces Ant-Racism Advisory Working Group to start the work in December 2020! https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/modules/news/index.aspx

#TreatiesRecognitionWeek You can also see videos of Indigenous speakers sharing their knowledge about the importance of treaties, treaty relationships and rights in Ontario.

DeFund to ReAllocate moving the funding from WRPS to community-led services for BIPOC. October 29th we’re having a teach-in about re-allotion of resources and defunding police forces. Bookmark your calendars Tear-off calendar & tune in #BlackLivesMatter #DefundToReallocate #ReallocateWR