Joe and The Stop’s Community Advocate, Rene sit down for lunch at the drop-in.

Joe: …The Stop’s lunch program was full of people.  Everyone gets a free meal regardless of who they are and what they look like.  The atmosphere is cordial and supportive around the room.  Food does indeed bring people together and warms us to one another.   There is a strong social aspect to the drop in.  People connect with one another and support workers from the agency and public health.  The food also fills a dire need for folks who are really struggling to get by.  All the reports that we get at city hall is that drop in centres are so critical for people living on the edge; they keep people housed, supported, safe, and relatively healthy. Today I experienced this directly.

One day we need to get the government to allow universities to grant Ph.D.s in “street smarts”.  People living in poverty have to be resourceful and strategic in everything that they do.  There is little room for error; errors will cost you food, and push you right out to the margins.  Over lunch today, folks at my table talked about how they stretch their budgets, where the real bargains and freebies are, how they figure out transportation, how fierce determination is absolutely necessary each and every day, how they prioritize between food, shelter and transportation needs, how they keep their spirits up, how they would like governments to support them better.  They are tough and smart.

Read the Mihevc family’s full entry here http://bit.ly/9kaUpp