Addressing poverty – it starts with being united
October 17 is the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. The day is meant to bring attention to a serious, ongoing issue around the world. While it is a global issue, poverty is happening here in our community too, and it’s just as serious.
Poverty is one of the most complex issues and it carries stigma. This makes it difficult to make headway. Instead of talking about poverty directly, we often hear people are “struggling to make ends meet” or that they’re “impacted by the affordability crisis.” The events of the last three years have no doubt made it harder for many people to get by. However, just because it is challenging doesn’t mean we should give up on solutions.
What is poverty?
So, what is poverty and what does it look like in Halifax? In Halifax, about 10.5% of the population lives in poverty according to the market basket measure (MBM). The MBM is the official poverty line, and the measurement is made up of a basket of essential goods and services, like shelter, food, transportation and clothing. The cost for that basket for a family of four is $52,439. That’s the income needed for a family with two adults and two children to afford the essentials. Additionally, we also know there are many people living on the edge of poverty, living just above that poverty threshold. Many are struggling to make ends meet with rising costs, and are only one or two paycheques away from falling into poverty.
Who is experiencing poverty may be just as important as how many people are experiencing it. Racialized and marginalized people experience much higher rates of poverty. They face greater barriers to education, safe and secure employment, adequate and affordable housing as well as discrimination. In 2021, 23.4% of visible minorities experienced poverty. Those living with disabilities also have lower incomes and higher rates of poverty. We also know that some neighbourhoods are disproportionately impacted by poverty, while other neighbourhoods experience very little poverty at all.
Pushing for solutions
There are lots of good reasons we should push for poverty solutions: we know that longer-term and systemic solutions are typically less expensive than piling on more short-term band aids. We know that there’s a relationship between income and health. People have more opportunities to live healthy and fuller lives when they’re lifted out of poverty. And we know poverty is generational, and we owe it to our community’s children and youth to break the generational cycles.
Everyone deserves to have a safe place to live, to be able to meet their basic needs, to belong and live a life of their choosing. That’s why United Way Halifax is creating a brand-new poverty solutions report for 2023. It will tell the story of poverty in Halifax through data and information and sets indicators to measure for the future. This report will not only inform our own work – we hope it will help align the work of government, business and others in the social sector.
Bridging gaps in community
United Way Halifax is also continuing to bridge gaps for people experiencing poverty and marginalization, continuing to advocate for change, and partnering with and convening others to bring ideas to fruition. Here’s a few of the ways we’re doing that:
- Funding 35 life-changing programs that address poverty, housing and homelessness and social isolation.
- Convening a network of neighbourhood hubs that provide programs and services specific to the neighbourhoods they support, building capacity for individuals and families.
- Investing in research to demonstrate the impact of poverty in neighbourhoods across HRM.
- Partnering with Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute and NSCC to deliver the East Coast Public Policy Institute; a program that brings non-profit leaders together to learn how to advance their public policy initiatives, many of which are related to poverty solutions.
- Leading the HRM Affordable Housing Community Land Trust project, alongside partners, service providers and community groups. We’re working to establish a community land trust that will make housing more equitable, and affordable in perpetuity.
United Way Halifax is a donor-funded impact organization. We don’t do anything alone: all of this work depends on donors and partners and nurturing relationships. This International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, we ask that you consider joining us. Lend your support in any way that you can: raise awareness of local poverty, sign up for our Need to Know newsletter and next month’s poverty solutions report, talk to your elected officials or make a donation. Addressing poverty starts with being united.
Sara Napier
President & CEO
United Way Halifax