As you've read through this series, I'm on ODSP.. It's a struggle. I have a chronic leg condition (cellulitis) my ankle and right foot lack feeling and complete strength and motion, plus I was diagnosed with Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia.
As mentioned, I got onto ODSP when I was in the hospital. I was helped with the application by the social worker I was working with.
Now.. While I was in the hospital, I wasn't paying rent anywhere since I was waiting for an apartment in rent geared to income. I received that in May. Moved in June 1..
That left me with $672 for the month. Out of that, I had to pay my phone bill, which is two lines. My friend has the other line and he gives me money for it, except when he was without income while looking after his father. I would usually buy some snacks and have them delivered because really... Hospital food isn't enough to eat.. I would be out of money by the second half of the month.
Then.... I moved....
I'm in an apartment that's rent geared to income and I have a subsidy. I pay the shelter allowance of $497, and the remainder of the $795 I pay is covered by the subsidy. Obviously if I make money things get messed up but that's to be expected.
More often than not... I'm out of money by mid month. Now that I'm in my own place, I need to pay my phone bill, internet bill, food.. Bank fees... So by the 17th I'm out of money more often than not.
I'm not proud to say I've had to beg and borrow off friends. I HATE doing that.. I feel like such a burden and I don't want them to get the idea I only talk to them when I want something.. I've also made an Amazon wishlist. Most of it is grocery items like Kraft Dinner (Mac and Cheese for you south of the border) tuna, Fibre 1 bars and peanut butter. I had a follower on Twitter graciously send me a bunch of stuff from it.
I'm tempted to put a couple things on for Christmas but I doubt anything will come of it. I don't expect anything to.
There has been some debate and other goings on with the Provincial Government to bring awareness to the living conditions. A group of MPPs went on the "Social Assistance Diet" for two weeks to bring awareness to the lack of funding people with disabilities get.
Just recently, it was brought to motion to double ODSP and OW rates (Ontario Disability Support Program and Ontario Works.. Basically our Welfare) and the motion was predictably shot down by the Conservative Party. You know, while they get $150K-220K a year, we're receiving under $10K
The Conservative Party has repeatedly shown they don't care about the people unless they can line their pockets or have some benefit from them. This Provincial Government has been fighting Nurses, Teachers, and pretty well any other group looking to get better pay and better conditions for the people they deal with.
Do I see anything changing with a different Government? Unfortunately no.. The only two parties that have shown any interest in helping are the parties who will never sniff the chair of leadership, nevermind sit in it..
It's very discouraging to be in this situation. I'm one of the lucky ones. Under the right circumstances I can get employment.. There are some who can't work. They are left in the cold.
I know this blog doesn't have much engagement. I know I'm screaming into the void. But sometimes you need to scream into the void in order to keep yourself sane..
It's a tough situation. Most people would like to help those in need, they just don't want to pay any more in taxes to do so, especially when most of are taxes are already going towards other things that we wouldn't normally support. My solution would be to reduce how much money most politicians are making (at least those in the Western hemisphere), and take away the retirement plan that they've set up for themselves, and redirect that towards fighting poverty. Of course that'll never happen, so I don't know what the answer is. It's just a sucky situation all around.
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