Tisdale Steps Up During Dignity Month

by jmifsud
Categories: Uncategorized
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    The Salvation Army was part of a special series of reports in the Tisdale Recorder in May.

    The Recorder tackled common misconceptions about poverty. The first, and most prevalent, is the myth that “poverty is a choice.” The truth, as Salvation Army officer, Major Mike Hoeft, told the Recorder, is that it’s easy to blame the victim. “… in Tisdale we see, on a regular basis, people who have very little choice in the matter for a number of different reasons…”

    This myth, and others, were revealed in a special Salvation Army report released in May called “The Dignity Project” report.

    The Tisdale Food Bank has seen an increase in usage over the past two years, from 100 to 500 families per year. Given that the population of Tisdale is 3,500 people, this is a significant increase.

    The great news is that partnerships are making a huge difference in service delivery.

    The Good Food Box is helping to supply fresh fruit and vegetables to families with children. A grant from Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan has allowed milk, eggs, bread and cereal to be added to the list of nutritious ingredients available. Five area churches have committed to creating and distributing hampers on a regular basis.

    Members of a new Food Bank Committee are taking an active role in fundraising events. The committee includes representatives from Mental Health, Good Food Box, Ministerial, Kelsey Trail Health Region, and Cumberland Community College, as well as a north-east intersectoral chair.

    On Hunger Awareness Day, May 31, the community chipped in to help stock the shelves of the Food . Schools participated in food drives. Co-op prepared non-perishable food packages for its customers to purchase at the till and donate directly to the Food Bank. The community college helped pick up, deliver, and sort donated items.

    It is clear that in Tisdale, education and communication are leading to greater awareness and allowing people to actively respond to poverty-related needs in the community.