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In St. Catharines, high child poverty rates are reflected in the user statistics of the food bank at Community Care of St. Catharines and Thorold. The most recent statistics show children as 40 per cent of its client base. In Niagara Falls, the Project SHARE food bank identifies 30 per cent of its clientele as children. Walker said children, who grow up in poverty often become adults, who live in poverty. To stop that cycle, he said, measures need to be taken. "It's a huge challenge, but we need to figure out how to get families and children out of poverty," he said. Co-ordinated strategy is needed "We need a more co-ordinated strategy to tackle the monster of poverty." In June 2007, a report titled A Legacy of Poverty? Addressing Cycles of Poverty and the Impact on Child Health in Niagara Region, was prepared for the Region's community services division. It outlined the impact, including social detriments to health, experiences of powerlessness and social exclusion. The report noted there was an over-representation of children in Niagara's poverty statistics and found women, and female-led, single-parent homes, experience the greatest depth of poverty. In response, Niagara Regional council approved the Niagara Prosperity Initiative, investing funds to increase prosperity for people living in poverty and throwing support behind the Niagara Poverty Reduction Network, a group of social agencies, educators, business and government representatives working to see all Niagara residents live above the poverty line. Kids are the unfortunate victims "We need to figure out how we can provide long-term support," Walker said, adding shortterm fixes just won't cut it for long-term change. "Kids are the unfortunate victims of poverty. They can't break the cycle if we can't give them the tools. They'll be caught in the loop for a long, long time." Walker said poverty is a complex issue. Children who grow up in poverty aren't just missing out on money in the bank, he said. In households where parents are working multiple jobs to make ends meet, the children are missing out on a strong support network. Without funds to participate in extra-curricular activities or sports, their opportunities for peer interaction are minimized as well. "A lot of kids are not able to get out of the cycle; you see people spiraling," he said. There are groups in Niagara working to help those who may be feeling financial strain, to avoid having students miss out on social opportunities because of a lack of funds. The Education Foundation of Niagara, for instance, supports students in the District School Board of Niagara by providing needed funds and resources where government funding is not available. "We provide essential items to students," said Cindy Paskey , executive director of the foundation. "The funds are used for food, nutrition programs, to buy new winter clothing, shoes that fit, or to cover field trips -- and we're not talking expensive ones here, we're talking Child poverty robs youths of their youth trips that are $5 or $10 that the family simply can't afford -- post-secondary application fees, medical expenses, eyeglasses, and it goes on. Funding is available, up to $100 per student, per term." It also connects families with services in the community that can help in certain situations. Quick-response, immediate relief "We're there to provide quick response, onthe-ground, immediate relief," she said, adding they partner with other community agencies. The majority of its activities are done through the school year, with most funds handed out on an individual basis -- needs identified by break the cycle of poverty: bursaries for students heading off to post-secondary institutions. While there is plenty of help available for students in need of tuition support, EFN is looking at setting up bursaries to assist with the start-up costs of heading off to college or university. "The start-up costs of sending a kid to school can be overwhelming for a family," she said. The plan is to create two bursaries; one for all schools, as well as a separate one for students from the DSBN Academy, a relatively-new school aimed at helping what they call firstgeneration students -- students who would be the first in their family to graduate from a college 19 | Thursday, October 6, 2016 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com The thing about child poverty is it robs youths of their youth. They no longer have space to be young anymore. They have to make adult decisions about their schooling, whether to enter the workforce earlier. These are adult decisions being made by youths and it's a real detriment that robs youths of the chance to be young. RAFT executive director Michael Lethby BLEAK FUTURE: Poverty often robs youths of the chance to be young. They miss out on school activities, can receive less support at home as parents are working and make big life's decisions when they are too young to do so. | Metroland Media Poverty often robs youths of the chance to be young. They miss out on school activities, can receive less support at home as parents are working and make big life's decisions when they are too young to do so. | Metroland Media teachers and often dispersed through teachers. "They're the ones who can really identify what's needed," Paskey said. "If a child needs new shoes, the teacher can tell. If they don't have a winter coat, the teacher knows." In some instances, schools are granted funds to create programming, such as arts or mentoring programs or workshops dealing with mental health and bullying. The foundation also runs an annual event, Prom Project Niagara, aimed at providing headto-toe prom wear for all students. One day each spring, students are invited to comb through new and used formal wear donated by the community. Seamstresses donate time to ensure each dress and suit is the right fit. In one stop, girls can get shoes, gowns, accessories, like purses and shawls, and jewelery. There are even makeup artists on-hand to offer demos. Boys, can select shoes, ties, shirts, and get alterations done on site, too. "It's a fabulous day; there's always so much excitement each year," said Paskey. While these programs tackle the symptoms of poverty, Paskey said the foundation is embarking on a new initiative aimed at helping students or university program -- get into and succeed in post-secondary institutions. With the recent tuition news in the new Ontario budget, even more relief will be available for families with incomes under $50,000 and even for those with incomes under $83,000. Another organization working to make grassroots change is RAFT (Resource Association for Teens), a drop-in centre for youths located in St. Catharines. Executive Director Michael Lethby said the centre is primarily focused on ending youth homelessness in the region. Youth homelessness It operates a 16-bed shelter for young males and females where youths can stay while they work on getting home, or finding a new place to live. "If returning home isn't an option, we work to find them independent housing," said Lethby, adding it partners with community agencies to make that happen. "Youth homelessness isn't driven by poverty. They don't all come from impoverished homes, but once they do end up homeless, they are definitely impoverished youths," he said. The goal, though, is to intervene before it gets to that point. Through its award-winning Youth Reconnect program, RAFT works to identify kids before they become homeless and focus on having them stay in school, while working on whatever issues are causing the current situation. This program, Lethby said, is in place across the region and relies on assistance from teachers and school officials to identify need. "They're well aware of students' conditions and will make the referral to us," he said. Once a youth is identified, they work to make his or her conditions better. The key, Lethby said, is to ensure they stay in school. If staying in their home isn't possible, they work to find a place in their community where they can stay so they don't have to leave their school. If a Fort Erie youth, for example, has to come stay in the St. Catharines shelter, transportation is provided to their home school to maintain continuity. RAFT also works with Niagara Region to set up after-school programs to give youths, especially those living in poverty, a break. Lethby notes for a lot of children growing up in singleparent households, the older siblings end up looking after their younger siblings while their mother or father is at work. As a result, they miss out on a lot of social opportunities like extracurricular activities. To combat that, RAFT's after-school programs are a chance for both older and younger siblings to engage with peers. "Even if their family can afford these programs, sometimes the problem is they can't physically get there, so we brought the programs to them," he said, adding programs range from sports and recreation to arts and homework help. In larger communities, like St. Catharines and Niagara Falls, people are aware there is a problem with poverty and youth homelessness. In more affluent communities, like Grimsby, where poverty rates are low, it's not always as easy to gather support. "It creates a bigger issue because people assume there aren't problems because they live in such a well-off community... But there's hidden homelessness everywhere," he said. "The thing about child poverty is it robs youths of their youth," said Lethby. "They no longer have space to be young anymore. They have to make adult decisions about their schooling, whether to enter the workforce earlier. These are adult decisions being made by youths and it's a real detriment that robs youths of the chance to be young."