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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, October 21, 2016 | 10 CAP Canada's Oakville Central Debt Centre opens at KSM by Nathan Howes Special to the Beaver Oakville residents overwhelmed by debt can now get some relief with the help of a new Christians Against Poverty (CAP) Canada centre. The CAP Canada's Oakville Central Debt Centre formally launched Wednesday (Oct. 19) at Kerr Street Mission (KSM), one of several local organizations and churches supporting the debtcounselling service. In May, CAP Canada and its partners opened the local debt centre to help individuals with financial struggles, free-of-charge, regardless of age, gender, faith or background. "This day has been a long time coming. I lost Wild Birds Unlimited Daily SavingS club DOuble POintS weekenD! On nOw until OctOber 24th track of it when I first heard about CAP Canada, but it was more than two years ago. I was immediately interested," said Gary O'Neill, KSM executive director. "We have lots of clients who are struggling to make ends meet. In a lot of cases, they just don't make a lot of money. It's as simple as that. The less money you make, the more important each financial decision is." Because of the number of clients facing hardships, O'Neill said something had to be done because KSM "can't do everything. We don't have the expertise and we don't have the capacity." "To hear about a program that is tried, tested and true was really exciting. The questions then were, `Who was going to do it? How are (we) going to actually make it happen?'" said O'Neill. The KSM executive director noted the new partnership correlates with the group's original mission when it was founded. "This goes back to the vision of what Kerr Street Mission was and still is. It's about coming alongside people that are in need and helping them in that space," said O'Neill. Sanctuary Kerr Village (SKV), which meets at KSM every Sunday, is the lead church in the collaboration with CAP Canada and Oakville organizations. Trained volunteers from the local church community will meet clients face-to-face (first visit at their homes) and support them until they are debt-free. Negotiations with creditors will be handled by CAP Canada experts. SKV pastor Tim Moore said there is a "wonderful partnership" between the groups involved because each collaborator offers something different. see Debt on p.11 Thinking about your child's education? the perfect time to join or renew your membership THE 3350 FAIRVIEW STREET, BuRlIngTon 905-634-7700 · EmAIl: wbu1@bellnet.ca We bring people & nature together IS YOURS CHOICE 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. ALL SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE Saturday, October 22, 2016 Oakville Independent Schools provide unique educational experiences that enrich students' lives. Our schools prepare students to embrace innovation, confront new challenges, explore their passions, and develop confidence and resilience. Visit our schools on October 22nd to explore how an independent education can benefit your child. Choose an Oakville Independent School. www.educationoakville.com To learn more, and to access a map of school locations, visit