in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, M ay 2, 20 19 | 18 ON NOW AT THE BRICK! SAVING YOU MORE For more details go instore or online @thebrick.com. Meetings at Halton Region, 1151 Bronte Rd., Oakville, L6M 3L1 Visit halton.ca for full schedule.for full schedule.f May 22 9:30 a.m. Regional Council Compost Giveaway Halton residents are invited to attend the Spring Compost Giveaway, free of charge, as a thank you for helping divert approximately 34,000 tonnes of yard waste last year. HWMS 5400 Regional Rd 25 REG IO N A L RD 25 TREM A IN E RD BRITANNIA RD Lower Base LineLower Base Line 401 QEW 407 Remember to bring: • Bags or containers (maximum seven garbage bags or equivalent per household) • A shovel to bag your own compost • Non-perishable food items and/or cash donationswill be accepted and distributed to Halton-area food banks - your donationsmake a difference! Spring cleaning? 05 02 19 Monday,May6 to Saturday,May11 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sunday,May12 8 a.m. to noon HaltonWasteManagement Site 5400 Regional Road 25,Milton Have a painting project? Bring household hazardous waste (e.g., cleaners; pesticides; oil; light bulbs) to the Household HazardousWaste Depot at the HaltonWaste Management Site, free of charge. Note: Residential materials only. Maximum 20 litres per visit. Pick up usable paint and stain atPick up usable paint and stain at the Paint & Stain Reuse Depot, free of charge. The Paint & Stain Reuse Depot is open from spring to fall and is conveniently located beside the Household HazardousWaste Depot. Halton Region cannot guarantee availability of colours or stains. HWMS Spring SundayOpenings TheHaltonWasteManagement Sitewill be open every Sunday fromMay 5 to June 30, 2019 from8 a.m. to noon. Visit halton.ca or download the OneHalton app to learn more about Halton's waste management programs, waste tips and acceptable items. Visithalton.ca for details and to learnmore about other wastemanagement events and programs. Halton residents are of- ten surprised to learn that there are so many children in our community who live in poverty, even right in our own neighbourhoods. Here are some myths and facts about kids and pover-facts about kids and pover-f ty in our community. Myth: There are no children in need in my neighbourhood/my child's school. Fact: 10 per cent of school-aged children in Halton live at or below the poverty line. The Halton Learning Foundation (HLF) provides assistance for basic essentials such asfor basic essentials such asf food and clothing for morefood and clothing for moref than 1,100 of these kids who attend schools in the Halton District School Board. Virtually every school and community across Halton has stu- dents in need, even if they're not visibly poor. Myth: People who can't afford basics for their kids just need to get a job, or two. Fact: In 2018, 12,490 Hal- ton residents were consid- ered "working poor." The majority of students assis- ted by HLF come from families where at least onefamilies where at least onef parent is working one or more jobs. Myth: Low income par- ents are not good parents. Income is not a predic- tor of parenting, and bad things can happen to any parent. Life events such as illness, accidents or a child or parent's mental health issues can take a se- vere toll on any family's fi- nances - particularly when there are no work- place benefits. Some stu- dents HLF has helped come from families that spend most of their in- come on medication or special supports for their child. Myth: Teenagers should work to help pay their own expenses. Fact: Many Halton stu- dents work out of necessi- ty. The 15-year-old serving your coffee or ringing up your groceries may be a full-time student who isfull-time student who isf working to help pay the family's rent or strugglingfamily's rent or strugglingf to live on their own, be- cause their parental home is unsafe. One teenager who HLF supported last year was attending school and working while raising a younger sibling after both parents died of can- cer. Myth: Poverty is too big an issue to make a dif- ference. ference. f Fact: The smallest gift or gesture can have a last- ing impact on a child. Ex- ample: one in 10 students come to school hungry. Support for snacks or healthy lunches can sig- nificantly improve a stu- dent's concentration, aca- demic performance and self-confidence - critical things that can help kids become successful in school and in life. Sherri Armstrong is the communications manager at the Halton Learning Foundation, whose missi- on is to eliminate finan- cial barriers to learning for students of the Halton District School Board. For more information, visit haltonlearningfounda- tion.ca or follow @Halton- LearnFDN on Twitter. OPINION MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT KIDS AND POVERTY IN HALTON BELIEVE IT OR NOT, CHILDREN DO LIVE IN POVERTY IN THIS REGION, WRITES SHERRI ARMSTRONG SHERRI ARMSTRONG Column