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NEWSLETTER
JANUAP.Y 1 5 , 1992.
401 Main S t . , Vcncouver (V6A 2T7) 665-2289
Wish List Front-Line Advocate Workerst Wish L i s t The M i n i s t r y of S o c i a l S e r v i c e s (MSS) has announced i n c r e a s e s i n l e v e l s of income a s s i s t a n c e , beginning with cheques f o r February 1992. Money s t i l l g e t s separa t e d i n t o 2 p a r t s - support E s h e l t e r - E experience shows t h a t l a n d l o r d s immediately'h i k e r e n t s equal t o o r g r e a t e r than any i n c r e a s e i n t h e s h e l t e r p o r t i o n . ltSupport"..food, c l o t h e s , over-the-counte r drugs, e d u c a t i o n a l m a t e r i a l s , t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , r e c r e a t i o n and s o on - LIFE - is supposed t o be covered by whatever money i s l e f t a f t e r paying t h e r e n t . Most rooms G apartments c o s t more than t h i s maximum f o r s h e l t e r ; i n t h e Downtown E a s t s i d e and throughout t h e province even laces occu- - - . pied almost e x c i u s i v e l y by weifare r e c i p i e n t s r o u t i n e l y c o s t $20-$40 more than t h e maximum f o r s h e l t e r . The new r a t e s l i s t e d below show t o t a l s ; what p a r t o f i n c r e a s e s a r e f h e l t e r d r sufiporp i S n t t knowfi yeb:, -
Category S i n g l e , employable S i n g l e , handicapped Couple, employable Single parent, 2 children 2 p a r e n t s , 2 k i d s , unemptble 2 p a r e n t s , 5 k i d s , emptble ".
Old
New
$so0 $525 694 837 1033 1144 1407
739 872 1131 1242 1587
FEA#S;6 members .;of End L e g i s l a t e d Poverty met with Joan Smallwood, new NDP M i n i s t e r of S o c i a l Services. "Wish L i s t w may sound l i k e a dream, but t h e following i s s u e s have t h e wealth of experience from l i v i n g on incomes 40-55% below poverty l i n e s :