Main Contact Name: Linda Lalonde. Email address: ... others will be charged a registration fee that will cover food and
#23. Soup Ottawa Project Application Main Contact Name: Linda Lalonde Email address:
[email protected] Phone number: 613-325-4737 Team Members (separated by comma): Linda Lalonde, Marisa Moher Project Title: It’s OUR City Hall and the Community Wants In Describe your project (max. 200 words): The Ottawa Poverty Reduction Network (OPRN) will host a day-long forum this spring to start conversations about how the low-income community can participate in both the October municipal election and the preparation of the 2015 city budget and Council priorities. The purpose is to elect an anti-poverty council that will work with the community to find and/or accelerate measures that will make a difference in the everyday lives of people living in poverty. Two things will happen at the forum – people will learn about municipal government and they will discuss, in English or French, ways to have an impact on who is sitting at the council table and on the decisions they make. The intent is to give people the tools so that, through the election and for the next four years, they are able to have a say in how decisions which affect them are made. Housing, child care, public health and income support programs are administered locally and have a huge impact on the lives of individuals. With the right tools, they can exercise some control over city government and its behaviour. Tell us this project's story (max. 100 words): This will follow on previous events like the forum on the Review of Social Assistance we held last spring and our consultation on the provincial Poverty Reduction Strategy last fall. This time the focus is local and on city hall. The make-up of Council and the city budget both have the ability to restrict or improve services in the city for low-income people. We need to get in before the decisions are made and have our say. Knowledge is power and we want to give people the ammunition to change the process at city hall so poor people are heard. Each project needs to be connected to this events' theme - "Giving Voice" (max. 100 words): When people aren’t familiar with an organization like city government, it’s easy to think that you can do nothing to influence it in your favour. Decisions are made every day that impact the lives of low-income people and some of them happen at the city level. Once people are familiar with the structure and operation of city hall, they will be able to ask the right questions and push for changes to improve services. This starts with ensuring that councillors are elected that are committed to work on an anti-poverty program and that the budget reflects/allows that. How will you use Soup Ottawa money for this particular project? (be specific - people will ask) (max. 100 words): It will cover materials, food , transportation and child care expenses for low-income participants – others will be charged a registration fee that will cover food and some materials. It will also cover a
small honourarium for low-income members on the planning committee. What non-monetary needs does your project have (i.e. volunteers, tech support, etc.)? (max. 100 words): We need help on the day for registration, discussion facilitators and recorders, support people and gofers. Beforehand, we need a few people to help with the planning, get the word out and cheer us on. Afterwards, we'll need people to help push Council to do what it should do.
