Tuesday, November 26, 2024

GivingTuesday

Costs have gone up for just about everything these past few years, driving more people into homelessness. Here’s how you can help

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By Darren Shearer, CLAC Foundation Partnership Manager

GivingTuesday, a global day of charitable giving, has become a cornerstone of the holiday season since its inception in 2012. In 2024, GivingTuesday is on December 3.

Created by the 92nd Street Y (92NY), a cultural and community centre in New York City, in collaboration with the United Nations Foundation, the day was designed as a response to the consumer-driven events of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Its goal was to shift the focus from materialism to generosity, encouraging people to donate time, money, and resources to causes that matter.

Try to keep this concept in the back of your mind while we dive into inflation, the rising cost of living, and all the stresses that come along with them.

In recent years, it seems that everything is getting more and more expensive. House and rent costs are going up. The price of groceries—never mind restaurant food or drinks—are way up. Entertainment prices are rising.

I saw an article about the cost of attending a Taylor Swift concert in Toronto. The cheapest resale tickets were going for $5,356 for two tickets.

I would like to believe that includes a VIP package that comes with limo service, but I’m certain it was for a couple of nosebleed seats. That was the cheapest option?! I feel pity for parents who have kids that want nothing more than to go see a Taylor Swift concert.

Aside from these more expensive leisure activities, my heart aches for families who can’t afford to put their children in swimming lessons and especially those who need to rely on a food bank to put food on the table.

How can people afford to take care of themselves and their family? They need a decent job.

Obtaining and starting a job may seem relatively simple for many ambitious, healthy, and capable individuals. But it can also be stress-inducing and complicated, even for folks who are familiar with the process.

Working a job enables us to put food on the table, a roof over our heads, and enjoy after-hours activities with our friends and family—even if the cost of attending a Taylor Swift concert is out of the reach for many.

When did taking your kids to a concert become an activity that costs the same as a week-long all-inclusive vacation? Why does a 55-year-old rundown house in the prairies cost half a million dollars? How come a 2025 midsize Mazda SUV costs the same as a Porsche Cayenne did in 2010?

The answer we always hear is inflation. It’s no secret the cost of living has surged in recent years, particularly in cities like Toronto and Vancouver where house prices and rents have reached unprecedented levels.

For many individuals and families, this surge has meant the difference between maintaining stable housing and facing homelessness, especially for the most vulnerable workers at the lower end of the wage spectrum.

The connection between the economy, the cost of things, and homelessness is stark. As the gap between wages and living costs widens, more people are at risk. This rise in homelessness is a societal issue that requires action.

What can you and I do about it? To start, we can ask ourselves why we feel attracted to luxury material items that are outlandishly expensive, rather than focusing our efforts on local community issues.

Instead, we can invest in programs that will help those struggling by providing access to skill development, training, and practical support, such as transportation. Without these services available, homelessness in Canada is likely to continue its upward trend.

As we all grapple with difficult financial times, it is essential to remember those among us who have suffered an accident, illness, or disability that has forced them to become unemployed. In turn, their lives and families are affected. It can happen to any of us at any time.

Mark your calendar for Tuesday, December 3. On this day, we acknowledge both GivingTuesday and International Day of Persons with Disabilities, two causes that are directly linked.

If you are unsure how you can contribute to and support a meaningful program that will get individuals into training that will help them obtain meaningful employment, please reach out to the CLAC Foundation. Every dollar the foundation receives is allocated toward programs that train, educate, and assist folks in finding jobs so that they can support themselves and their families.

There’s no better day to reach out and support the CLAC Foundation than GivingTuesday!

GivingTuesday

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