City to reinvest $900,000 in local families to help reduce poverty
HAMILTON , ON. – October 25, 2006 – The City of Hamilton, in partnership with Wesley Urban Ministries, is reinvesting back into the community to reduce child poverty. Almost $900,000 of the City’s portion of National Child Benefit dollars will be returned through the Hamilton National Child Benefit Entitlement Program to area families to assist with the financial needs of close to 6,000 local children at $150 per child.
The National Child Benefit Supplement (NCB) is designed to provide extra support to low-income families with children and is part of the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB). The Province of Ontario deducts this supplement from families receiving Ontario Works (OW) or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) assistance, which is more than $100 per child per month. The City of Hamilton receives 20% of these deducted NCB funds annually (approximately $2.5 million) and is required to reinvest in programs to reduce child poverty and promote employment for parents.
This year City Council approved a change in approach to the disbursement of NCB funds. The City’s portion will be returned to children in families receiving social assistance while continuing to maintain existing programs to reduce child poverty such as the Youth Serving Agencies Network – GROW Program and Alternatives for Youth – The Street Involved Youth Project.
“Our vision is to make Hamilton the best place to raise a child. That is why this new direction aligns so nicely with the work being done by the Poverty Roundtable,” says Joe-Anne Priel, General Manager of Community Services for the City of Hamilton. “Getting this money directly into the hands of the families who need it the most enables them to better deal with day-to-day living expenses like food and transportation.”
“Through this partnership with the City of Hamilton, we are helping thousands of local families to meet their most basic needs,” says Paul Johnson, Executive Director, Wesley Urban Ministries. “By coming together as a community we are providing much needed support to the children who need it the most – all while making these families stronger.”
Back in September, the City contacted eligible families with children under the age of 18 to inform them of this initiative. In order to qualify, recipients’ children had to have been on their Ontario Works (OW) or Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) budget between January 1st – June 30, 2006. Close to 3,500 applications were received by the October 15th deadline. This represents almost 6,000 children whose families will now receive $150 per eligible child.
Wesley Urban Ministries expects to have the cheques mailed out to families in early November.
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Media Contacts:
Mark Weingartner
Senior Policy Analyst, Community Services
City Of Hamilton (905) 546-2424 Ext. 6095
Paul Johnson
Executive Director
Wesley Urban Ministries Office: (905) 528-5629 Ext. 246
Cell: (905) 719-5918