June 2020: Information Sharing Edition Vol. 2
 In this edition: 

  • Summer Recreation Program Updates
  • Emergency Food Helpline Transitions to 211
  • June 27th Miracle Day in Windsor-Essex
  • Transit Windsor Service Update
  • Essex County Library Book Delivery
  • Recovery For All Campaign
  • Ontario Supports Children and Youth during COVID-19
  • Support for Canadians with Disabilities
  • Low-Income Workers Less Likely to Work from Home during COVID
  • Local COVID-19 Information & Resources
Summer Recreation Program Updates
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The City of Windsor’s Recreation & Culture Department is announcing the official cancellation of advertised programming planned for the summer of 2020 due to COVID-19 .
Recreational programming restrictions, social distancing and approved gathering numbers are all factors in cancelling this year’s summer programming. Click here to read the full announcement. 

Our Essex County recreation partners have also made the decision to cancel their 2020 summer recreation programs .
The Town of LaSalle’s Cultural & Recreation Department has announced they will be delivering a virtual day camp for kids aged 4 to 12. More information on the program can be found here .

Virtual/online recreation activities and resources are available on the Town of Amherstburg , Town of Essex , Municipality of Lakeshore , Town of LaSalle , Town of Tecumseh and City of Windsor websites.

Pathway to Potential will be organizing and sharing a list of virtual/modified summer day camp programs available to families within the Windsor-Essex area. Please stay tuned!
Emergency Food Helpline Transitions to 211
June 27th Miracle Day
On June 27th, at 12:00 pm, Windsor-Essex is hosting its first Miracle Day.
Organizers are asking as many residents as possible, in all communities in Windsor and Essex County, to place a non-perishable on their doorstep which will be picked up.

Note: There will also be many rural drop-off locations throughout Essex County. A map of rural drop off locations will be posted on the website and shared in the days leading up to June 27th.  

These donations will be given to those who need it most across our community . To learn more or sign up to volunteer, please visit the June 27th Miracle website .
Transit Windsor Service Update
Transit Windsor has been directed to continue with enhanced Sunday service only, seven days a week, until at least July 26, 2020 . All Windsor routes that normally have a “Sunday” schedule will continue to be in service seven days a week, except for the Tunnel Bus. Transit Windsor’s website has been updated to include the current schedule and policies .

Fees continue to be waived. Riders are asked to continue following the advice of public health officials to ensure the smoothest possible operations going forward, including limiting travel to essential trips only.
Click here to read the full announcement.
Essex County Library Book Delivery
Staff at the Essex County Library have been working very hard to package materials and get them posted out in as timely a manner as possible.

Note: Mailing materials is not costly for the library and offers peace of mind to those who cannot get to a branch.

If you have any questions, message the library staff here , or contact one of the branches by phone.
Recovery for All Campaign Endorsement
Recovery for All is a national advocacy campaign designed by the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness , asking Canadians to encourage the federal government to make bold investments in housing, homelessness and income support to end homelessness in Canada, once and for all. 

You can join the growing number of individuals and organizations who are endorsing the campaign. 
Ontario Supports Children & Youth during COVID-19
The Ontario government is investing $1 million to improve access to healthy meals and snacks for school-age children and youth during the COVID-19 outbreak. As a result of the province-wide school closures, the Student Nutrition Program has had to find new ways to support families experiencing increased food insecurity.

Over the past few months, the program has been adapted to include new local approaches to meal delivery , including distributing grocery gift cards or farm vouchers, delivering food boxes, meal kits or frozen meals and supporting food banks to provide nutritious items to families with school-age children.

Please visit the Ontario Newsroom page for full details.
Support for Canadians with Disabilities
The Prime Minister announced support to help Canadians with disabilities deal with extra expenses during the pandemic.

This support includes a special one-time, tax-free payment to individuals who are certificate holders of the Disability Tax Credit as of June 1, 2020, as follows:

  • $600 for Canadians with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate
  • $300 for Canadians with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate and who are eligible for the Old Age Security (OAS) pension
  • $100 for Canadians with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate and who are eligible for the OAS pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)
People who are eligible for this special payment will receive it automatically.

The Government of Canada recognizes that people with disabilities are also at higher risk of job loss during economic downturns . To help Canadians with disabilities get and maintain good jobs so they can continue to support themselves and their families, the government will:

  • Create a National Workplace Accessibility Stream through the Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities; new investment of $15 million in 2020-21
  • Invest $1.18 million in five new projects across the country through the Accessible Technology Program
Low-Income Workers Less Likely to Work From Home during COVID-19
A report from Statistics Canada reveals that lower income families are less likely to be able to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic and are more likely to face work interruptions .

Results from the study show:
  • Approximately 40% of Canadians are in jobs that can be done from home.
  • Dual-earner families with higher earnings are more likely than lower-income families to hold jobs that can be done from home.
  • Primary earners with high levels of education are more likely to hold jobs that can be done from home.
  • Women are more likely than men to hold jobs that can be done from home.
  • Households with lower levels of education and earnings are the least likely to hold jobs that can be done from home. This finding suggests that the risk of experiencing a work interruption during the pandemic might fall disproportionately on financially vulnerable families.

Read the full report by Stats Can here .
Local COVID-19 Information & Resources
Drive thru Food Bank Locations in Windsor-Essex:
EAST WINDSOR
Unemployed Help Centre of Windsor Inc.
6955 Cantelon Dr., Windsor, ON
P: 519-944-4900
DRIVE THRU/WALK-UP OPEN:
Monday, Wednesday, & Friday 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM

WEST WINDSOR
St. Michael's Adult Secondary School 
477 Detroit St., Windsor, ON
DRIVE THRU/WALK-UP OPEN:
Tuesday & Thursday 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
BELLE RIVER
Community Support Centre of Essex County 
Community Food Pantry 
962 Old Tecumseh Rd., Puce, ON
P: 519-728-1435 
DRIVE THRU OPEN: Monday & Wednesday 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM 
LEAMINGTON
Salvation Army Leamington 
88 Setterington St., Leamington, ON
P: 519-326-0319 
DRIVE THRU/WALK-UP OPEN:
Friday & Saturday 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM
CONTACT INFORMATION
Municipal Social Investment Efforts
City of Windsor
Stephen Lynn
519-255-5200 ext. 5302
p2p@citywindsor.ca
Teresa Falsetta Aflak
519-255-5200 ext. 6809
p2p@citywindsor.ca
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