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Ith hm rowan sihlc In: many. the challmgm fur York Rvginn'x sm‘ial wr- m‘c providers and the suan systems they adminis- u'r will gmw n‘k'mk-ssly and expo. nvmiufly in 2012. A diwm. aging and burgeon- ing populace existing in a rickety mommy addw burden to people entrusted to help our homeless. hungry. ill. poor and |ost. Out of the 2012 gate. the pro- longed York Region 'Ihmsi! strike mpmscms a major hurdle fut our must vulnerable citizens. York Reginn Food Network executive durum loan Stonchockct m1 “Some people have jobs that lhay’M-m Mping'wouldallmv them to get back on that Ian.“ she aid. “Otth an: spending lug- por- tions 0! their t‘amings on taxi fares. People who are already isolated are. more imitated.“ “Many can‘t get to programs when they finally get lo the top of a pnngram wait list and Ms have had to enlist mom wlum'cen to help distributo hampers." she lhv transit. Strum has aim taken a tail on Women's (29mm of York Region clients. cxu‘utiw director Kirsten FAsm'txxl “1 )1" major chalkng ately is running a sense of urgency with this transit strike,” Poverty Artiim hit Change (bulitum chair- person Tum Pbarwn said. The fuel for our social scm'cc engine “is funding, with pmfesskmal continued. 'lhey make due. stmtcha ing gmntml or damned dollan. sub- stituting shortfalls with indomitable duty. courage and creativity. United Way M ank' Reginn, which supports murv than 401mm- ber agencies that. in turn. touch the lives of (me in three residents. has seen at w-pcr-u‘nt spike in (firm demand. Ensuring the supply of funding keeps paw with the need and con- tinumg to increase mum to sup port an already slim and stretched sorta] lnftasmu‘tun- am the agemry's challenges in 2012. seniot commu~ nicatinm manager Adriana Suppa said. Au mm; a record $8.6 mil- lion undralsing campaign. the Uniu'd Way will continue public Awareness, innovation key in hard times I“ (ZHRIS TRADER nubwa‘w 7mg . um Blue Door Shelters executive director Patti Bell wurks to spread awareness of homelessncxs in York Region. awan-nms. research and udmtatmn innialiws while rolling mm a flu» pan meeting house focus.~ ‘mg on infimtmctum m five mu. culminaan in a regional summit in the fall. The United Way will continue funding for frontline programs and inmwativc strength investments. while enriching hindraising oppor- tunities fnt donors and corpora» (inns. Ms Suppa said lho Kraman (Htln'. a mwm Ontario flee-r lkvekmmcnt lnitia tive award leciptcnt for community building. will apply innovation to meet growing demand. executive director Stephen Bradford said. "Wt- am looking at way‘ of mi- lizing social media tools to mask! viaimrs in sharing their stories so they can increase their mnfidcncc and connect with when.” he said. adding the centre has. recently increased the hours of the warm lino tmm noon in midnight. the “wt Region (lhildmn'a Md Society's investigations into con~ cvms ruganling album and nqdcct aw up by 8 pet wm owr the pm- vious year. ext-cum? dimctor Pat- rick lake said. The organization M2 otamopansenesonm Repon's socnal agencws' challenges LOS!NG will mminuv to build pannerships' with other mmmunity agencim in cusurv available msourcm for rhlldn-n and lamllics are used clfi‘ (firmly and film lively. “Wt- work with collaboratwv planning organzamms. such as. the forum for children, youth and fam- ilies. to sham information. issues and strategies." M r. lake said. The Social Services Network in Markham attracted mom than 1,200 clients in 20“. cxvcutivv dimlm DI. Naila Hun said. A lath of sustainable mm funding is "W nc-Mork's biggcsl hurdle. Aduwacy and fundraimng are pillars in its strategy. she said. "We need integrated health 501'- viccs and an equal balance of pm- “no momma xocu-ns‘cnum venlative and curaliw lwallh w: via-s.“ Rh? mid Blue Door Shelters upcrauw I three cmorgt-m'y facilities in York; Regon and. by the end nf its fiM‘dl .. year this March. service for people? Who am huanth is pruiu'tod In :- be 2511‘“. t'xm‘miw dlru‘tm Mung Bell said. ' The agency is working in pan- Z nership with other “M’Jllilldl‘d organizations to improve ~public I 1mm on the issue of home- in Yuri Region. highligln- mgmeactualneaimavarietym community groups. funding scurr- 88. decled Officials and other inter ested audiences. she said {-I 34"] il’I’A'KHK “We are welcoming move vul- umeers to waist our organization in sewing people who am lwtwu-n homes.“ Ms Bell "We-am sup porting the efforts under way fur creating Belindu's Place. the first sheila in York Regiun fur singlv women who am hnmek’xx" Swvml societal factors need to he addn'swd. including alwzm'nms. social service administraturs sand. Yndr's hnmnlvvmms might Innk diffequ than humt‘lt'wm‘ss in Toronto. but it \(ill exists, M\. has! Keeping pvuplo working cimr in home means lower costs. 1s hour! for cnn’mnmom and oflerst‘a bet ter Myrk-Iifv balance due In xhnm-r commuu-s. she added. The 1m tuning and warning income gap. with deepening pox-â€" erty m'nds acum- the n‘ginn. m‘uix 10 be inwsligatvd. Ms Suppa sand. A continual shonagc of afford- able homing truth in ht‘ auidn‘ssul and there needs to be nnguing public awan‘m-ss and suppon tut pcopk' living with. or nflcmcd lw. momal health i-\\l1(‘\. Mr. Braulfurd suggtsk‘d. "Mental hmllh. puvvny .md subsiamr ahuw arr wriuus issuvs in York Negimi.” Mr. Lake " Hu- mor-connectedness of these social factors im'maws the risk of noghu and abuse of (“hikin‘n and )fllllhx living in families who are experi- encing thew issues. Remain-cs i‘ur families experiencing these ixsuvs an! critical in the wallobeing 0! our community. mpocially our (‘hil Povertymduction and the cm ation of safe. affordable housing an- thg must sigmficam priorities. Ms Bellsan‘d