OPIRG and the Peterborough Student Housing Co-op have collaborated on Anti-Poverty Week – a week of events happening January 23 to 29. The week’s aim is to raise awareness and create an impact in anti-poverty work in Peterborough.

Peterborough has some of the highest poverty rates in Ontario. This week, we hope to synthesize campus and community poverty issues, and to take actions that will have an immediate impact on poverty in Peterborough.

On Monday, January 25, a community dialogue on poor-bashing and its impacts will take place at Black Honey from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Then, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., there will be a panel discussion in the Gathering Space on Mental Health and Poverty.

Food Not Bombs will serve their usual Monday night community meal at Confederation Park; arrive at 3:30 p.m. to help cook, or join us at 6:30 p.m. to enjoy it. Then, at 7 p.m. at Sadleir House, there will be a talk on food banks and their limitations with the specific context of the OPIRG Food Cupboard.

On Tuesday, January 26, come to Seeds of Change to learn about practical strategies for eating healthy on a limited budget while cooking a community meal (11:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., please RSVP).

Then join us at Sadleir House from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and learn about basic income as a practical method of poverty alleviation and strategies to implement it with Nourish Peterborough and Basic Income Peterborough Network. From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., the Peterborough Student Housing Co-op is presenting a panel discussion on housing insecurity at Sadleir House.

On Wednesday, there will be a launch of OPIRG’s research findings on Campus Food Security with a question and answer period and visioning session for food security models on campus from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at OC 207.

From 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Sadleir House, Fiona White will give a presentation on Poverty in Schools, using Peterborough as a case study.

Then, City Councillor Diane Therrien and OPIRG anti-poverty activism working group will host a workshop on the ins and outs of doing anti-poverty activism from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Gzowski 345.

On Thursday, the day will start with a discussion from the Revolutionary Student Movement on how class is enacted in the University in LEC 212 from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

From 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., come out to Sadleir House to learn about the Free Market and tips for finding gems in a sustainable, anti-capitalist fashion.

A popular education and art workshop on how to translate ideas about poverty in Peterborough into art will take place at Sadleir House from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Finally, on Friday, January 29, come to Black Honey from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a workshop hosted by OPIRG on how to write letters to politicians, with a focus on living wage but with resources for multiple issues.

All students, faculty, staff, administration, and community members are encouraged to attend all events. Hope to see you there!