2 ? THE SUBURBAN, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2009

MADA seeing impact of economic times now

By Joel Goldenberg The Suburban The effects of the economic meltdown are being especially felt this year at the MADA Kosher food bank, as those who never needed the services of such an institution are now seeking it out. As of an interview in November, MADA assistant director Yosef Drihem said the food bank was serving nearly 2,800 people a month, compared to 2,300 and 2,400 a month in 2008. ?We feel a gradual deterioration, actually much more in recent months than when the economic crisis started,? he says. ?It feels like it?s just starting to take stronger effect as time passes along and we are seeing more and more people ? we call them ?coming out of the woods? ? people who were never in need of help or support, or were always borderline, and are now figuring out that they cannot finish their budgets on a monthly basis. ?Besides the crisis cases of people losing jobs and losing investments, there are those who were always working and had a certain level of income between a husband and wife. To realize that you?re not doing well financially takes time, because at the beginning you depend on a line of credit and a credit card, and then you start realizing, when you sit down and do your math, you find that you?re basically not finishing your month. ?We?re seeing more and more of this crowd and their needs are basically supplementing their income and that?s what we?re trying to do through food, household goods ? any other cleaning and hygiene products that any basic person needs ? as well as the clothing and furniture. That supplements anything that can put some relief on the basic budget.? Drihem says the reaction of the clientele to their new situation varies from case to case. ?It?s very difficult,? he said. ?The first thing is the initial approach [to MADA]. Many times, this is done through a third party by a friend, relative or social worker, or somebody happens to be close to the family. A lot of them do not want to go through a system of having to prove their situation. That?s a great challenge on the system, because the definition of who needs help and who should not receive help is definitely being challenged at this time, because many times, you have to realize, some people might look like they?re doing well, but actually they?re not even though they still own a home and drive a car. ?But, really, you can save them right now before the collapse ? soon, they?re not going to own a home or have a car or have anything. Before they fall into this cycle, we?re trying to be there. One thing that we feel comfortable about is that the process of coming and asking is very difficult, and when you see a normal family in the community which is trying to hide as much as possible the fact they?ll be receiving help, you realize we?re not talking here of cases of people taking advantage.? Drihem said one of MADA?s greatest needs is funds. ?We?re specializing and have created a very special system of maximizing a dollar ? every dollar that is given here is stretched to about $10, because most of the goods and services we provide people are donated by corporations and different sources. It?s really the core money for the operation that is needed. Instead of giving a family $100 and helping them close the month, $100 to MADA actually creates $1,000 of goods into this family?s home. ?A food bank in 2008 costs $550,000 to operate, and it delivers $5 million just in food, hygiene and cleaning products to people?s homes ? that?s beside the clothing and furniture departments. There are definitely other needs when it comes to resources and contacts for products. ?There?s also a need for volunteers and we?re struggling for warehousing space.? n

DARING TO CARE

St. Gabriel?s: ?Giving makes all the difference?

By P.A. Sévigny The Suburban Some people find God in the transcendent paintings of the early Italian Renaissance. Others find him, (or possible her) in the cloistered silence of a Carmelite chapel. Some feel his presence when they hear a live performance of Gregorio Allegri?s Misere sung by the King?s College Chapel Choir in Cambridge, England. But for the rest of us, it?s not that simple because most of us know you can?t find God as much as he finds you. ?It?s not work,? said Shelley MacIntyre while she was busy packing Christmas food baskets in Sister Dianna Lieffers? St. Gabriel?s Parish food bank. ?It?s more like giving something away... and that?s always good.? On a recent afternoon, a dozen vol- By Joel Goldenberg The Suburban The H1N1 flu and the ongoing economic hard times have had a major and ongoing impact on Generations Foundation, which has been helping to feed and clothe Montreal?s less fortunate children for the past 10 years. Adrian Bercovici and his wife Natalie operate the foundation at a refurbished former garage on Notre Dame Street West in St. Henri. Bercovici told us in an interview earlier this year that an increase in his clientele has included the ?nouveau poor,? people from middle class areas who never needed help before but were devastated by the economic meltdown. Now, the ?economic flu?, as Bercovici, calls it, ?is impacting us in a very dramatic way? and middle class areas are still Publisher: Michael Sochaczevski Associate Publisher: Sari Medicoff Sales Manager: David Solomon National Sales Director: David Broadman Production Manager: Karen L. Cross Classified Manager: Charmaine Worrell Credit Manager: Carol Balinsky 7575 Trans-Canada Highway, Suite 105, St. Laurent, QC H4T 1V6 (514) 484-1107 (Fax) 484-9616 suburban@thesuburban.com www.thesuburban.com Some images and graphics Copyright 2009 Michael Publishing and its licensors. All rights reserved. Michael Nolet, Sr. Dianna Lieffers, Shelley Macintyre.

Generations Foundation impacted by H1N1, economic ?flus?

accounting for the increase in children who need assistance. ?As a matter of fact, as of [early October to late November], we added two new schools in the east end,? he said with dismay. ?Never would I think that schools like that would be impacted that greatly. It?s not huge ? there?s 68 kids in one school and about 20 in the other. In NDG, you?re getting four more kids at one school and eight more at another. We just got a call from Roxboro to add a couple of French schools. Further west in the West Island, there are schools I shouldn?t be doing that are getting eight, 10 kids who are looking for help. ?It?s bad.? In another sign of the bad economic times, Bercovici related what took place after Generations Foundation started cooking classes for kids to not only take care of themselves, but to also help out Editor-in-chief: Beryl Wajsman (editor@thesuburban.com) Associate Editor: Anthony Bonaparte (anthony@thesuburban.com) Sports Editor: Mark Lidbetter (sports@thesuburban.com) Editorial Staff: Joel Ceausu, Dan Delmar, Julia Gerke, Joel Goldenberg, Walter J. Lyng, P.A. Sévigny, Samantha St. Jules, Kevin Woodhouse unteers joined MacIntyre as they began to work their way along the long rows of open boxes waiting for their groceries. A color code dictates what food goes into which box as the line between single people and a family of four could mean the difference between a second jar of instant coffee, a few extra bags of pasta and more breakfast cereal for the kids. ?There?s nothing new about poor people in the Point,? said Lieffers. ?When people come knocking at our door, they?re hungry and they need our help. It?s that simple.? When she first joined the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion, Sister Dianna decided she wanted to help ?heal a fractured world.? Following six years of work in South America, she came to Québec ??to learn some French,? and 35 years later, she admits she?s less fortunate seniors. ?In some schools, the principals are telling us it?s absolutely critical for the kids to take the food home, because there are siblings there who don?t have food. It?s unbelievable, it drives me crazy to hear this. Obviously, [the economic situation] is a lot worse than they?re saying.? Bercovici says Generations Foundation?s own food-providing efforts are being ?clobbered? by the extra whammy of higher prices, and is affecting those they serve as well. ?The biggest worry I have for many families right now is inflation, which is alive and starting to rear its head and will be very hurtful... I know that they?re saying inflation is half of one percent. For quite a long time, when dealing with gas, it was around upper 80s, 90 cents. Now See GENERATIONS, page 7 Editorial Contributors: Maria I. Anelli, Akil Alleyne, Sam Bick, Mike Cohen, Alex Di Pietro, Mitch Gallo, Ian Howarth, David Lisbona, Bernard Mendelman, Daniel W.K. Rafuse, Lisa K. Savage, Linda Zlatkin Photographers: Andrew Soong, Rob Taussig, Mico Smiljanic CONTACT US via email: Letters: editor@thesuburban.com | Entertainment: entertainment@thesuburban.com | Features: anthony@thesuburban.com | Sports: sports@thesuburban.com | Community Events: calendar@thesuburban.com | Advertising material: production@thesuburban.com P.A. SEVIGNY / THE SUBURBAN See ST. GABRIEL?S, page 26 Publisher?s liability for error: The publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The publisher?s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with any advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue or the refund of any monies paid for the advertisement. Entire Contents Copyright Michael Publishing Co. Inc., Wednesday, December 30, 2009

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