Update 6, Gitxsan Grandmothers Struggle with #ChildWelfare #Poverty #Genocide

Last Update: Aboriginal Grandmothers Struggling Against #ChildWelfare

I want to share an update about my grandson, whom I've had at home since May 31st. Every day with him has been a blessing, and I am so thankful to the Creator for this opportunity to care for him.

When you gain a temporary custody order under the CFCSA, you’re supposed to receive the child tax benefits from the Ministry, rather than directly from the CRA. However, it’s now June 10th, and I won’t receive any financial support until July 15th. That means we must navigate a month and a half—90 days—without any financial assistance.

I’ve managed to get a $100 Safeway voucher to help us through the first week of June, but most families aren’t so lucky. Many struggle to put food on the table, often STARVING themselves to ensure their children are fed.

Let’s talk about welfare for a single person: a mere $250 support per month? And it’s even less on Indian Reserves. Parents will always prioritize their children's needs over their own. They wash baby clothes at $1.25 to wash and another $1.25 to dry each week. They buy diapers at $30 every two weeks. Teething medicine costs $4 a month, baby formula is $35 a week, bath soap is $20 a month, Penatin cream is $8 a month, and baby powder is another $8 a month.

As I prepare for Angel’s first birthday on Saturday, June 18th, 2016, I can’t help but feel the weight of these struggles. 

We need to advocate for our children and help them escape the grasp of Canada’s #ChildWelfare system. It’s time to stop forcing child welfare policies that keep families apart and reinstate BC Benefits for the 'Child in Home of a Relative' program. 

The laws in Canada are inhumane and overly burdensome for women and children. We must come together to demand change, to ensure that no more children are taken from their families. Let’s lift our voices and fight for the rights of our children and our communities. Together, we can create a better future where all children are safe and loved at home. 

#StopChildWelfare #ReinstateBCBenefits #SupportIndigenousFamilies

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