Hank Klassen

Gaps in the system.  That is how Hank Klassen from Steinbach and area Lions Club describes the social security net in the Southeast.  He explains there are social programs in place, both government and privately funded, but there are some people who don't qualify for help even in the face of tremendous need.  "People that are on Social assistance who are on it for a while and then when they are back on their feet the social assistance is gone and they have no contact for support.  They can't go back on (assistance) because they are already off the list.  Then they come to us for a bit of a hand and some of the things that they are asking for are really part of what social assistance should be doing with local advisors."

He explains it can take months for someone to go back on social assistance if the need is there and while they wait there is no formal support in place.  "Somewhere along the line there is a gap in there that needs to be filled either by government or by a local agency so people have some place to go.  Right now we have housing for mentally handicapped people but for those who are (physically) handicapped there is none."

As a recent example, Klassen has worked with Tracy Wiens who has Cerebral Palsy.  As we told you earlier this week, Wiens had his electric scooter stolen while he was visiting his dying mother in hospital.  "Tracy's social worker was involved with him because his mother had cancer.  When she passed, the social worker couldn't be his social advisor anymore.  So where does he go?"  In this situation his social worker was given special permission to continue to work with Wiens but it's not part of her normal job function.

Klassen says there are often times where the social systems washes it's hands and tells people there is no support.  "We get quite a few requests where people have applied through social assistance and they  don't fit the criteria.  Then they come to us and then we have to weed out some of those who don't fit our criteria.  I'm not sure where we should go, maybe set up an arms length social advisor or what?  I know with Tracy we are going to go out on a limb to try and find him some housing but we can't do it for everybody.  I think the government is lax and not supplying us with those people."

In major centres like Winnipeg, Klassen says he believes the supports are government funded but may be funded because there is a larger population base.  "Because we are a smaller community, I guess they figure we don't need the same assistance as they do in Winnipeg.  They are thinking we are so affluent here that we really don't need to have the assistance.  I think we need to change that attitude of theirs."

He explains there are some supports in the Southeast.  "We have the Lions Foundation of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario that we can plug into.  We have some advisors there, both financial and legal but we can't run there all the time either because it's a busy place too.  In our own community we have a committee that does all of our screening to make sure people fit the criteria of what Lions are all about.  Hopefully we can improve it."

Klassen says if he were to put together a Christmas wish list it would have a couple of items.  "I would like to have some social advisors in our area that we can go to.  It would also be nice if we didn't need the food bank but that is a big wish.  We are going to be busier than ever this year with about 20 to 30% more than last year.  For an affluent part of Manitoba, the need is there.  Hopefully we don't miss people.  Where we can help, we would like to help, but we have to be advised and the requests have to come in."