Boucher Family

A Walk In Other's Shoes - Poverty Challenge - Family

This challenge is asking families to attempt to stay within a social assistance budget for five days. Ontario Works benefits provide a maximum basic needs for a couple with any amount of children is $458.00; this sets the challenge budget at $75.00 per family, or $15 per day. A single parent would receive $344.00 per month, therefore, their challenge budget will be $60.00 or $12.00 per day.

The budget includes all food and drink, entertainment, some personal supplies and transportation costs. Each family will be given challenge cards which will reveal additional challenges to be completed before the end of each day. As the family completes the challenge, they will blog about their experience.

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Here is a picture of the wear red for Feb. 14 challenge that we got on Friday. I think the headbands turned out pretty good.

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Gerry Boucher
Angela Boucher
Branson - 12
Owen - 11
Kate - 7

Occupation: Gerry - Windshield installer/window repair
Angela - Children’s Ministry Coordinator and First Aid Instructor.

We are a family that likes to do many activities together. We enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking and camping. Reading is a favorite activity for all of us and the children and I (Ange) go to the library often. As a family we are involved in Scouts, cross country skiing lessons and church activities.

Average weekly budget for “basic needs” (food, transportation, personal supplies, entertainment etc – not shelter related costs): This was an interesting exercise as I have never really crunched the numbers but after looking at a month of expenditures, these are our weekly averages. Food-$100, Gas for van-$60, Restaurant-$10, Vehicle payment-$90. The two programs the 3 kids are signed up for the year average out to costing $18 a week; this could be considered the entertainment budget.

Family “splurge”: Going to a restaurant, sending boys to summer camp.

The one item or service you purchase that you can’t live without: Van, as we have family in Manitoba we like to visit.

What do you anticipate being the most difficult in the challenge? Getting around without a vehicle as I work in Kenora and Keewatin would be difficult.

What do your children anticipate being most difficult? No electronics, walking everywhere in the cold.

Why did you decide to take the challenge? To remind us as a family that even though we have a modest lifestyle we are wealthy compared too many and to be thankful for what we have. To teach empathy to our children and remind us (parents) to use our resources more wisely.