Calls upon the government to release the Special Diet money to everyone on welfare and disability

On May 3, 2005, the Daily Bread Food Bank - by far the largest food bank in Toronto - re-affirmed its support for OCAP's Special Diet campaign. Daily Bread has made a strong and powerful statement ratified by their board. Daily Bread is "call[ing] upon the Ontario government to release the full special diet supplement immediately to all Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program recipients on a permanent, ongoing basis." They're also calling on physicians, surgeons, dieticians, midwives, and nurses across Ontario to support the campaign, pledging to sponsor clinics to get people signed up so they can get the money, and will have at all their food banks information on how to get the Special Diet money.

To see a detailed breakdown of the Special Diet Supplement policy that was changed in November, 2005 go to:

OCAP and Ontario Common Front (OCF) organizations in other cities are demanding that the McGuinty Government ‘Raise the Rates’ for those on Social assistance by 40% in order to restore the spending power the Tories took from them.

As part of this, we have been organizing to win food supplements for people on welfare and disability. The system is supposed to provide up to $250 per person on assistance as a dietary supplement if a medical professional deems it necessary.

**Click here to download an infosheet for medical professionals about the special diet campaign and what you can do to help.**

In light of the poverty inflicted on OW and ODSP recipients due to sorely inadequate benefits rates, we are calling on people of conscience within the medical community to sign on to a public call for the Special Diet Allowance to be released in full to everyone on welfare and ODSP. Please join us in calling for this desperately needed measure!

A PUBLIC CALL FOR DECENT INCOME
FOR OW AND ODSP RECIPIENTS

We, the undersigned, recognize that current Ontario Works and Ontario Disability Support Program benefit rates are too low for recipients to adequately feed themselves after attending to other basic necessities such as rent and transportation costs.

IF YOU ARE ON OW OR ODSP:
YOU MAY BE ABLE TO GET AN EXTRA $250 A MONTH!

IF YOU ARE A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL,