MY MOTHER NAMED ME SUNSHINE
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    • Connecting with our WR Municipalities & Local Democracy
    • Human Rights - Leaning in & Learning >
      • A Human Rights approach to encampments - What does this mean?
      • Exploring the Key Principles of "A National Protocol for Homeless Encampments in Canada"
      • Draft Policy – Encampments on Region-Owned Public Lands
    • Living Rough >
      • Living Rough: Warming & Cooling Centres
      • Info Page: Living Rough: Encampments
      • Living Rough: Victoria/Weber Encampment 1.0: Summer Recap
      • Living Rough: Washrooms
      • Unsheltered: Living the Experince
    • Advocacy - Nickles and Dimes >
      • Dear RoW: Your Bylaw is Faulty (& Your Politics Kinda Suck) - Seeking Change: Nickels & Dimes
      • Open Letter: ​Seeking aid for Unsheltered in face of current Extreme Weather Crisis
      • CAEH Conference Ottawa 2024
      • WR Women's Shelter - What's going on? Regional Council Meeting
      • 519 Community Collective: Enough is Enough
      • Me Proposal Jan 13th 2020 Details
      • Unsheltered Campaign Letters to Local Municipalities
      • Unsheltered Campaign 2022 Municipal Candidate Pledge
      • My "nickel": Victoria and Weber Encampment
      • Love, compassion and a whole lot of action!
      • As we start having more of the difficult conversations surrounding Unsheltered lives
      • Social Justice Housing Rally
      • On the right to adequate housing
      • Host Bob Jonkman connects with Regan Sunshine Brusse , Anti-Poverty activist with the Alliance Against Poverty
      • The Record: Letter to the Editor re: oneROOF Funding Loss
      • Community Forum: Videos
      • Alliance Against Poverty Supports Local Grassroot Plea For Aid
      • Blue Sky Horse Radio Segment - Martin Asling, Lesley Crompton, And Terry Kaan
    • Around here - Older content
    • Municipal Meeting Pages >
      • April 23, 2025 Regional Council Meeting & 100 Vic. Proposed Bylaw April 23, 2025
      • WRPS Board Meeting June 12, 2024
      • October 12, 2022 Region of Waterloo Council Meeting
      • August 18, 2022 Regional Council Meeting
      • June 22nd Regional Council Meeting
      • August 9, 2022 Regional Community Services Comittee Meeting
      • Region of Waterloo Council Meeting April 27, 2022
      • May 9. 2022 -Region of Waterloo Community Services Committee Meeting
      • November 15, 2021: 2022 Plan & Budget Development- Com. of Whole
      • 2022 Budget public input session- Regional Council November 8, 2021
      • November 9th, 2021- Committee of the Whole Regional meeting
      • Proposed November 17, 2021 To Waterloo Regional Council
      • June 26, 2023 City of Kitchener Council Meeting
      • December 6, 2022 Region of Waterloo Meetings
    • Advocacy Resources - Broad
    • Social Media
  • Home
    • Connecting with our WR Municipalities & Local Democracy
    • Human Rights - Leaning in & Learning >
      • A Human Rights approach to encampments - What does this mean?
      • Exploring the Key Principles of "A National Protocol for Homeless Encampments in Canada"
      • Draft Policy – Encampments on Region-Owned Public Lands
    • Living Rough >
      • Living Rough: Warming & Cooling Centres
      • Info Page: Living Rough: Encampments
      • Living Rough: Victoria/Weber Encampment 1.0: Summer Recap
      • Living Rough: Washrooms
      • Unsheltered: Living the Experince
    • Advocacy - Nickles and Dimes >
      • Dear RoW: Your Bylaw is Faulty (& Your Politics Kinda Suck) - Seeking Change: Nickels & Dimes
      • Open Letter: ​Seeking aid for Unsheltered in face of current Extreme Weather Crisis
      • CAEH Conference Ottawa 2024
      • WR Women's Shelter - What's going on? Regional Council Meeting
      • 519 Community Collective: Enough is Enough
      • Me Proposal Jan 13th 2020 Details
      • Unsheltered Campaign Letters to Local Municipalities
      • Unsheltered Campaign 2022 Municipal Candidate Pledge
      • My "nickel": Victoria and Weber Encampment
      • Love, compassion and a whole lot of action!
      • As we start having more of the difficult conversations surrounding Unsheltered lives
      • Social Justice Housing Rally
      • On the right to adequate housing
      • Host Bob Jonkman connects with Regan Sunshine Brusse , Anti-Poverty activist with the Alliance Against Poverty
      • The Record: Letter to the Editor re: oneROOF Funding Loss
      • Community Forum: Videos
      • Alliance Against Poverty Supports Local Grassroot Plea For Aid
      • Blue Sky Horse Radio Segment - Martin Asling, Lesley Crompton, And Terry Kaan
    • Around here - Older content
    • Municipal Meeting Pages >
      • April 23, 2025 Regional Council Meeting & 100 Vic. Proposed Bylaw April 23, 2025
      • WRPS Board Meeting June 12, 2024
      • October 12, 2022 Region of Waterloo Council Meeting
      • August 18, 2022 Regional Council Meeting
      • June 22nd Regional Council Meeting
      • August 9, 2022 Regional Community Services Comittee Meeting
      • Region of Waterloo Council Meeting April 27, 2022
      • May 9. 2022 -Region of Waterloo Community Services Committee Meeting
      • November 15, 2021: 2022 Plan & Budget Development- Com. of Whole
      • 2022 Budget public input session- Regional Council November 8, 2021
      • November 9th, 2021- Committee of the Whole Regional meeting
      • Proposed November 17, 2021 To Waterloo Regional Council
      • June 26, 2023 City of Kitchener Council Meeting
      • December 6, 2022 Region of Waterloo Meetings
    • Advocacy Resources - Broad
    • Social Media
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YOUR CART


"The Archives"         

Your voice counts! 

Get your housing thoughts in: 

City of Kitchener is taking steps to make housing more affordable in our city and we're looking for feedback from the public on our draft Affordable Housing Strategy.

Provide feedback by Oct. 30: https://t.co/CxKDpgjgLG pic.twitter.com/lU1wohJJCE

— City of Kitchener (@CityKitchener) October 10, 2020
Your #Unsheltered support is needed! 
The button below is where you can
​check in on what items are
​currently needed in Unsheltered Aid. 

Thank you to all for their support!
How to help!

City of Kitchener Council Meetings 
​(Watch a meeting link^^^)


Life Stories of Displacement
(very cool!^^^)

find out more!

Alright #kwawesome ... #unsheltered aid challenge ♡
So grateful for our having pulled together last night's help (6 sleeping bags in an evening last minute rocked!)
How big can we go?
Could we find 50 this week?
Count rec'd to be updated below.
Let's rock this! ♡ #united

— Regan Sunshine Brussé (@ReganBrusse) October 5, 2020
Heres how to help!

"Community works together to protect homeless population from COVID-19 and to plan for winter" 
- RoW Press release, September 24, 2020

For now find more of the recent "tucked away" content here: 
Winter Is Coming!
Living the experience - Street Vibes
We can do better! - Unsheltered Campaign

Region to open 3 sites for short-term accomodations to people who are homeless this winter - CBC News

Land Back Camp moves, calls on Waterloo to do more anti-rasicm work - Kitchener Today

Outreach better investment than security guards in Cambridge, agencies say -The Record


Kitchener councillors approve anti-racism plan - The Record    (Related Staff Report to Council)

We remain lacking overnight public water and sanitation accesses for our #unsheltered population... Why?
More info at: https://t.co/vDEmRnLKx5 pic.twitter.com/W3XwBSeU18

— Sunny the Saucy Poverty Parrot ♡ Happy Halloween! (@ReganBrusse) October 15, 2020
Unsheltered basic need concerns in WR
Picture
Had the pleasure of joining @MyAudioFace on 98.5 CKWR FM recently in discussion on poverty and our local unsheltered housing crisis. If you missed it online take a moment and tune in below!
(We STILL need water and port-a-potties for our unsheltered!)
Join the conversation!
Engage WR - Kitchener
Affordable Housing Strategy

Your #privilege is showing.

— Regan Sunshine Brussé (@ReganBrusse) September 1, 2020

#Kitchener Council endorses immediate quick wins and further engagement on draft housing strategy. Hopefully, an additional quick win to come for some of the unsheltered in Kitchener. https://t.co/tCGtan3BbF

— Social Development Centre Waterloo Region (@sdcwr) September 1, 2020
Kitchener Special Council Meeting - Aug. 31, 2020

At a Maximum of 3 at a time, local residents in need of water may access the upstairs Charles Street Bus terminal where they can find a drink from a water fountain that looks like these ones. https://t.co/YY5H14gvqc

— Regan Sunshine Brussé (@ReganBrusse) July 1, 2020

Would you use a public water fountain to get a drink? (no bottle - by mouth) #Covid_19 #COVID19Ontario #kitchener

— Regan Sunshine Brussé (@ReganBrusse) July 12, 2020


#Tankgirl2020 https://t.co/dubmUF4jNy

— Regan Sunshine Brussé (@ReganBrusse) July 3, 2020

Picture


Can we please get support of portable food & drink arranged for the bus terminal?
​Local encampment resident 
Jukie Daly receiving some water supply provisions
offered in aid
​by the local
​
Unsheltered Campaign
Picture
Kitchener Housing Needs Assessment
Ontario Works Service Information
ODSP Service Information
Kitchener Today Weather Forecast
Region of Waterloo Cooling Centres

“It kind of sucks, right, with everything that’s going on, now they’re trying to kick us out of here,” says Terry Kaan, who is living in the camp. (Source)

Radio Waterloo CKMS 102.7 FM  
​segment with host  
​@BlueSkyHorse  (<Twitter)
You can connect further
with CKMS host ​Yenny Eckstrom online:
Facebook: Blue Sky Horse Radio
or
YouTube: Blue Sky Radio Yenny       

https://t.co/ftQCm9kavb Would this be a fit for this concept? (I like this match up!)

— Regan Sunshine Brussé (@ReganBrusse) July 16, 2020

For clarity, I do apologize for my recent bold tone, but we all have where we draw "the line" and with full respect to all in this discussion, it needs to be a lot sooner than water supply needs. Is this who we are collectively now?

— Regan Sunshine Brussé (@ReganBrusse) June 30, 2020

Picture
Image source -" Better Understanding Parents in Poverty: Meeting Basic Needs First"

Social Justice Housing Rally
the time to hesitate is through
THe Journey is the Joy - Echos from an old womans Life

Sign the petition: 
​
We need a fighting chance for our unsheltered residents!

"Water sourcing for the local unsheltered. This IS Kitchener folks." @ReganBrusse https://t.co/5mREdFLHkp pic.twitter.com/XF9Q9IKjW4

— unsheltered.campaign (@UnshelteredC) June 25, 2020
"People who are homeless have even fewer options to be informed about supports they could be eligible for as they do not always have cell phones and now have less ability to connect to the internet, their workers, and even the social groups that usually support them. Drop-ins and meal programs, malls and public spaces where they could connect before are closed to them. "

Joint Letter from:
- Awareness of Low Income Voices
- Disabilities & Human Rights
- People’s Action Group 

- Alliance Against Poverty

Read the full letter

https://t.co/ZF8xXqS0HF pic.twitter.com/idSTltSVtt

— Regan Sunshine Brussé - #sunshinehippystuff (@ReganBrusse) April 29, 2020
Listen to Radio Segment on CKMS

Listen in to this interview hosted by 
CKMS Radio!
Interview begins at 11:59
​Great tunes on both sides of it! 

Foundation of Intentional Communities
Federation of Egalitarian Communities

"The Struggle Is Real"

"Bank Garnishes Government Assistance
​To Local Anti-Poverty Advocate"

Love the almost full @scotiabank garnish of my families only eligible just deposited covid funds.@LauraMaeLindo @debbiechapman1 what's going on about these related type impacts? My ow supported self just got taken out at the knees again. Risidual to last year's issues

— @csviamonde covered up my families trauma (@ReganBrusse) April 10, 2020

Really wish @csviamonde would talk to me and save me a few hassles as well as @Scotiabank. These battles wear too much & are knocking me down while I try to help. RT 2 support these places communicating better with me privately for resolution and fairness. Enough already!

— @csviamonde covered up my families trauma (@ReganBrusse) April 16, 2020
Listen to the segment on CKMS
"Along with Regan Sunshine Brussé, we speak with Laura Mae Lindo, the Kitchener Centre representative in provincial parliament and Lea Caragata, a professor of social policy at Wilfrid Laurier University." -SOURCE by Host: Ivan Angelovski

@radiowaterloo helps local advocate for the poor get her social assistance back from @scotiabank
Whats #Covid_19 impact on low-income people in #Waterloo □□
Great conversation with @ReganBrusse @LauraMaeLindo and @LeaFSWLaurier from @Laurierhttps://t.co/xpccVPUC1j

— Ivan Angelovski (@Ivan_Angelovski) May 16, 2020

Sign the petition: We need a fighting chance for our unsheltered residents!
Picture
Website: 
Civic Hub-On-Line: Unsheltered Campaign

Twitter: @UnshelteredC
Facebook: Unsheltered Campaign
Instagram: @unsheltered.campaign
How to donate and contribute

First Letter by Heather Majaury
Care & Precautions for unsheltered now!
Press Release - April 11th, 2020
A second letter by Heather Majaury
Voices from within the struggle
First Campaign Purchases Made!
Second Campaign Purchases Made!
Listen in to this interview hosted by 
CKMS Radio!
Interview begins at 11:59 - Great tunes on both sides of it! 

The unsheltered need a chance to get through this pandemic https://t.co/qZ9ZoKfuUr

— KitchenerToday (@KitchenerToday) April 15, 2020
"Turning Up The Volume"
Great music and conversations!

CARE AND PRECAUTIONS FOR UNSHELTERED NOW

​Grassroots Petition Available For Local Individual Citizen Signature

"Decisions made by those w. privilege, without adequately listening 2 the voices of those w. none, will fail 2 make any necessary change within our society, at its most base structural level, away fr the belief that one’s income has a direct correlation 2 the value of individual"

— Regan Sunshine Brussé (@ReganBrusse) April 8, 2020


For local groups seeking to add their names, please contact
Social Development Center of  Waterloo Region to be listed.
Here is the reality of many RIGHT NOW in our community. Pictured below.
Read More

An Immediate Request On Homeless Needs

April 10th, 2020
1) Immediate cold weather supplies and equipment offered to ALL local residents in need of such, to de distributed to local agencies to pass out accordingly. Cost applied to whomever it suits. At this point in the year this does not need to be expensive. 
Read More
As we come together globally, locally, and communally, recognizing our need to protect our most vulnerable, those at most risk of dying in this current crisis, I cannot envision a more eloquent metaphorical image of "we are in it together"!

Let us begin to design and create this interwoven portrait of unity.

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There remain basic survival measures that are lacking for these people. It is still cold outside. They are freezing.

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Website built, designed, and managed by Regan Sunshine Brussé
Photo from roleATL