The Problem with Food Banks

“[Taylor] is philosophically opposed to the food bank’s existence because as long as the food bank exists, the government will never be forced to look at the real reasons people come to food banks,” says Aason.

He rhymes off those reasons: lack of a living wage; lack of affordable daycare; lack of affordable housing. “The single parents that come to us have to work two or three jobs to sustain themselves.”

Read the rest of this great article from The Tyee here.

Stories of Value: Photos of Faith in Action

A warning to all of my close family and friends: you are probably going to be sick of seeing this project by the time I’m done talking about it.

A semester ago I took part in one of the most amazing experiences that will forever impact all of my future decisions. Cheesy to the extreme, but true. The SFU Undergraduate Semester in Dialogue program is more than just a 15-credit class. It helps shape your academics, business and life. And as the post-dialogue semester comes to an end, I find myself reflecting on my time in dialogue and all that I accomplished.

I didn’t know if a team of 16 could work together to organize and facilitate a public dialogue about faith and community. I am still in disbelief that in a few short hours, the members of the dialogue outside from the tight circle of 16 were able to engage with each other respectfully and openly. I was lucky to be the photographer, surprise surprise, and it gave me a unique way to observe and take in the events of the day. I got to learn something from every participant.

I was also able to grow by developing my own project. The world was basically my oyster. I felt the need to go back to my roots and find a way to possibly make an impact in the world of homelessness and poverty. I created a bit of a photo essay to share the stories of people connecting their faith to their work. I originally had intentions to take this project as far as it could go but these days I’ve thought that I should leave it as is. It taught me a lot but I think I need to move on to other exciting projects.

But I am still proud of my work and I doubt there will be a time I wouldn’t want to show it off. Please enjoy the photos and learn from the stories behind them. Check out Stories of Value: photos of faith in action. And good luck to all future Dialogue students. It is a wonderful, growing family.