TED*’S STORY:
One of the supports that poverty advocates provide is helping people connect to money they’re entitled to. It might not be a lot and it might be a one-time payment but if it means there’s more than there used to be, then it’s worth looking for. A lot of people we meet don’t know what they’re entitled to and they often don’t know how to apply for it, or maybe they tried but it didn’t work.
Like Ted. Ted is a senior living on a little over $600 month, which is a red flag when you understand federal benefits. Someone told Ted he made too much income to collect GIS so he thought he just wasn’t ever going to get it. Our advocate set up a three-way call with Service Canada and got a great agent who discovered that Ted’s GIS had never been applied for and that he was eligible to apply retroactively for three years. Once the applications are approved, Ted’s going to get a windfall and his monthly income will triple for the rest of his life.
*Name changed to protect privacy
