Meet Alison
Alison is an articulate, soft-spoken, kind and gentle young woman in her 20s, whose quiet nature belies her determination to achieve a brighter future for her daughter, Briana (a pseudonym). At the time of the interview, she had just come off sick leave, and wasn’t sure if she would be able to continue working the casual shift work she had been doing at a transition house in Kingston. Although she had been working there for 18 months before her sick leave, she felt she was being treated unfairly since her return to work. She expected she would have to go back on social assistance for a short time before looking for a new job.
(Read complete biography here)
Meet Debbie
Debbie is a resourceful mother of 4 children who works hard to find the bright side and the life lessons amid difficulties. She a recovering alcoholic who finds great strength and comfort in her faith in God, whom she believes will find ways to provide for her and her children. With the support of her minister and physician, she was working on trying to understand and move past the emotional difficulties that haunted her.
(Read complete biography here)
Meet Pam
Pam was a spunky, outspoken, passionate, hard-working woman. At the time of filming, she had medical benefits, a small amount of income from social assistance and most of her income came from working as a personal support worker. She agreed to participate in the film to advocate for those who live in poverty and to help provide insight into poverty for those not affected. As long as she can remember, she wanted to make the world a better place. She described being 4 years old and telling her mother that when she grew up, she would “make a difference” for people who are poor and “save the world.” She joked that she couldn’t even save herself—but that didn’t keep her from trying to make a better world.
(Read complete biography here)
Meet Sophie
Sophie is a thoughtful, curious, well-spoken, friendly woman who has done everything in her power to give her only daughter a “good life” and a reasonable standard of living. Sophie (a pseudonym) is well-known in Kingston, partly because of a long-term job that has put her in contact with many people in the city. Sophie agreed to be part of the film only if her face wasn’t shown, so her daughter would not be affected. She didn’t want her daughter to be embarrassed, feel poor, or have to explain anything to her friends.
(Read complete biography here)
Meet Summer
Summer is a well-spoken mother of two who led a middle-class life until a year before the filming. She fled an intimate relationship with the father of her second child after he became mentally, verbally, emotionally and financially abusive, controlling and manipulative. She was living on child support payments, with minimal financial benefits and health care coverage from social assistance. She lived in subsidized housing, and was battling with her ex-partner over custody and child support payments. Fortunately, her family in Toronto was able to give her financial and emotional support. Summer saw social assistance as a crutch to help her get through some difficult times.
(Read complete biography here)
