Single Mom in School At Risk of Being Evicted

Escaping poverty is not easy. Anyone who has lived with the daily fear of losing their home or of not being able to feed their children knows - surviving can be a fulltime job in itself.

I am writing in support of one young woman who is striving to create a better life for herself and her children. Right now, she’s falling between the cracks. She left an abusive relationship, moved, got herself on track, and is now halfway through a 1-year college program.

In BC, you can’t receive welfare if you are a student.

“A family unit is NOT eligible for income assistance when an adult in the family unit is a full-time student enrolled in a funded program of studies or an unfunded program of studies without prior approval of the minister. Full-time students are not able to meet the employment obligations and may be able to access alternative sources of funding including bursaries and student loans.”

 https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/policies-for-government/bcea-policy-and-procedure-manual/eligibility/education-and-training

This young woman is a full-time student in a program that is government funded for tuition and 70% of her book expenses. When she started school, she thought she had funding and bursaries lined up. Unfortunately, she has previous student loans in bad standing (as happens when you’re struggling to make ends meet) and as a result, is not eligible for ANY loans or bursaries through Student Aid. 

She received a grant for expenses that helped cover costs until Christmas. Since the New Year, she’s been financially sinking more each month.

There are many people in this world and in this province struggling to make ends meet, to keep the lights on and keep food on the table. Many people in this situation will go without food themselves to give their kids everything they have. Many people in this situation live with the constant fear that their struggles with poverty will be equated with neglect. It’s for these reasons that this campaign is for an anonymous recipient.

This young woman was able to receive short-term crisis funding through welfare, but it will not get her through until she graduates. She’s taken on a part-time job on top full-time course work and full-time parenting. She’s maintaining an excellent academic standing.

I am fundraising to pay their rent for the next 8 months so that she can focus on school and on her children without the constant fear of being homeless. I am also hoping to raise enough money to cover her upcoming school fees.  

This campaign will not change the systemic barriers that make it extraordinarily difficult for so many people to escape poverty. This campaign will not fix the holes in programs to ensure that other women in this situation have the support they need. But, this campaign will help one woman graduate college. In doing so, this campaign will create a positive trajectory of life for two young children who will not grow up in poverty. They will grow up seeing their mom succeed.

With gratitude,

Erin Kapela


About me: I am a co-owner of Time To Heal in Duncan and the lead instructor/trainer of the Spirit First Workshop Series. I chose to dedicate myself to healing and working with Time To Heal because it worked when nothing else did. Working with Time To Heal founder, Andrew Louisy, helped me to recreate my entire life. By the time I met Andrew I’d tried everything. Counsellors and friends would end up believing my denials and support my rationale for destruction. I was desperate for change, but I thought I needed to do it on my own. Time To Heal gave me the foundation I was missing, the tools to hold myself accountable, and the community and support I needed to rebuild with humility and gratitude. I am about to graduate with a Master of Counselling in June 2019 from City University. 

I know what it's like to struggle and live in fear of losing everything. I know what it's like to feel like the whole world could fall out from underneath me at the drop of a hat. I'm thankful that I have not had that experience while raising young children. The community was integral to my success, health, and wellbeing. I do what I can when I can to help empower people to heal and help connect community support to those in need. 

http://timetohealcommunity.com/