Rene Ross posted a heartfelt message on her Facebook wall last night. 

She will no longer operate as Stepping Stone's executive director.

She wrote:

"As many of you know, there have been significant challenges with funding that began last September and hopes for other funding did not come through. Moreover, the remaining staff are delivering critical programming that program users depend on for their health and safety. Those programs must be protected at all costs. I am hopeful that the savings the organization will accumulate by eliminating the ED position will allow the staff to carry on with their crucial work."

Former Stepping Stone executive director, Rene Ross

The news of Ross's departure was featured in this morning's radio and print media reports, including the Chronicle Herald and the CBC, the latter having reported that Ross quit, but it is unclear whether she quit or her position was eliminated due to the aforementioned budget cuts. Halifax Media Co-op's Hilary Beaumont posted a well-researched article noting that Stepping Stone has undergone major changes due to shifting and unsecured funding at the organization.  

As ED, Ross was very vocal and publicly minded, often appearing on local radio and television, as well as online, including a post for the HuffPo. In the meantime, Ross states that she "will continue to support the staff and program users and will provide any support required by the Board in this challenging time." She goes on to say, "Stepping Stone is my heart, the staff are the amongst the best I have ever worked with, and the program users have taught me more than I could ever dream of learning in a university or from a book – because those impacted by policy are the true experts for change."

 

 

 

Every year at Halloween, my partner asks me, "Do you want me to pick up candy for trick-or-treaters?"

The answer is always no, because I don't want all that candy in the house. Chances are you may be sitting at your desk right now, munching on leftover candy, gum, chips and all sorts of sweet and salty snacks. "Get them out of my house before I eat them all," you may be saying.

Well, now you can, and do something good with it.

You can give it to sex workers.

Every week, staff from Stepping Stone, a sex-workers' outreach organization, go out into the streets, where they deliver what are euphemistically called "goodie bags." Condoms, lube and a snack in brown paper bags. Well Stepping Stone wants your snacks, so they can go in the goodie bags too.

For the next week or so, Stepping Stone will be accepting donations of candy to distribute through their street outreach program. To find out how, email Stepping Stone's executive director, Rene Ross, at rene@stepping-stone.org. She or a staff member will set up a time and place for you to drop off your goodies.

Begone from my cupboards and my belly, you delicious candy!

On a Friday afternoon, a staff member is putting together what they like to call “treat bags” for the night. The bags are filled with condoms, lube, a small snack and a bottle of soda. They are distributed to the city’s street-based sex workers, all done by the people at Stepping Stone.

Stepping Stone is a non-profit organization that works with street-based sex workers in Halifax. Because they are non-profit, much of their funding comes from places such as the United Way, government programs (for housing) and legal foundations (for court support). “We work with over 100 individuals on a monthly basis on all of our programs,” says Renee Ross, the executive director of Stepping Stone.

“It's hard to get people to donate and support a cause for one of the most marginalized populations,” Ross says. She notes that although they are a non-profit charitable organization, they don’t have the same cachet as others. “It's not a favourite cause for many. Finding donations and corporate sponsors is a huge challenge. We occasionally get donations of goods and services, but most of the things we need come out of our own pocket," she says. So that means a lot of the things that could potentially be donated can become costly at the end of the year. Things like condoms. "We go through 16,000 condoms a year," Ross says. 

Last year, Ross decided to create a fundraiser event for Stepping Stone. Named The Lobster Trap after a former strip club in the city, the event was a success, and so Ross decided to try to recreate that magic. This year, the event is named after the famous Peppermint Lounge. "It's a tip of the hat to the former sex workers that we still work with and support," she says. "We want to let people know that the sex trade in Halifax has a history, good and bad. We want to have a fun night and use the opportunity to get the word out."

The event is being held on Friday, Sept 28 at Michael's Bar & Grill on Young Street and features a showcase of some of the best of the city's punk scene, including The Scoop Outs and King's Eden. Ross is reluctant to say how much money she is hoping to raise ("I don't want to sound greedy," she jokes) but says that any and all funds will be greatly appreciated. 

For more information, check out the Facebook event page.