By Kendall Worth
In Halifax, we often talk about food insecurity, housing insecurity, and income assistance. But there is another crisis simmering beneath the surface—social isolation.
For far too many people, especially those living on Income Assistance, life is reduced to lining up at food banks, visiting soup kitchens, or waiting for appointments with overburdened service providers. The evenings, weekends, and “in-between hours” become some of the loneliest times imaginable. Poverty doesn’t just empty wallets—it strips away social connections, belonging, and dignity.
This is why I am pitching the creation of a Social Prescribing Organization (SPO) here in Halifax. And it’s why I need the public’s attention and support to make it happen.
Background: Why I Am Making This Public
Over the past few years, I’ve been advocating for this idea through my blog and community conversations. Some of the journey is recorded here:
Reflections and Conversations on Social Prescribing – Dec 5, 2024
More Questions and Answers about Social Prescribing – Mar 19, 2025
Through these conversations with people in my community, about 40% of people I’ve spoken to support the idea—but 60% push back. Much of the resistance comes from misunderstanding what a Social Prescribing Organization is.
Too many assume it’s only about providing “cheap social outings or one big social club.” But as I’ve explained in pieces like:
Downright Difficult: Friendships Ending (2017)
Friendship, Poverty and Feeling Discouraged (2019)
Which explain why living the life of living in poverty makes forming and keeping friendships incredibly difficult.
I’ve also provided structured analysis to show why this idea makes sense, such as:
Updated SWOT Analysis – Oct 14, 2024
Despite the push-back, the need remains urgent.
What is a Social Prescribing Organization?
A Social Prescribing Organization connects people—particularly those facing poverty, mental health challenges, and social isolation—to meaningful opportunities for community, friendship, and peer support.
Unlike clinical services, an SPO focuses on the human side of health and well-being: reducing loneliness, building peer connections, creating safe spaces to socialize, and helping people step out of isolation.
The Halifax SPO I am proposing would be built on four pillars:
The Halifax SPO I am proposing would be built on four pillars:
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Peer Support Beyond Office Hours
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Trained non-professional peer workers available during evenings and weekends.
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Partnerships with Dalhousie social work students for hands-on experience and fresh energy.
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Support offered when food banks, soup kitchens, and counselling offices are closed.
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Friendship Skills & Boundary Workshops
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Helping people develop and sustain healthy friendships.
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One-on-one peer mentorship.
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Group workshops on respecting boundaries, communication, and mutual support.
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Community Voice & Advocacy
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Bringing people together around shared goals.
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Reviving the spirit of the Benefits Reform Action Group (BRAG)—a collective voice for those living on low income.
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For more, see my past work:
Challenges of BRAG – Blog Reflection
Join Team Kendall – Halifax Media Co-op
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Sober Social Spaces
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A safe, alcohol-free evening venue—what I call a “sober bar.”
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Affordable, welcoming, and stigma-free social opportunities.
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A potential revenue stream to sustain the organization.
For more on where I am advocating for a Sober Bar see Here
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Why Halifax Needs This Now
Social prescribing isn’t about “cheap entertainment.” It’s about mental health, dignity, and community survival.
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Current Income Assistance rates ($1,005/month) leave no room for restaurants, gyms, or hobby groups. I’ve written about this here:
On the Arithmetic of Poverty and Comfort – Mar 12, 2025
People often socialize at food banks or soup kitchens, but when those doors close, the loneliness returns. See:
Down and Out in Halifax and Dartmouth – Halifax Media Co-op
Mental health professionals provide essential care, but they cannot replace peer friendship.
For further first-voice perspectives, see:
First Voices Make the Case for Social Prescribing – Mar 2025
Clarifying What Social Prescription Is – Feb 2025
And to understand the cultural side of Halifax today:
The Rise of Introverts in Halifax – Apr 10, 2025
Why We Must Release the Sails
The SPO is not just an idea—it’s a solution. It is a missing piece in Halifax’s social landscape, a bridge between food security, mental health, and true belonging.
Like any sailboat, Halifax already has strong winds—brilliant community organizations, social workers, and advocates. But without a sail, those winds scatter instead of driving us forward. The Social Prescribing Organization is that sail: it will catch the wind of community energy and steer us toward connection, resilience, and hope.
A Call to Action
Halifax, this is your moment to invest in something transformative.
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If you are a policymaker: recognize that mental health is not only about therapy—it’s also about friendship, connection, and inclusion.
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If you are part of a community organization: partner with us, help us incubate, and amplify this work.
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If you are a citizen: lend your voice, your support, and your advocacy.
Together, we can build an organization that ensures no one in Halifax is left isolated, unseen, or unheard.
It’s time to release the sails.
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