Peg Sharing Circle - Exploring the Lived Experience of Poverty - Lonny & Greta (2 of 3)

The document details the daily hardships of Lonny and Greta, a couple living on social assistance in a Manitoba Housing unit with six children. It highlights the inadequacy of their monthly income, the physical and financial stress of substandard housing—including bedbug infestations and billing disputes—and the psychological toll of poverty. The narrative also explores their personal histories with the justice system and social services, their failed attempts to enter the workforce despite training, and the tension between immediate needs and long-term financial management.

• Lonny and Greta live in a three-bedroom Manitoba Housing unit that is too small for their eight-person household, and they face financial burdens from maintenance bills, including a $191 plumbing charge and a disputed $1,800 window repair bill.
• The couple's housing situation is worsened by a bedbug epidemic; they lost their furniture and experienced delays in pest control services, with a 20-30 day wait for a second spray despite a 10-day hatching cycle.
• Despite completing training and returning to school, neither Lonny nor Greta has secured employment, with Lonny facing additional barriers due to clearance limitations related to his history with the justice system.
• The couple experiences significant psychological stress and social stigma, noting that poverty leads others to assume they are lying or have pawned their belongings when items are stolen.
• Lonny and Greta have relied on social assistance for seven years, receiving $6,000 per month for eight people, which they find insufficient for their needs.

APA

Producer),, L. R. (. E. M. (. (2011). Peg Sharing Circle - Exploring the Lived Experience of Poverty - Lonny & Greta (2 of 3). International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/articles/insight/peg-sharing-circle-exploring-lived-experience-poverty-lonny-greta-2-3

Chicago

Producer),, Lonny,Greta,Christa Rust (Interviewer),Jason E.J. Manaigre (Technical. Peg Sharing Circle - Exploring the Lived Experience of Poverty - Lonny & Greta (2 of 3). International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2011. https://www.iisd.org/articles/insight/peg-sharing-circle-exploring-lived-experience-poverty-lonny-greta-2-3.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Producer), |first1=Lonny,Greta,Christa Rust (Interviewer),Jason E.J. Manaigre (Technical |title=Peg Sharing Circle - Exploring the Lived Experience of Poverty - Lonny & Greta (2 of 3) |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=15 February 2011 |url=https://www.iisd.org/articles/insight/peg-sharing-circle-exploring-lived-experience-poverty-lonny-greta-2-3 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{producer2011peg, author = {Producer),, Lonny,Greta,Christa Rust (Interviewer),Jason E.J. Manaigre (Technical}, title = {{Peg Sharing Circle - Exploring the Lived Experience of Poverty - Lonny \& Greta (2 of 3)}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2011}, month = feb, url = {https://www.iisd.org/articles/insight/peg-sharing-circle-exploring-lived-experience-poverty-lonny-greta-2-3}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }