When I first came across this title and the prologue I couldn't wait to dive right in & get a better glimpse at what I've already been dealing with on multiple levels in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
In fact, I'm still living in extreme poverty but I'm the new face of adversity as I'm well educated with a dual Masters and 20 yrs of volunteering.
You might think as this book noted that the poor simply want a hand out not up. The reality is we want to work and the EITC isn't working.
In fact, I myself have applied to a local hospital with the EITC in effect; money that was in the thousands if I was hired; yet the company still declined.
My age, my responsibilities as single parent requiring flexibility/benefits/higher salaried work with full time status isn't what is on the menu.
Having jumped through numerous interview hoops has made it worse by getting my hopes up only to hire that recent college grad with less experience.
I'm dumbfounded and have been told to actually dummy self down if I want employment.
I'd add for those reading I began cold call emails seeking work. It resulted in being told I seem desperate (10 yrs job searching); and entitled because of volunteering and expecting a return investment.
Can you imagine having given over 20 yrs of your life helping others; a recipient of the Points Of Light Award by our 41st President-the highest our nation offers and being told this or worse--the very 1st interview question - Why aren't you employable with a Masters?
So, when I answered truthfully and brutally honest as was told to do I was told I was too negative yet that's life. It's my reality. Here's my link to the prestigious volunteerism: https://www.pointsoflight.org/awards/donna-m-gatcha-hines/
I've had jobs given up for many reasons: A convicted felon needed a job right out of prison; my boss needed the job w/o even applying or submitting an application; the governor placed hiring freeze; the man hired had more experience yet it's on job training. Everyone that has been hired has been under 40!
It's impossible to get ahead speaking from experience with government limitations.
For example my son headed to college they took away all disability payments just prior to graduation.
When he went to local 2 yr college they tried telling us we'd lose his amount of EBT.
When I sought ten years of employment I was told I was lazy, didn't want to work, yet when I worked I was top producer in two departments working as a material handler for $7.25 hr. with a 10 cent yearly raise.
Now, fast forward 30 years, a divorce, 100k marital debt, 30k student loan debt with payouts of over 100k in interest, 30 k medical debt (13 yrs to repay in collections), no home, no assets, no savings, bankrupt, no credit, no employment and you might begin to understand.
I'd add other factors not figured into the poverty is for lazy theories- bootstraps- plenty of jobs out there.
As a victim of domestic violence there's not a landlord that'll rent for fear of further problems with police or otherwise having an active PFA.
With kids landlords are reluctant to rent and as a single mom they know below minimum wage and poverty level jobs won't cut the rent.
Without credit or recent employment such as being a homemaker having raised 3 kids is not a great resume builder nor will it fetch you an apartment because rentals are based on credit and employment.
Shelters are based on single occupancy without children in tow and you must spend all day seeking employment not great for those of us with disabilities and medical issues.
In fact that's my next issue- severe spinal stenosis, 20 yrs pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, mild copd, mild asthma, severe anemia, HUS(hemolytic uremic syndrome) yet with all this I'm not able to get disability because of the thresholds of claiming disabled ie. unable to walk unless using a walking device such as a cane.
Every aspect is made three times harder upon the poor. In fact living poor is harder than being rich.
I assure you I went from mid income with a spouse making higher incomes in DC to now completely broke in Pa.
All the training, all the degrees, all the Kool Aid being sold to people is just that empty promises by politicians lining their own pockets.
Greed, corruption, pay to play, nepotism, cronyism all of this impacts the future of our society.
We have someone in the highest office of the land doing absolutely nothing for our country but feeding this greed of wealth for himself and his loyal partners including family and friends.
The drugs is another aspect discussed that was used to get others addicted and then once they were they pumped the Narcan to get them down.
In other words the rich became richer. Those pumping it in knew the end results and knew that it would be deadly. They were making a profit the drug manufacturers, the pharmacies, the doctors, and the hospital staff.
I can't walk into a place without them offering me everything from oxycodone, to steroids, to pain killers, to breo and I have refused. So, much so the doctors overrode my refusal and filled out a prescription anyway and sent it out.
The reason- MEDICAID pays out.
For that 40 minute visit you'll have 10 minutes to talk about 20 yrs of misdiagnosis such as I've had and don't dare talk fast or you'll be labeled many negative commentary.
Don't dare speak about past med history, past illnesses, past family history because you'll be labeled again and offered additional 'helpful' items -always with the end result being drugs.
I'm a person who doesn't take a Tylenol for a tension headache but these 'recent fellowship' new hires are all about pumping up the system.
I wish you could spend the day on the 'front lines' as I call them but for now I'll leave you with this video in hopes that one day we end the injustices and get back to normalcy. This was a video made by the President of my Food Bank for which I had volunteered for extra food under the table.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=HakCAdPrlms&feature=emb_logo
Food insecurity, poverty, homelessness, suicides, depressions, overdoses are very real and the government is making them a bigger reality than ever before by limiting the assistance and making the systems designed to help actually hurt those who need them most.
I will note I was one of 20 who had her story told to every member of Congress by Rosa DeLauro concerning Food Insecurities. Page 38: https://d3b0lhre2rgreb.cloudfront.net/ms-content/uploads/sites/9/2015/10/07191013/CommunityVoices-web-003.pdf
It hasn't changed my situation as I continue to receive day after day declines in the job market.
Job fairs and networking are a constant here and will continue to be as just last week I walked in full of hope as first arrival only to be turned away 1 week later before the stock market dive from corona virus and worries.
This is a constant and I pray you never have to live this way as it's hell.
For those who think the commentary about just get a job, here's what you're entitled too, suck it up buttercup we all have issues, or any other negative - I will trade you any day of the week.
Walk a mile in her shoes and you shall see reality like never before...
I know many of you will read this and think those bums, those welfare momma's, they want everyone else to pay their way...I beg of you to understand the world today is not the world of yesterday.
No pay raises, no seniority, overseas hiring, nepotism in hiring, corrupt companies, pay to play, kids for cash, where does it end?
Unemployment rates need to use the U6 method and not U3 which doesn't account those who gave up looking, the working poor, the seasonal and temps and those LT unemployed beyond 6 months.
We need to get real and stop the myths about poverty.
We are all a paycheck away, a med disasters away, an unexpected death away...
I hope America understands this is a universal crisis and we need to keep up with our Allies and stop the madness.
This was a great read and I hope you embrace it all!
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