The Perspective of Todays Article comes from an Educator, a Job Counselor, a Reading Teacher, a Librarian
Some branches of society have different views on people who receive public assistance. There's a certain stigma to receiving aid, a feeling of failure, a sort of guilt.
Those branches would do well to look at their numbers, and see if they qualify for help.
We get a Sewer Bill here in California
An offer came in the mail recently. In order to receive "reduced, low income', sewer bills a family of six must make less than 100,000+ USD per year.
You can be earning 100,000USD in my city and still be considered low income.
Look at the numbers again, and looked at your living situation
And give yourself permission to accept all the help that is out there.
Because that is what the programs are for.
The government doesn't want Single Moms to work two jobs to make ends meet
They want you to take your cheese (WIC, SNAP, Calfresh, etc), they want you to get your house Section 8, pay your reduced electricity bill,
And take care of your kids
They know they either help you raise these kids, or, they end up in a foster system, in prison, and out creating HAVOC in the neighborhood.
Or take really good care of yourself
For example Vets, Retired People, Disabled.
Those who can get into the system, will be able to live comfortable enough,
But where is this money coming from?
Well, for now we will ignore the issue with the privatization of our prison systems.
And let's ignore the welfare systems which seem to really inflare people.
Let's stick to talking about programs that are meant to help those who already work, but inflation has them feeling like the can't breath
The governments spends a certain amount of money on the public.
We can be synical about it and say they do it just for their image.
We can say its a government mind control thing.
You can talk about how they need us to buy their cheese and cereal because their friends own the dairy, and cereal companies.
And we can accept that these programs exist.
A lot of these government programs come in the form of grants
And if the money doesn't get used up, they money must be given back to the government. And we don't know where it goes after that
It is special money that gets voted in Propositions.
If you are against these programs, you are able to vote against them, but once they exist, you may as well use them as the government has already spent the money.
Its not like they'll take it back and fund something better. The money is spent.
WIC for example. A Grocery program aimed to help women and children under 5.
Is a federal grant.
All students in California get free breakfast and lunch
And if they are too little to go to school, there's WIC, so they can drink milk and toast with peanut butter, and soft boiled eggs, and oatmeal, and drink some juice and get some fresh fruits and veggies.
And if you qualify for such program, and you don't use the benefits, you are hurting two ways.
you aren't helping keep your grocery bill low
If the money doesn't get used up, then the money goes back to the government, and then people who work at the office get laid off, and a cycle of poverty begins.
There are lots of programs
Libraries for books, homework wifi, computer rentals,
It really is the age of abundance.
And if you haven't gotten a raise since 2012 or 2016 (which happens more often than you think)
Then the prices have gone up around you and you now qualify for some sort of help.
I do understand that everyone cannot receive the help that is available
I understand that there are income limits, and privileges you must already possess to qualify (legal documents, etc)
I also understand that its a good idea to look at your local numbers, and see where you stand.
Owning property doesn't disqualify you.
