Faces of Welfare | The Increased Cost of Household Items | States that have Raised the Welfare Grant | Comparisons of the Shelter Allowance and HUD Fair Market Values

Faces of Welfare:

Doris Stone

Doris Stone just wants those who are in a position to determine the amount of assistance she needs to spend one day in her shoes. Feeding three teenagers and herself this summer will be no easy feat on the $397 a month she receives in Food Stamps. “The boys come home after sports and go straight to checking what is in the refrigerator,” she laughs, finding humor in what is an everyday struggle. Additionally, her daughter, who lives with her father during the school year, is living with Doris during the summer months though the amount in food assistance does not change. Doris’ family is trying to work with what they have; sometimes her kids go to the rec. center to have lunch. On Saturday mornings they go to a church for breakfast, where they also volunteer, an example of how Doris finds ways to provide for her family when there isn’t enough.
Doris suffered a disabling injury when an argument with her husband resulted in a crushed vertebra. She cannot work or exercise for her health, but nevertheless was denied SSI disability, and is ineligible for the welfare to work programs. Given the circumstances she feels that she is “stuck in social services forever.”

Doris knows that the cost of living has been rising, though financial aid has not; it is increasingly difficult for her to secure quality housing and other essentials for her family. Much of Doris’ cash assistance goes to pay more than $100 that remains after her $343 in shelter assistance is used for rent, so other expenses, such as utilities and the $1.25 bus fare to doctor appointments, leave nothing left by the end of the month. Doris remembers being exasperated when asked how much she spends on entertainment on a welfare recertification form; given how thinly she is stretched, and how many essential things she forgoes, there is no possible way she spends money on “anything close to entertainment.” Because she doesn’t have enough money to pay for housing and her apartment still costs more than her rent allowance, Doris’ family lives in an overcrowded home in an unsafe area. Doris submitted the paperwork early to change public school districts for her children, and she is very happy with the education. However, to keep her 14 year-old in the requisite collared shirt uniform means a few trips to the Salvation Army for clothing each semester to keep pace with his growth spurts.

Just as the financial assistance she gets is stretched thin, the personnel support of social services has reached its limit. Doris has seen that the caseworkers are “overbooked and overworked,” especially with the cutbacks made over the years. While she is sympathetic to their burden, she has experienced many setbacks as a result. With her wellbeing, and that of her children’s, at stake Doris hopes that welfare assistance catches up soon.