So the part of the ride that I have neglected the most, but what is probably the most important part, is telling the stories of those we have met along the way. There have been so many over the last 3,000 miles, but I choose to tell the story of a woman we met in Jefferson City, MO, at the Missouri Catholic Conference.
Just as we were wrapping up with a presentation and discussion with the good folks at the Catholic Conference and Central Missouri Community Action, a young woman in the back raised her hand to participate in the conversation – by young woman, I mean 29, my own age, which may be why her story touched me so much. This woman was very well dressed and well educated and shared with us that she is a single mother who works at a local social service agency. She told us that she is a recipient of food stamps and state child care assistance. She qualifies for these forms of financial aid just dollars below the requirements. She spoke of her frustration about wanting to work more hours and get a better paying job but knows that she would lose both the child care assistance and food stamps if she did. She said her income would have to increase SUBSTANTIALLY to make up the financial difference. So what is she to do?
At this point, she will continue to work her limited hours, raise her son, and tell her story about how the system does not support her in trying to become self sufficient.
- Bethany Paul
User Comments
Comment by Kathie Conwell on 2010-08-01 19:22:09 Thanks Bethany for your insights. We do need to find a solution for those who struggle at the fringes. The question is how do we do that?. We are a smart country, We CAN reduce poverty.
Comment by
on 2010-07-28 22:43:19 Bethany - your story is very compelling. We think of the American dream, the get-ahead because-we-are-educated theology and this is so reverse to that. We should all rethink our paradigms and help people rather than just giving them their "daily bread". Brings us to the give a man a fish versus teach a man to fish story and shows us that we need to help open opportunities for people to use their skills rather than funding give-aways,
