Always comes at the worst time.

Friday June 26th 2009

Sometimes I think the universe is out to get me. I'm sure you can relate. It often seems no matter what we do, how hard we work to improve our lives, something happens-something beyond our control-and sets us back again. Well, I'm there again.

I just got accepted into subsidized low-income housing after a wait of five years. At this time, my sole income is from General Assistance. It is a mere $261 dollars. that's what I have to work with for a whole month. Luckily my rent is only $68. I figure I have months before my assistance runs out. By that time, maybe I'll have a date for my SSI.SSD judicial hearing. I've been doing time at Community Food Co-op of Utah, for my G.A. money. It's good on the job training to acclimate my self to the work place again. The future is looking bright, right?

Not so fast. The State of Utah, who dispenses assistance like food stamps and G.A. under the auspices of the Department of Workforce Services (DWS), decides we of low-income or disability don't really need that money. All of a sudden the cap for receiving General Assistance has been reduced to 12 months in a 5 year period. It doesn't matter if you signed up before the change: If you're at 12 months, you're done. You're out an income with 30 days warning.

A real smart move with the job market and economy the way they are. I've been looking for part-time work, and discovering nobody's hiring. At least they are not hiring me. I realize I have some challenges to overcome in my work history, but I'm not really being picky. I'll take what I can get. Trouble is, I'm not getting anything. At Burger King and McDonald's I'm being asked "Do you speak Spanish?" Hell noo, I don't speak Spanish (I had 3 years of it in high school). Not for six or seven bucks an hour. At that wage, you're lucky if I show up! By the way, I have never obtained employment through DWS in the 25 years I've lived in Utah. Never. I don't know if that refelectsbadly on me or the agency. I only know it wasn't for lack of trying.

So anyway, it's a tight spot. I'm not the only person affected, of course. On the news I heard that about 500 people, which means cases, are losing their assistance. Utah ended the limit on food stamps, but ther are things you need that you can't get with food stamps; simple every day needs: soap, laundry detergent, toiletries and so forth.

And the big clincher is how many people are in danger of losing their new aprtments because of this? I know there are some people in my complex that are afraisd they'll be back on the streets. I'm one of them. I was just getting settled in, feeling happy, looking forward to a better quality of life. Now I'm threatened with it being taken away, lost again, and there's nothing I can do to divert that threat. The doctor has upped my dosages to help with the stress.

So, I'm going to write my officials and thank them for this timely gift, and if I do end up back on the street again, I'll thank them profusely. They'll probably just write me off as a bum who doesn't want to work. Unfortunately, I cant pop out any kids to get more assistance. It's the curse of the single white male, and nowhere is it more inequitable than in "family values" Utah.

I'll just keep my nose to the gringdstone and pound more pavement. If you're out there and have a job with a liveable wage where I don't have to speak another language, leave me your info in the comment box.

Good luck everyone. I have a feeling we're going to need it.

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In the intersted of consistency I plan to post something here every Friday. When "The Rio Grande Report" goes hard copy, I hope it will be weekly, so I need to get in the practice of regularly producing some copy. I'm not worried; lately it's never a dull moment.

Regarding the improvement of content, I contacted the PR/Markeitng person at 4th Street Clinic to get them to submit their information for publication here. She seemd confused about what I was asking, and unclear about the street newspaper concept. In the interest of being concise, I replied to her e-mail response, very specifically explaining what I was asking for, and what this was all about (I had already met with her late last year, by the way).

I haven't heard back since. I hope it won't be this hard to get others involved in helping the homeless in this unique but simple way. After all, it is their goal, right?

your editor