Day 23

Lets start from the bottom... #10 Handouts are bankrupting us. 

It wasn't until my daughter's father stopped paying child support again that I went on CalWorks for the second time.  I started in January and in the 17 years my daughter has been alive I have been on CalWorks or what some call cash aid or welfare for a total of 6 months.  I have had food stamps or now it is called CalFresh for 9 months total.  Here is why...

I dont want to be on assistance.  There are many rules and I just dont really want to waste time fighting for scraps.  I would rather be working and contributing to society.  Two of the rules that bug are the welfare to work program that is mandatory for some.  I did it the first time I was on aid and I had to waste time going to an office every day to check in and look for work on their computers.  I am a big girl and know how to look for work.  They taught me very little as I knew most of what they were pushing.  I understand the reasons behind the program but I think that there should be evaluations and if you show that you dont need to be babysat and have the motivation in you to do it on your own you shouldn't have to go. 

The second is the child support being taken.  While you are on CalWorks they take all but 50.00 of your support.  Now for me that amount is neck and neck... both being in the 500 - 600 range.  So If her father is paying support regularly then there is no benefit for me to be on CalWorks.  They of course like that but how many people can support 2 people on less than 600.00 per month even with the addition of food stamps.   Rent where we moved to is much less than in the bay area but is still 500 - 600 even for a studio and a room is between 400 - 500.  Then there is transportation.  Even to give up driving the public transportation is 60.00 per month per person and it is only city wide.  If I was to get work in another city I would need to double that assuming they had a city to city connection in the first place.  Then there is my phone that helps me email prospective employers and make needed phone calls.  Sundries that food stamps don't cover and clothes and shoes only last so long.

In addition for a while I didn't even qualify for either program because I made too much with unemployment.  I know that sounds crazy but it was true.