In order to (partially) understand poverty, I have to receive welfare. This is part of my job (I make little money) and part of my commitment to poor people (I have to understand some of the trials homeless people must face).
Welfare isn't completely new to me. I've never made much money and, in fact, I was even on food stamps while in college in NY. Being on welfare in another state only highlights how crappy the situation is in Ohio.
Let's talk food stamps. In order to get food stamps in NY you need to stop in the Social Services office and fill out an application. After waiting a few weeks, you'll receive a letter asking you to come back into the office to see if you qualify for expedited food stamps. All you'll need is a driver's license. If you qualify for expedited food stamps, you'll receive your allowance for 1 month while you get your paperwork in order. This means that in NY, you WILL HAVE FOOD while getting everything together for your permanent food stamps card (they call it a Benefits Card).
Now, let's say you want food stamps in Ohio. First fill out an application online. Months later you'll receive a mysterious letter in the mail saying you must report to your assigned welfare office. If your case is handled by Westshore, you'll have to figure out their temporary location (on Payne) or else you'll end up the address they've listed online (on Lorain) which is closed for renovations. In Ohio, you automatically won't qualify for expedited food stamps because THERE AREN'T ANY. You will only get you Direction Card after you get your cartload of paperwork in (bills, etc.) and make sure you don't miss any forms or you'll have to drop them off. You'll get yr card + you'll be lucky if your balance is right. Next you'll have to return to yr case worker for a face-to-face "interview" every 3 months. If you miss yr appt (or if the office is closed for snow, as on 2/14/07) you'll have to wait until you get a hold of yr case worker to reschedule yr appt before you can get food. SO YOU WILL HAVE NO FOOD.
Argh I hate Westshore. I hate welfare in Ohio. Why is Ohio so far behind?
About Me
- sarah
- I love being steeped in a new town + making comparisons/observations between the places I know + want to know more of. I'm currently working with homeless issues in the lovely city of Cleveland. I love *found* items. I'm constantly picking papers off the ground/outta the trash to see if it's anything worth salvaging. I find immense value in other people's discarded notes.
4 comments:
I was on welfare for almost two years after I had my son 17 years ago. I am grateful it was there-the free food and medical coverage were appreciated, despite any delays or inconveniences. I now have a good life and am a productive citizen; contributing my taxes to the very system that helped me temporarily when I needed it. If it weren't for that 'safety net' I used for two years, I don't think I would be where I am today.
Would this situation be the same all over Ohio?
Are there any kinds of groups out there who are trying to change the way welfare is here?
When I got laid off of my job unexpectedly in NorthEast Ohio a few years back, I found the process actually very easy. I went to the office during open hours, I filled out my forms, and I left with my benefits. If I had decided to take advantage of the food stamps I was offered, those were good to pick up within a week if I remember correctly. Maybe you just had a bad experience, maybe I had a really good one.
Interesting blog, I will continue to check it out.
The ease of your welfare programs all depends on your case worker, your agency, your state/city, etc. To put it simply: there is no standard way in which welfare operates. I've had a horrible time with Westshore whereas other people, in my same situation (they have the same job as I do) have the easiest time getting food stamps because they go through a different agency. Here's what happened when I last went to Westshore: 1 - The agency moved back to its original location (on Lorain) without notifying me. 2 - They couldn't notify me because I moved, they say, YET they moved three months ago. I moved two months ago. 3 - I couldn't notify them that I moved because I couldn't get a hold of ANYONE and all voicemail boxes were full. 4 - My case worker gave me trouble because I needed a new letter saying I was at my job still, even though my original letter said I'd be working from July 06 to July 07.
It's just insane. My supervisor says no one else had been having this much trouble obtaining food stamps. I swear they just want you to give up.
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