Welfare

If it came down to my family not being able to eat or if we would lose our house, then you bet I would go on welfare. I would have no shame in asking for help. When we first had our son, we were on WIC and I know people would look at me weird in the grocery store for it. But hey, it's my tax dollars that went towards that too ya know! And yes, sadly, many people abuse the system but it is still nice to know that if worst came to worst, the help would still be there if we needed it! AMen!

No I would never resort to welfare. I would work and not live beyond my means. When we live beyond our means is when we go under.

I am funny about such things, and maybe I feel taking welfare is a sign of weakness and failure, but it would have to be something extremely desparate, possibly involving others in my life that would suffer also, for me to ask for welfare. I have been really desparate a few times in my life. The last time was when I first slipped a disc, I was 44 then, could not get up from the floor for 2 and a half months, lost my job in the process, and then my apartment. Thankfully by the time I lost the apartment, I was able to walk again, but what happened then was, I took the last money I had, which was my measly tax check from the year before, and rented a room in a house with 2 other roommates. Well, the 1 roommate, as it turned out, had been ripping his other roommates he had off for quite a while, and 3 weeks after I moved in, I find out he is being evicted for not paying rent for 5 months. So 5 weeks after moving in, I had to move out again, except this time I had no money left, and since I was once again homeless, I had no way of getting back on my feet, and the job I had just started I lost again because of being homeless. The little bit of cash I did have went to pay for storage to put my stuff in, I paid for as many months ahead as I had cash, leaving me with about $20. Thru all this, I never went to get welfare or foodstamps, altho some would say that was nuts on my part. I proceeded to live in my car for 3 whole months, in the heat of summer, making a few bucks here and there when I could. Around the 3rd month, I finally got a job managing a large nightclub here, while still living in my car. The owner who hired me, thankfully knew my worth, and wanted to be sure not to lose me, and he payed me what I was worth, about $800 a week, and made sure I got out of my car and into a new place. Its just me, and the way I was raised and the way I believe. As desparate as that was, I still believed there were others that needed it more, and that I would be ok, and I was. I feel good that I got thru it on my own, without asking anyone at all for help. The only help I asked of anyone at all, was for an occasional shower at different friends homes, several times a week, and I even made sure to cover my bases so as not to over extend my welcome at any one place. If I ever end up in a position like that again, I am pretty sure I would go about it the same way. As odd as it may sound, I feel better about myself that I did it on my own, did not lose any friends over it, and actually gained respect from others who could not believe I was so resilient. I do not recommend this approach to someone with kids of course, but in my case, I made my problem mine alone, which made me more determined to change the situation. I do feel that welfare can sometimes have the opposite affect on some, that is to say, instead of motivating them to change or fix the problem, they become complacent, while milking the system for whatever they can, and for as long they can. This is only one persons view, tho. Most people would not be able to handle something like that, but perhaps my gypsy lifestyle of touring and traveling on the road as an entertainer/musician all those years prepped me for the hard road I endured.

I think if there was a need for welfare you would already feel desperate. I think welfare is a good thing but I also know for a fact the welfare system has been abused and I also know of situations where Yes the person had little to nothing However the welfare gave too willingly therefore there was no need for the person to seek employment. I myself had to turn to welfare. No I'm not proud of it but Yes I was grateful for the assistance. My husband was going blind, he needed eye surgery, couldn't drive and I had to take him to the city because I had a drivers licence. I was working as a desk clerk making miniumm wage. Welfare paid my gas to get hubby help. Welfare also paid for one meal a day that I was away from my job for my husband, my daughter and myself. We were away for a week. I was back to work and before I got my next cheque the welfare sent me a letter asking to be reimbursed the funds which was one hundred and some dollars at that time. I still had food to buy rent to pay and all the things we need to do each day. I fought it good and hard but I still had to pay half of it back. Now to me that's wrong. In my travels I have known of young people in their twenties that are sitting on welfare claiming to be suffering from some illness yet they go drinking and dancing. I worked many years as a mental health counsellor and I can tell you I had clients that were on medication for serious mental health issues and yet they had a place in the work force and went to work willingly. Go figure ??? Take Care DJ9020

sure I would when i work i pay into it so if there is a time I need it I would.I know so many people abuse it today and some people know no other life sttyle but im glad its there for those who need it.

I would. In fact my husband and I are both on disability and we receive food stamps. He is embarssed of both of these, but otherwise we would be homeless because neither of us are able to work. I have herd of a lot of people abusing the system though and it makes me so mad.