Welfare/ Public Aid
@BellasmamaTiff (2544)
United States
September 29, 2007 9:15am CST
This was partially inspired by a new friend. But, a few things have come to mind, and I may use this topic for an article. I would just simply like to know, how many of you are on aid? This includes Medical benefits, food stamps and/or cash assistance. How long have you been on? Do you get treated differently because of your welfare status?
Here's my story. I am on welfare. I am a single welfare mom. I have a two year old daughter, who's father is incarcerated until 2010. I do not recieve one red cent from him, and most likely still will not once he is released. I have a disibility which keeps me from keeping one job for too long. Not something I can help. I have been on aid for almost 3 years now, and people DO look at me like I am different. I get looked down upon, my daughter gets looked down upon. We also live in public housing, and I had a yardsale a few months ago. Two people came. Because of the location, people thought my items would be nasty or dirty. One of the people that DID come, I overheard her say "these are really nice, for being HERE". I went the other day to get my asthmatic daughter a new nebulizer, I had no idea aid only replaced them every 3-5 years, hers had broken. The lady at the agency was VERY snooty, VERY rude. She accused me of playing the system. Told me that everyone on aid plays the system.
Have you had treatment like this? Tell me your stories here. I promise. You will NOT be judged here.
1 person likes this
7 responses
@Ravenladyj (22902)
• United States
29 Sep 07
I was on what used to be known as Mothers Allowance many yrs ago..Mothers Allowance is basically Family Welfare...but that was long ago when my kids were itty bitty...
I think that ppl who look down on those who are on assistance be it welfare or disability etc etc FOR VAlID REASONS are idiots and cruel...HOWEVER I, over the yrs, have known a few less than savoury ppl who've been on assistance WITHOUT needing it and are jsut scamming the system and they IMO are the reason EVERYONE who is on assistance are frowned upon.....
For those who belittle true needers though..well hell I dont see them offeringn jobs or paying the receipients bills etc! When I was on M.A nobody offered to pay my rent, feed/clothe/diaper my kids, give me a job and supply childcare! I had to do what I had to do in order to provide for my kids and the Gods know their father was useless when it came to helping or even paying his support for that matter!!
2 people like this
@Lizzieflynn (8)
• United States
29 Sep 07
I was on welfare when my first child was born. I was young when I had her and didn't have an health insurance. And, yes, people were very quick to judge and look down their noses. It was horrible to go to the grocery store with food stamps when people were behind me. And, of course, there are the "welfare queen" comments. I can't count the number of times I had to actually tell people that I wasn't getting rich off of welfare. Crazy! I hated it.
I can really sympathize with you. Keep your head up and don't let those people get you down. You know you're not gaming the system, right? So, try to let their reactions roll off of you. Hopefully you'll be able to get off the system soon and show them that you're not as bad as they think you are.
@crazed_moma (1054)
• United States
29 Sep 07
lol is it possible to get rich off welfare? Sure we ate good when we had food stamps but by no means were we rich!
When I was on WIC I had a clerk get very snotty with me and question EVERY item I had gotten. I had gotten Jiff PB instead of the store brand because it was on sale for a lower price. She made the bag boy go check! I was so happy not to have to use it any more. THe people at the WIC offices are pain and THEN the clerks are rude.
@tanniebabe78 (2934)
• United States
24 May 08
I use welfare only when necessary and wince when doctors do unnecessary tests and make unnessary appointments. I have seen that since having my daughter.
I have never noticed being looked down upon though. I guess I am just not aware of it. I don't pay others attention. I do what I do for my kids, not me. It would be a whole different kettle of fish entirely if I had just myself to think of.
And its not about having kids when not being able to afford them. In this declining economy, you just never know when your job is going to be cut.
@RosieS57 (889)
• United States
30 Sep 07
Well I will judge. That lady was flat out wrong and deserves to lose her job. Then maybe she'd understand the difficulties involved when she would suddenly be in need of assistance.
Here in FL there is no welfare, there is workfare. Aid is provided to enable the parent to get training or to be able to get to work. It is supposed to be temporary but some people need to have it until their children are in school for a few years. And there's nothing wrong with that.
The state employees are supposed to be of service to the recipients of assistance. There's no shame in needed assistance for a while...there is shame in being nasty to people in need.
If you lived in Central Florida I would ask for the name of the employee and the agency address and phone and I would call there EVERY DAY until they finally up and fired that employee. If more people who have the time to did this then employees who act this way would eventually all be shuffled out of these agencies and only truly service minded employees would be left . :-)
@tamararacine (268)
• United States
13 Jan 08
I was on assistance a couple of times and still get WIC and masshealth. I am a single mom of 3 boys and expecting my first girl!!!
Let me say I work full time for the Army and I have been enlisted for 12 years. There are so many people that abuse the system and make it extremly difficult for people like me that just need a little extra help.
My 2 year old has extreme case of asthma and I can relate to the neubilizer incident. I was aid when I got my sons but it broke after a year and they wouldn't replace it. I was told your in the army you can afford it!!!!!
Funny thing is I do make good money but I also pay $640 a month in daycare...
@AlabamaBookWorm (40)
• Battle Creek, Michigan
24 May 08
Well, frankly, why should other people's tax dollars go to support you? How can a disability keep you from keeping a job for very long? If you can work a little, you can work a lot. No one pays for my housing or food or medical. I have to work and do it all on my own. Sorry, but I am totally against welfare. Unless one is comepletly crippled and bedridden, one can do some sort of work.
@reinydawn (11643)
• United States
29 Sep 07
When my son was just born, I was on WIC (Women Infants and Children). They provided the formula and baby cereal. When my doctor wanted him on milk and baby food, WIC would not start paying for it because it wasn't in line with their schedule. They wanted to keep giving me formula. I had some friends that were in the same shape I was financially but they didn't qualify, so I kept getting the formula and just gave it to them. I guess I abused the system but after a while I didn't even go down to get the vouchers any more because it was such a hassle. And now that I think back, the grocery clerks always gave me nasty looks because it made their job harder to ring up everything separate.
I'm sorry that people look down on you for having a need. There are legit people out there that deserve the help. I think that our views have been tainted by the people on welfare that have 3 nice cars and eat steak every night.
