Public Welfare

Public Welfare

Poverty in this nation is a universal term. It takes hold of men and women, young and old, black and white. It affects people in all states, all countries, and of all nationalities. Poverty is an issue which society faces each day. It is a constant struggle that cannot be ignored. Defeating poverty would take great efforts and contributions from all.

As a single mother with a part-time, low wage job, my Aunt Betty has to scrape by on $377 every two weeks. She often says, "I can't afford to purchase any more than what little I already have. I'm struggling hard right now to take care of my girls and the check I receive is only income I have." She has been divorced for more than a decade, and has never received child support from her ex-husband. After working full-time at a nursing home for five years, she had to quit when her oldest daughter became pregnant. When Auntie later returned to her old job, she had to settle for part-time work with no benefits, forcing her to require public assistance.

Aunt Betty's daughter, Jessica, has broken nearly every rule for achieving financial self sufficiency. She dropped out of high school at 15, had her first child and went on welfare at 17, then gave birth to three more children in six years before divorcing their periodically employed father. Jessica is living on AFDC and food stamps worth about $455 a month. As of today, she has never earned above $13,000 a year. "I'm trying hard," she says, "what happens to me and my family is really up to the government."

Auntie's other daughter, Shawn, wanted to go to college and make a life for herself, but at the age of 19 became pregnant by her 20 year old boyfriend Joseph. Convinced that he would take care of the two of them, she went through with the pregnancy, but was later shocked when Joseph stopped coming around once their new baby boy was born. he vowed never to do the same thing his father had done to him over 20 years go, but the reality of being a new father was too great, and more than his $5.75 an hour job could afford. Shawn and her new baby were forced into welfare for support.

Although the current welfare system was built on compassionate intentions, it has become a system that fosters dependence on the government and rewards behaviors destructive to individuals, to families, and to our society. The current system undermines the work