From: westerm@aclcb.purdue.edu (Rick Westerman)
Newsgroups: alt.child-support
Subject: Re: Indiana Welfare
Date: 27 Jan 93 13:44:06 GMT
Reply-To: westerm@aclcb.purdue.edu
Distribution: na
Organization: Purdue University AIDS Center

> ... Lisa  (lisa@oneb2.almanac.bc.ca) comments that she thinks $432/month 
> in public assistance (welfare & food stamps) for 1 adult & 1 child seems 
> low compared to Canada, California and Oregon...

Lisa, please note the figures are from Indiana which in general has a lower
cost of living than California.

>
>... (something about $148/mo in child support) ... But what about clothes,
>school supplies, shelter, braces and (God forbid!) baseball gloves or birthday,
>Easter and Christmas gifts?  What about enough for the CP to pay for Life
>Insurance so that there's something left to raise the kids on should the
>unthinkable happen?  

There are a lot of other avenues for assistance; my family used several
when I wasn't making much money about 5 years ago. 

1) The power companies (gas, electric) have a program called "Project Safe"
   which prohibits them from turning off the utilites due to non-payment 
   during the winter months. Plus you get a credit for power used. We received
   around $300 per year for a family of four.

2) The schools often have "clothes drives" where the richer students donate
   items to the poorer students. Ditto for churches.

3) The schools also have free or reduced rate lunches. Fees and school
   supplies costs (e.g., book rental) can also be waived. This can add up
   to a savings of around $30/month/kid.

4) There is public housing that has subsidized rents. I live in a relatively
   small city in Indiana and the housing is fairly nice unlike a bigger 
   city like Chicago.

5) Braces are covered under Mediaid. In fact most dental/medical expenses
   can be had for free. Maybe not great quality, but low cost.

6) The baseball/softball leagues around here will waive the entry fee if
   you are poor. They will also help you find someone to donate a used
   glove.

7) On your federal income tax, you can claim an "earned income credit" (but
   only if you have children!) so that not only do you get back any federal
   tax you pay, the feds will also give you money. We "earned" about $1000
   a year (tax-free, of course) this way.

8) Occasionally the government gives away surplus cheese/milk/etc.

9) If you actually die, social security will help support the children.

There are probably other freebies you can get as well. However they don't
come walking to your door like welfare/food-stamps do (and even these you
have to apply for). Of the above, I've used #1, #2, #3, #5, #7, #8 and food
stamps. The others I've heard about and/or had friends use. 


>I just can't believe that anyone living in the real
>world could honestly believe that $432/mo. is adequate for a parent and child
>to live on. 

I do. Given the other items you can receive.


>How many of you live on that for just yourself, month after month
>and year after year? 

Not any more. And I'm glad. During the years when my family and I were
dirt poor (because *both* my wife and I were going to school) we at least
had hope for better days. So what if we didn't have a car? Or a new winter
coat? Or lots of presents? Or fancy parties? Or vacations? We knew that 
things would get better eventually.

I would hate to live a life of constant poverty without hope, though.

>(Sure as hell won't pay your University tuition for long...
>not everyone can get scholarships, you know).

Get loans instead. Tuition isn't that expensive (~$1600/year around here).
It's the cost of living for 4 people on a budget that drives one up the wall.

The real killer in being poor is that you can't make any mistakes. If you
bounce checks (at $15 per bounce), the bank doesn't care if you are poor
or rich; they'll charge you never-the-less -- it can blow your budget 
big time.

The other thing I hated was filling in all the forms on how much we made
and why we needed assistance.  I was never refused assistance, but the
extra paperwork, extra lines to stand in, and (I think this is real killer),
extra times I had to let "big brother" take charge of my life really bothered
me.




-- Rick

Rick Westerman                System Manager of the AIDS Center Laboratory
westerm@aclcb.purdue.edu      for Computational Biochemistry (ACLCB), BCHM
Phone: (317) 494-0505         bldg., Purdue University, W. Lafayette, IN 47907
  FAX: (317) 494-7897