They stood in the cold rain to protest the cuts.
Arbitrary cuts are commonplace.
The department's inability to really help the clients reach self-sufficiency has been criticized continuously by recipients and advocates. The women's stories were poignant and heart-wrenching. Pressure around the state from welfare justice advocates resulted in a short-term victory shortly before the March 3 deadline. The DPW in Harrisburg instituted procedures to allow clients to postpone their cut offs for several months. But the problems persist, and many families' survival is still threatened.