Hunting for food, part 2

This is an update on my adventure in trying to get food assistance help in Iowa.
When I left off, I had gotten a phone call from the Department of Human Services (DHS) and they asked me for a bunch of information. They wanted to know who my landlord was, who my roommates were, who I worked for, and how much money I made. I got my AmeriCorps VISTA letter of service from the my.americorps.gov site, but there was not a letter that was easily accessible that showed my income. I was (and am) stuck in a catch 22.

I haven't been paid, which is why I needed immediate food assistance. I started in November. I had some savings, but it was all spent on moving expenses. I had to move 200 miles from Minnesota to my service site, then travel to pre-service orientation (PSO) and also have to put a deposit on my new apartment, then pay part of November's rent, and December's rent all without being paid once by AmeriCorps. DHS needed a pay stub, but I don't have a pay stub. They also wanted a copy of my Social Security Card. I would totally offer this to them, but I lost my card when I lost my entire wallet this summer. I can get a new social security card, but it cost $30. I don't have enough money for food, let alone another $30 for a replacement card.

My second hurdle is that the social security office in Dubuque is not easy to get to. The office is in the Northwest part of town. They are open 9am to 4pm, only on weekdays. I work 8am to 4pm weekdays. I would have to take time off of work to get a replacement card. while I am not an hourly employee, but many people are. If I took time to go get a replacement card, I would be losing money. Not to mention the hassle. To get a new social security card, I have to get a real copy of my birth certificate. I have a copy, but my birth certificate comes from Lawrence, Kansas. I don't know anyone in Kansas. To order a copy of it is going to cost upwards of $30 and take a week. I don't have the money. That is why I am trying to get some food assistance.

Now I have to wait until I get paid, even to be able to finish the application.




The third real issue I had with the woman at the Dubuque DHS is that I sent her an e-mail asking what other information she needed so I could finish the application. In the e-mail (I sent her the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week) I asked her about emergency services where I could get food. She didn't ever reply to it. She wasn't helpful at all. I found out later that there is a family in Dubuque that makes Thanksgiving dinner for people in the community who want to come share it. They do it every year and have been doing it for 20 years. But when I asked her


The earliest bus leaves at 6:45am. I have to be to work at 8am. This means I have to miss work to get help. My work site is sympathetic to my needs, they know how little I am paid, but if I were an hourly employee, this would be a punishment, not help.

Why haven't we fixed this yet? This is why you can't not be political. Why not make real welfare reform and make a system that moves people through it to success faster? Oh, it is because people "don't want to work" and are "lazy" or "welfare queens" or "deadbeats." It is a self-fulfilling prophecy.