A
job is lost. A child gets sick. A marriage ends. There
are bills to pay and children to feed. Some people
recover quickly. They have comfortable savings accounts,
good credit, retirement funds to tap if necessary.
For these people, the crisis is often short-lived
- a job is found, an illness cured.
But
for others, the spiral into poverty cannot be stopped.
People who live paycheck to paycheck, single parents,
people who live beyond their means are often one step
away from being homeless, from living on public assistance,
from staring at an empty refrigerator.
According
to U.S. Census figures, there are nearly 2,000 families
in Monroe living below the poverty line. Of those
people receiving public assistance in Monroe, 73 percent
of them are children.
This
week, The Evening News introduces you to three families
trying to deal with the struggles of joblessness,
homelessness and poverty. Learn about the resources
available to those in need, and what more still needs
to be done. On Sunday, November 16, Page 1C, we begin
this feature with the Greer family, who was left struggling
after a job loss.
Part 1: The Layoff
It
was a long fall, but eventually the Greer family found
their rock bottom
Part
2: The Illness
Tabatha
Smithers’ leukemia stretches family’s finances
Part
3: The Divorce
Unexpected
developments force family to seek assistance
Part
4: The Resources
Various
agencies, services available to help those in need
Need
is great at Philadelphia House
Men
come to the homeless shelter for a variety of reasons.
RESOURCES
AVAILABLE
United
Way of Monroe County First Call for Help
Referrals to resources available in Monroe County
242-4357
Monroe
County Health Department
Women, Infants and Children (WIC) supplemental food
program
Provides nutritional assistance to pregnant, breastfeeding
and postpartum women, infants and children up to age
5.
240-7895
Monroe
County Family Independence Agency
Food, cash, health care and daycare assistance, as well
as other services.
243-7200
Monroe
County Opportunity Program
Provides assistance with housing, utility bills, food,
transportation and home care.
241-2777
Salvation
Army Family Shelter
Housing for up to 90 days for families
241-0440
Philadelphia
House
Housing for single men
242-4266
Women’s
shelter for domestic violence victims
242-7233
St.
Joseph Food Closet
937 E. Third St.
Distributes food to those in need, according to income
guidelines.
Open at 11 a.m. Wednesdays
Trinity
Lutheran Church community dinner
323 Scott St.
Free meal at 6 p.m. Sundays.
First
Presbyterian Church of Monroe community dinner
108 Washington St.
Free meal, 6 p.m. Thursdays.
04/09/2004
Update
- Congratulations to Cynthia Ramnarace for receiving third
place in the Public Service category from the Michigan
Associated Press for coverage of this story.
Click
here to see more award winning photos and stories
by The Monroe Evening News.
|
