Coping With Welfare Equals Losing 13 IQ Points

[daredtowork]

36. I agree, but you're wrong about the church

It's all about political will, and that starts with the issue actually being part of the conversation.

I have to say, though, I was amazed at just how much slack the church is picking up in this situation, though. Before I was on welfare, I was furious about Bush funding "faith-based" initiatives and the implications about funding belief systems and pressuring poor people to fake faith just to get a little bit of help. Also, when I was growing up the small town "church ladies" would complain about the same "drifters" showing up and begging for help. So I had a negative view of both the church helping and the people who were going to them for help!

Wow has my outlook ever changed now!

Since the State does not offer adequate survival resources, the Church steps up to fill in the gap. Once you find out the only thing you can get from "welfare" is a $336/month check (a LOAN) to your LANDLORD, you scramble everywhere for places to get help paying bills and to pick up necessities, and for help to cover your rent during months the State screws up that welfare check - which is often!!!

In Oakland the best place to go is St. Vincent de Paul and Catholic Charities. I've heard St. Anthonies in San Francisco is similar. In my home town all the churches, Protestant and Catholic, cooperated to provide these charity services. To give you an example of the sort of help you can find, without any "religious" pressure at all: baggies of non-food hygiene necessities, billboards with consolidated lists of important services for the homeless in the area, direct help with payment of bills, on-site medical clinics such as podiatry, clothing and shoes (I got a pair of New Balances that I really needed because I was having difficulty walking), hot food, and a place to do your laundry.

When you are on welfare you need a lot of stuff, and the State does not help you with it. All "social workers" do is process the form for the 2 programs single people without children in Oakland area are eligible for General Assistance and Food Stamps. While there are "secular" nonprofits that help very low income people, most of them are narrowly focused, and sadly some of them are just about enrolling people so they can get funding: they mainly just supply people with referral lists elsewhere - largely back to the religious charities which actually DO stuff to help people!

So until we have a welfare system that actually acknowledges and addresses peoples needs, these religious charities have to exist, and they have to be lauded for continuing to step up while everyone hates the idea of "faith based" charity and the fragmented approach of volunteerism. (And I certainly hate the idea of a bunch of "church ladies" making judgments about me because I have to come back month after month). But right now THAT IS ALL WE HAVE. And I'm falling down on my knees and thanking whatever deity there is, if there is one, that something is still there trying to help the people that government "welfare" has failed to help.