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My husband and I have a small business in the Midwest. Last year I saw an older (grey haired) hispanic woman standing out by the road who seemed to be in obvious distress. It was hot, very hot (over 100 degrees), and I took her a bottle of water because I could tell she was not feeling well. Even though she could not speak English, she said thank you and was very grateful.
During the subsequent months, she would drop in from time to time to say hello. Each time I would offer her some water and sometimes she would accept it, other times not. During these brief encounters I learned that she and her "partner" were, homeless and that every morning she would walk over to the large strip mall and pick up cigarette butts and other trash from the parking lot. In exchange for this, the store manager would give them a sandwich. This is how she and her friend survived.
I also learned that 12 years ago she had moved here from California to be with her daughter and that the daughter had died shortly thereafter from complications of diabetes and the mother was left with no source of income and no money. She attempted to contact her other children in California but she was unable to reach them. She has been homeless ever since and living on the street. She is only 56 years old but looks a decade older from the harshness of living this way.
Because she is not an American citizen, and illiterate, she cannot receive any type of government assistance to get her off the street (at least not in this town - that may be different in California or New Mexico or Colorado). She has never worked in this country (she is here legally, but cannot work), so she has never paid income tax.
About four months ago, it occurred to me that maybe she could benefit from one of these Obama phones so that she could continue to try to contact her family in California for help. After all, there are no pay phones any more and being homeless she does not have access to a telephone. So I asked her permission and filled out the paperwork on her behalf.
Because she does not receive any government aid, and because she cannot PROVE what her income was (or was not, in this case), she is ineligible for the phone. She sleeps in an empty lot, next to the highway, washes herself summer and winter in public restrooms and eats food that is given to her by the kindness of strangers in exchange for some manual labor. She does not DEMAND government assistance, she does not DEMAND food stamps, she simply goes about her life the best she can living from day to day a precarious existence.
But because she does not have the "requirements" that the government sets forth for help she is excluded. I am certain she would love to go back to California, or maybe even Mexico if she could get in touch with her family who could help her. She has never asked for a penny from me. And yes, I do let her use my cell phone to call when she comes in.
It kills me to see these "welfare mamas" who crank out a kid every year so that they can get a bigger and better check from the government. Women who could easily work but refuse to do so. Government assistance should be a temporary measure for people who really need the help, not to support a lifestyle of abuse and mismanagement.
By the way, I see ads for "Obama phones" on Craigslist where I live. How is it that these people can sell these phones? They ask around $80 for them which "includes" 250 free minutes a month. What an abomination.
I have read this entire post..
Religious and Social charities dont ask if your a citizen they just give what they can ie soup kitchens and places to stay for the night.
How did she get to the midwest from california I would be asking.
Also if her daughter died who took the stuff and car or anything else she had. This doesnt make any sense. Of course I guess asking the question puts holes on the stories told by this hispanic woman. I would suggest going back to mexico would be her best bet. Or finding someone she can live with and or identify this so called OTHER family members who live here.
20 yrs. in Branson, I appreciate your assistance to the lady in need. Mucho thanx...
Quote:
Government assistance should be a temporary measure for people who really need the help, not to support a lifestyle of abuse and mismanagement.
You got close with the above statement. But that's the real problem. Government assistance is abused and mismanaged and becomes permanent.
George HW Bush ran for Senate in Texas back in the early 70's. A part of his platform was to allow welfare mothers to continue to receive benefits while working jobs to learn skills, rather than revoke benefits while working their way out of gov't support. But another abuser of privilege in Texas won the race. And the welfare mothers had to stay home and teach their welfare children how to collect welfare benefits. And now we've seen who won that race.
What kind of VISA allows her to be here legally for 12+ years?
As an aside, as you probably know, there is no such thing as an Obama phone. Lifeline was created for low income people back in 1985. The 1996 Telecommunications Act required the FCC to create the Universal Service Fund, a pool of money subsidized by small charges on phone bills and redistributed to low-income service programs, as well as programs that bring telecommunications services to rural areas and schools. It was expanded under the Bush Admin in 2008, to include cell phones. Federal funds are not used to enable this benefit. As a likely illegal immigrant, she is not eligible.
The Immigaration Department could facilitate her return to her homeland.
I am certain she would love to go back to California, or maybe even Mexico if she could get in touch with her family who could help her.
Why don't you ask her? If you were able to communicate enough to help her fill out a form she should be able to tell you that.
If she knows a phone number to call if she had a phone, she'd no doubt know an address. Have you sat down with her to write a letter? A piece of paper, a pen, a stamp..... Bingo!
A letter could be sent in Spanish to her family no matter where they are. Why the need for a phone? Find a high school Spanish student and you are all set.
By the way, I see ads for "Obama phones" on Craigslist where I live. How is it that these people can sell these phones? They ask around $80 for them which "includes" 250 free minutes a month. What an abomination.
As recently as a month ago, I read on here that the simple existence of the federal phone program was what was wrong with the country. Now it's that a non tax-paying non-citizen doesn't qualify. This country IS moving left in a hurry.
What kind of VISA allows her to be here legally for 12+ years?
As an aside, as you probably know, there is no such thing as an Obama phone. Lifeline was created for low income people back in 1985. The 1996 Telecommunications Act required the FCC to create the Universal Service Fund, a pool of money subsidized by small charges on phone bills and redistributed to low-income service programs, as well as programs that bring telecommunications services to rural areas and schools. It was expanded under the Bush Admin in 2008, to include cell phones. Federal funds are not used to enable this benefit. As a likely illegal immigrant, she is not eligible.
The Immigaration Department could facilitate her return to her homeland.
Actually, she has only been in Missouri for 12 years. My understanding is that she came to the United States (i.e. California) before any documentation was needed to cross the border - sometime in the late 1960s, and yes, I know, she should have learned English by now. LOL But she is a very "old school" kind of lady, and I suspect that she really does know more English than she lets on.
20yrsinBranson
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Thank you for letting me know!
