Balancing The Scales Of Justice

Welfare, Work and Raising Children

Conversations with Twenty-One Maine Families

Russ and Loretta
WALDOBORO, MAINE

Russ: "I know what it's like to grow up in poverty, with no running water or plumbing. I do not want to perpetuate that poverty in my family. I want to leave my girls a better legacy."

Loretta: "Sometimes people think people on TANF are lazy. But most of us are trying really hard to make it. Every person is unique and deserves a chance. Where would you be if no one ever gave you a chance?"

We were married in 1982 and have two teenage girls. I was the family's primary wage earner until health problems diminished my ability to work. Initially, TANF was helpful in supplementing my income. Then SSI was provided as my health issues took a toll. Yet, the supplemental income from SSI was not meeting the needs of our family budget. Loretta decided to work to help with earnings, but her own pre-existing health condition, as well, began to worsen.    

While I continue to work with vocational rehabilitation to become  employable as a computer consultant, Loretta has taken a series of volunteer positions or minimum wage jobs, from home health aid to sales clerk. Being an insulin-dependent diabetic makes every day a challenge for Loretta. At times, working is impossible. She also has had major surgery twice in the last three years.

Every person is unique and deserves a chance.  Where would you be if no one ever gave you a chance?

While I continue to work with vocational rehabilitation to become  employable as a computer consultant, Loretta has taken a series of volunteer positions or minimum wage jobs, from home health aid to sales clerk. Being an insulin-dependent diabetic makes every day a challenge for Loretta. At times, working is impossible. She also has had major surgery twice in the last three years.

Loretta's last job required her to lift and stand a lot. After she tore a muscle in her shoulder, the daily work tasks of her job became more difficult. Pain caused her to leave her job. A specialist examined her shoulder and revealed that surgery would have a very slim likelihood of succeeding and would require a six-month recovery period at best. The last doctor she saw told her that she was going to have to learn to live with the pain and the reduced mobility. Her shoulder, combined with her diabetes being hard to control, makes it impossible for her to work right now. But she is working closely with her doctor to maintain her health so that she can get back to work as soon as possible.

Depression and tension are hard to avoid while living in a low-income situation, having health problems, and constantly working on obvious goals that will better our family. Along with our health problems, we have difficulty finding reliable transportation. We need two cars to be able to both work and go to training - often in different directions and at different times. Both are more than 15 years old and they are constantly in need of repairs, consuming a substantial portion of our budget.

I feel badly that my family has received TANF benefits for so long, but I must rely on assistance to support my family while I stabilize my health problems and get the training I need to become employed and lift my family out of poverty. I do foresee the day when my efforts will prove public assistance programs do help people move on in life and become productive again.

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