01/28/2024
Okay, let’s set the scene :
You’re a single parent with a child .
You work full time for $14.00 hr
You bring home roughly
$800 .00 per paycheck.
Your bills:
$1, 000 . 00 / rent
$150 .00 / electrical
$250 .00 / car payment
$150 .00 / car insurance.
So let’s do the math :
You bring home about
$1,600 .00 a month , & your bills average about $1,550.00 .
( give or take )
You’re making it, but barely.
This doesn't even include groceries , internet , cable , cell phone , etc .
( nor does it include child tax credit , or child support)
Now, it’s a really cold December and you get a power bill for $600 .00
How do you pay that ?
To put it simply , you don’t.
Because you can’t .
So your power gets shut off .
But you know what your lease says ?
It says you get evicted if your utilities are terminated .
So now you’re in court crying to a judge who doesn’t care , & you have 10 days to get out .
Well you’re in luck , because you found somewhere with 3 days to spare , & it’s only $650.00 a month !
But to get in , you must pass a background & credit check .
Which you can’t , because you just got evicted .
You’ve never been a criminal , but even if you could pass it , you’re looking at $1300 .00 to move in , after paying the deposit & first month’s rent.
Time’s up ....
Landlord shows up at 7am with the police & changed your locks.
So , now you’re living in your car with your 7 year old son & everything you need to get by .
You tried to get a storage unit , but you don’t have a billing address , so they won’t sell one to you .
So you could only take what would fit in your backseat .
You pay to shower at local truck stops , & eat whatever can be cooked in a gas station microwave.
Someone sees you & your son living like this & calls C.P.S ; guess what happens next ? ? ?
They remove your child from your care .
As if this isn’t devastating enough , you lose your job too .
( Because “an employee losing their child reflects poorly on this company .” )
So now , you apply for an apartment with the region where the waiting list is 3-7 years .
Then you go into WalMart to put in an application .
When you get back to your car , you see that your back window has been smashed & someone helped themselves to your belongings .
Remember that it is December , & really cold .
Now you have damage to your only shelter .
You call your car insurance , who says your deductible is $1,000.00
~ AND ~ they’re going to increase your monthly rate since you’re now
“ high risk .”
You call the homeless shelter as a last resort.....
& all their beds are full.
I’ll stop here .....
Because I think you get the point .
The people we work with everyday are these people .
WE ARE THESE PEOPLE .
We are all so close to homelessness & don’t even realize it .
All it takes is :
* one unexpected bill📃~
* one fender bender🚙💥🚗~
* one lay-off 📊~
* one house fire 🏠🔥 , etc.
Instead of talking trash about people who are poor , homeless , or need assistance , why don’t you try being grateful that you’re not in their shoes ...... YET !
This is about staying humble & being kind .
BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE ❤
