When all the help isn't enough


Backroads
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I'm not entirely sure what I precisely want to say here, so I'll just pour my thoughts. I'm working with a family that is attending virtual school. Neither parents are able to work at this time. They are staying with a relative. They are receiving unemployment, SNAP, and WIC. They still allegedly can't feed their kids. Apparently one reason they chose to do virtual school was to avoid the cost of transporting their children to school. However, that puts them in a funny place for receiving school breakfast and lunch since my school can't exactly prepare or deliver meals. So apprently the kids are going hungry for portions of the day. 

I can't help but think of preparedness. I don't know the family's full story, if something is happening to the benefits, if they don't know how to budget or meal plan, or if it just flat out isn't enough, but I do know I'm probably luck in the grand scheme of things to have employment and a home of my own and no worry about feeding my family.

But, dang, what is one to do when one is receiving all the services but still can't provide daily meals?

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Hard to believe they can't afford breakfast given the current $250-$300 per child per month tax credit being given out each month? Unless that is being used for other payments.

In my church experience, 95% of members are terrible at their finances. I would suggest they find somebody they trust, give that person POA over their financial matters, and see what an experienced budgeter can change to improve things. People's pride usually prevents this.   

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11 minutes ago, clwnuke said:

Hard to believe they can't afford breakfast given the current $250-$300 per child per month tax credit being given out each month? Unless that is being used for other payments.

In my church experience, 95% of members are terrible at their finances. I would suggest they find somebody they trust, give that person POA over their financial matters, and see what an experienced budgeter can change to improve things. People's pride usually prevents this.   

I've heard good things about the provident living classes the churh was offering. Probably would do me some good. I know it has been discussed elsewhere on this forum  recently how many poor people just struggle to live within their means. Seems like a wise thing to learn.

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Backroads, there is zero reason this should be happening; and if the kids really are hungry for extended portions of the day and you’re in Utah, you should probably give DCFS Intake a call.  Even if it’s not a case of abuse/neglect (and frankly, though I’m admittedly jaded, I sort of suspect either parental drug use or parental mental health issues if everything is as you describe it) DCFS can still work with the family on a voluntary basis to review what benefits they are receiving versus what’s available, and help them come up with strategies to make their benefits go further.  
 

Edited by Just_A_Guy
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1 hour ago, Suzie said:

Backroads, not sure how much information you would like to share but.. how many kids we are talking about? Both parents are receiving unemployment? Did they explicitly state they can't feed their kids?  Is anyone from school assisting in any way?

3 kids, both parents have previously worked but currently aren't, both receiving unemployment. I didn't take the call, but I was asked for input on what I had seen. From my understanding, they say they are having trouble finding food for the kids' breakfast and lunch. 

We may be going the route JaG suggested.

 

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@Backroads Many families are struggling. We have to be very cautious here (in my view). We don't know the kind of jobs they had previously? They have to pay for rent/mortgage, gas, school supplies, bills, etc. Having said that, I recall you mentioned in one of your posts that you teach in a private school or maybe I misunderstood? Parents are paying for this as well? If they have to pay for private schooling plus all the other bills, it will not be enough. They will have to remove the kids from that school and send them to public school until they can afford it again.

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16 hours ago, Suzie said:

@Backroads Many families are struggling. We have to be very cautious here (in my view). We don't know the kind of jobs they had previously? They have to pay for rent/mortgage, gas, school supplies, bills, etc. Having said that, I recall you mentioned in one of your posts that you teach in a private school or maybe I misunderstood? Parents are paying for this as well? If they have to pay for private schooling plus all the other bills, it will not be enough. They will have to remove the kids from that school and send them to public school until they can afford it again.

Not private, but public charter virtual. I don't want to assume things, but I suppose that's the heart of the question: how useful is assistance when it's not making much of a dent?

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