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SOCIAL SERVICESEND OF GRANT TOUGH ON FAMILY Homeless mother faces day-care cut ABOUT THE GRANT
Child-care grant for homeless women cuts programs
Date published: 9/4/2007 By Flowers Umble BY AMY FLOWERS UMBLE Joshua Scott is a fairly typical toddler. He runs around, uses simple sentences like "I see you" and plays with other kids. In March, when he and his mom arrived at Hope House, Joshua didn't yet walk and barely spoke. Before he arrived at the transitional Fredericksburg shelter for moms and their kids, Joshua had been homeless for most of his life. Getting a stable home and regular day care turned him around, said his mom, Talia, 21. But this week, that day care will end. Talia worries that without it, Joshua will backslide. And Hope House Director Pam Garrett fears that Talia won't find a job. She won't be able to finish training without day care for Joshua, 19 months, or search for employment. "It's hard to go looking for jobs with kids," Garrett said. A federal grant paid for Joshua's day care, and recent changes mean he can no longer attend. As of July 1, day care is covered for up to 45 days while Social Services does a review of the mom. Talia's 45 days end this week. In addition, the grants no longer apply to parents looking for jobs. Talia doesn't know what she's going to do. She can't afford the $175 a week it costs to keep Joshua in day care. "I'm trying not to feel hopeless," she said. "I'm more worried about Joshua than anything." The Child Care for Homeless Children Program goes to parents living in homeless shelters. It's a federally funded block grant, distributed through the Virginia Department of Social Services. The department gives the money to the state Department of Housing and Community Development, which then gives money to local shelters. The money was never intended to go to parents looking for jobs, said Melissa Perdue, spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Social Services. That's why the changes were made. "What may seem new is actually just trying to get everybody into compliance," she said. But it sure felt new to Garrett, who was told about the changes at a training meeting. "We were all sitting there picking our jaws up off the table," she said, adding that she started crying when she realized what the new regulations meant for the moms at Hope House.
Date published: 9/4/2007
I've Volunteered At The Shelter...
(posted by
ATM_Doctor
, Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm)
Which was the longest night of my life. Two of us had to stay up and patrol the motel-turned-shelter every hour to ensure the "residents" were not damaging the property, using drugs or drinking, which was prevelent. Everyone had food stamps and abused them. Safeway was just down the street and some would buy pounds of steamed shrimp and eat them in the office, making a huge mess. I want to help the down-trodden, but sometimes they expect everything for doing absolutely nothing. I never went back.
Kick'm while down
(posted by
Justamom
, Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm)
I'm glad she probably isn't as lucky as you, to have a computer & read your judgmental crap. You don't know until you walk in her shoes. How is this helpful? Shame on you. Teach a man to fish, so that he will learn to eat but don't kick them while they're down. Exactly what are you doing to improve our society other than for yourself?
HOW COULD YOU??
(posted by
beamercat
, Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm)
IF YOU ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING, WHY WOULD YOU GET PREGNANT AGAIN??? YOU HAVE DUG THE HOLE DEEPER? WHERE IS THE FATHER TO BABY #1 AND #2?? IF WONDER IF HE IS LIVING IN A HOMELESS SHELTER. I WOULDN'T WANT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY TO KNOW HOW STUPID I REALLY AM BUT REVEALING "I'M PREGNANT" AGAIN AND CAN'T TAKE CARE OF MY FIRST CHILD!
Pregnant AGAIN!!
(posted by
Sandalwood
, Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm)
What is this woman, who can't afford one child, doing pregnant with a second? It's because she knows there is always somewhere she can go and money will appear from somewhere to take care of her. Eventually the do-gooders will have her in subsidized housing and on welfare. That's what she is planning on. Then she can watch soaps all day on TV while her children grow up on the streets.
to: DOMSMOM
(posted by
theobc
, Sep. 25, 2007 2:41 pm)
YOU ARE NOT THE PERSON I AM TALKING ABOUT. YOU ARE TAKING CARE OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES AND IF THAT MEANS YOU HAVE TO WORK 2-3 JOBS TO DO THAT - THEN THAT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. MY COMMENTS WERE FOR THE FOLKS WHO CAN'T SEEM TO GET A JOB OR KEEP A JOB, BUT KNOW HOW TO WORK THE SYSTEM. MY COMMENTS WERE FOR THE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN ON THE SYSTEM FOR YEARS AND DON'T EVEN ENTERTAIN THE THOUGHT OF GETTING A JOB. EVERYONE WAS TALKING RESPOSIBILITY LIKE YOU ARE - THERE WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM.
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