by Marcos AlvarezLA County Eligibility Worker
I help administer CalWorks, our state’s welfare to work program, and what I’m seeing right now is heartbreaking.In the Antelope Valley, where I live and work, jobs are already scarce. Lately, I’m seeing clients who had what they thought were secure decent jobs.
They’ve exhausted unemployment and savings and now they’re doing the unthinkable – signing up for public assistance. In my office, we do what we can, but if critical programs that help people get through the tough times are further slashed or even eliminated, as proposed, the harm on our communities will be worse.
Just last week I went to a man’s house who had applied for public assistance for the first time in his life. It was a really tough decision for him because he never thought he’d be in this situation, but he was laid off and his family didn’t have much left. When we started to talk he broke down crying – they were in danger of losing their home.
I’m seeing families do everything they can to stay afloat, selling all their furniture, any means to survive. And, now, when I get to some people’s homes who have applied for help they’re no longer there. Their house is already foreclosed.
Through the Economic Recovery Act, we have funding to help 10,000 Los Angeles residents find full-time employment, but if the program is eliminated we can’t help.
This is a big crisis with no end in sight. It’s no time lose our humanity. After all, that’s what this state is built on.