When Welfare Becomes Hellfare

by Vivian Hain/PNN poverty scholar in residence and welfareQUEEN

As a welfare QUEEN and superbabymama, I have overcome unbelievable obstacles in my life on many levels--rising up from houselessness and domestic violence to recently earning my B.A. I've successfully completed four years in formal institutions of learning after having to fight the welfare department for my right to be there while living in poverty with the help of LIFETIME (Low-Income Families Empowerment Through Education). I didn't realize that I would have to fight for my right in having the true ability to properly transition off of welfare

Having graduated with my B.A. in Public Policy in December 2007, I felt it was time to begin planning for my future in a way that would help me to get to the next level in my life--which would open new doors of opportunity for me. Though I have still been attending community college, taking courses that would update my present skills in multimedia, I was also working at the college as a part-time teacher's aide, so that I could gradually transition off welfare and into the workforce. As a very low-income single parent with children, transitioning off welfare is very hard, especially when the welfare department doesn't help parents who are trying to seek stable career opportunities. But, imagine all of a sudden, getting arbitrarily cut of!

In July 2008, when the welfare department decided to kick me off welfare, instead of sending me the new version of the official forms I needed to give to my doctor so that I could continue receiving care, the welfare department arbitrarily cut me off without advance notice. It is illegal to cut anyone off of public assistance without advance notice. This created extreme financial hardship for my family and me. It also caused me to get behind on my PG&E bill. For more than two weeks I was not able to contact anyone who I needed to talk to regarding my case and the fact that they had cut me illegally off welfare. Immediately, LIFETIME was on the case, advising me to file an appeal and, as my authorized representatives,, tirelessly attempted to contact the Alameda County of Social Services, only to get no response for days�

The next month was nearing and still LIFETIME or myself were not able to reach anyone to discuss my case. So, as my last resort with the help and advice of LIFETIME, I went to my County District Supervisor Keith Carson's office to make a formal complaint on what was happening to me and how everyone at the welfare department had literally dropped the ball regarding my case. I met with County Supervisor Keith Carson's Legislative Aide Aisha Brown. She sat down with me and listened to everything I told her as she took notes. She also asked me for all of the names of my social workers and their supervisors and told me that she would make some phone calls to find out why they did what they did to me.

Before I knew it, she made a single phone call to the welfare office and within fifteen minutes of leaving County Supervisor Carson's Office, I got a phone call from Ms. Brown, telling me that my cash-aid should be reinstated within minutes. She told me that if I had any problems with receiving my welfare benefits to contact her immediately. I was so relieved! This took a massive weight off of my shoulders that had been on me for a month! I am very thankful to LIFETIME for their help and to County Supervisor Keith Carson's office and to his Legislative Aide Aisha Brown for getting me my welfare benefits. "No family should ever have to go through what I went through, yet it is good to know that we have true allies out there who will bat for us."