![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Thanks for nothing, Opportunity Council; Yay for Unitarians!
So the temperature finally rose above freezing, and the falling snow turned to rain. Which is good for washing away much of the accumulated snow, but turns everything into a sloppy, slushy mess -- and when it freezes again tonight, it will be dangerous. But for now the streets are clear, and it's warmer, so I decided to brave the slush in order to run some errands. It's the first time I've been out of the apartment for days.
I showered, took my meds, made my bed, and dressed, and then headed out the door. First stop: The Opportunity Council.
A month ago, I went to the Opportunity Council seeking help to keep from getting evicted. At that time, they told me they couldn't help me until I had some kind of regular income, like disability benefits from the state. Fair enough.
Fast forward a month, and I finally got benefits from DSHS, at least through the winter. It's only enough to cover my rent, but at least I will be able to pay my rent going forward, though it doesn't cover my back rent and late fees, which are up to $1,000 now. So I take my DSHS forms in to show proof of income, and a copy of my most recent 'Pay Rent or Vacate' notice from the Landmark Property Management, which I received yesterday.
The young woman at he office looked over my form, and informed me I was ineligible for their services, because "I didn't have enough income." My reaction was predictable: WHAT?!?!?!?
Turns out, contrary to what I had been told earlier, getting the DSHS benefits to cover my rent wasn't enough. The food stamps and medical coverage is also not enough. The bus pass and clothing allowance that DVR provides is not enough.
Because I don't have enough income to cover my electric bill, or internet, or phone, or student loans, or laundry, or toiletries, or miscellaneous household expenses... they won't help me.
What kind of a screwed up operation is that? I thought their eviction prevention program was there to help people like me? Turns out, it's not. (I still honestly haven't figured out what good the Opportunity Council does, having been turned down by them twice).
The woman suggested I find a friend of family member to stay with when I get evicted, and gave me the number for the Salvation Army, a local Catholic church that has limited rent assistance, and the local homeless service center. Gee, thanks.
Feeling frustrated, depressed, and hopeless, I stumbled back out into the elements, and walked across downtown to the food bank. By the time I got there, my ankle was starting to smart from all of the trudging through wet snow and slush, and the line was longer than I hoped it would be. I ended up standing in line for 45 minutes before getting in, and had the misfortune of being behind one of the little old Ukranian ladies who don't speak English and are notoriously slow in going through the line -- they are waaaaay too picky when it comes to produce, and the volunteers have to scold them to keep the line moving.
I finally got through the line, and received a pretty decent haul, especially of produce. But the gem of the take-away is a 14-pound, free-range, antibiotic-free whole turkey! Wow. Now I just gotta figure out how to cook the darn thing, given my limited kitchen supplies, ingredients, and skills.
So, laden down with all this stuff, I walked outside... into the pouring rain. Yuck.
The nearest bus stop to the Bellingham Food Bank is two blocks away. (Makes perfect sense that WTA doesn't go by the food bank, right?) And on a normal day, laden with food, it's a bit of a haul, but I'm grateful for the food, and usually don't complain.
But in pouring rain, on snowy and slushy sidewalks, with a bum ankle, while carrying a full load PLUS a whole turkey in a box... now that's misery.
But wait! There's more!
As soon as I got to the main intersection, I waited for the light to change, and as soon as I stepped off the curb... the paper bag I had some of my stuff in ripped open, spilling food and paperwork into the street and swollen gutters. (Did you know tangerines and limes float? I learned that today.)
So there I was, in the street, in the rain, desperately trying to gather everything up, when a SUV pulled up beside me, and a man asked if I needed a ride.
"That would be most helpful!" I replied.
The Good Samaritans were a couple, Ann and Michael, who saw what happened when my bag ripped open, and decided to offer me some assistance. Turns out they go to the local Unitarian Fellowship, and I guess they were moved by the Christmas Spirit to help.
As they drove me home, I asked if they knew anyone who was looking for information workers, and told them what kind of work I could do. They asked for my name and number, which I gave to them, and they said they'd keep me in mind, if they hear of anything. Networking, networking, networking!
When I got home, unloaded all the groceries, took off all those wet clothes, and made me something hot to eat. I probably won't leave the house again until after Christmas.
I showered, took my meds, made my bed, and dressed, and then headed out the door. First stop: The Opportunity Council.
A month ago, I went to the Opportunity Council seeking help to keep from getting evicted. At that time, they told me they couldn't help me until I had some kind of regular income, like disability benefits from the state. Fair enough.
Fast forward a month, and I finally got benefits from DSHS, at least through the winter. It's only enough to cover my rent, but at least I will be able to pay my rent going forward, though it doesn't cover my back rent and late fees, which are up to $1,000 now. So I take my DSHS forms in to show proof of income, and a copy of my most recent 'Pay Rent or Vacate' notice from the Landmark Property Management, which I received yesterday.
The young woman at he office looked over my form, and informed me I was ineligible for their services, because "I didn't have enough income." My reaction was predictable: WHAT?!?!?!?
Turns out, contrary to what I had been told earlier, getting the DSHS benefits to cover my rent wasn't enough. The food stamps and medical coverage is also not enough. The bus pass and clothing allowance that DVR provides is not enough.
Because I don't have enough income to cover my electric bill, or internet, or phone, or student loans, or laundry, or toiletries, or miscellaneous household expenses... they won't help me.
What kind of a screwed up operation is that? I thought their eviction prevention program was there to help people like me? Turns out, it's not. (I still honestly haven't figured out what good the Opportunity Council does, having been turned down by them twice).
The woman suggested I find a friend of family member to stay with when I get evicted, and gave me the number for the Salvation Army, a local Catholic church that has limited rent assistance, and the local homeless service center. Gee, thanks.
Feeling frustrated, depressed, and hopeless, I stumbled back out into the elements, and walked across downtown to the food bank. By the time I got there, my ankle was starting to smart from all of the trudging through wet snow and slush, and the line was longer than I hoped it would be. I ended up standing in line for 45 minutes before getting in, and had the misfortune of being behind one of the little old Ukranian ladies who don't speak English and are notoriously slow in going through the line -- they are waaaaay too picky when it comes to produce, and the volunteers have to scold them to keep the line moving.
I finally got through the line, and received a pretty decent haul, especially of produce. But the gem of the take-away is a 14-pound, free-range, antibiotic-free whole turkey! Wow. Now I just gotta figure out how to cook the darn thing, given my limited kitchen supplies, ingredients, and skills.
So, laden down with all this stuff, I walked outside... into the pouring rain. Yuck.
The nearest bus stop to the Bellingham Food Bank is two blocks away. (Makes perfect sense that WTA doesn't go by the food bank, right?) And on a normal day, laden with food, it's a bit of a haul, but I'm grateful for the food, and usually don't complain.
But in pouring rain, on snowy and slushy sidewalks, with a bum ankle, while carrying a full load PLUS a whole turkey in a box... now that's misery.
But wait! There's more!
As soon as I got to the main intersection, I waited for the light to change, and as soon as I stepped off the curb... the paper bag I had some of my stuff in ripped open, spilling food and paperwork into the street and swollen gutters. (Did you know tangerines and limes float? I learned that today.)
So there I was, in the street, in the rain, desperately trying to gather everything up, when a SUV pulled up beside me, and a man asked if I needed a ride.
"That would be most helpful!" I replied.
The Good Samaritans were a couple, Ann and Michael, who saw what happened when my bag ripped open, and decided to offer me some assistance. Turns out they go to the local Unitarian Fellowship, and I guess they were moved by the Christmas Spirit to help.
As they drove me home, I asked if they knew anyone who was looking for information workers, and told them what kind of work I could do. They asked for my name and number, which I gave to them, and they said they'd keep me in mind, if they hear of anything. Networking, networking, networking!
When I got home, unloaded all the groceries, took off all those wet clothes, and made me something hot to eat. I probably won't leave the house again until after Christmas.