More programs needed to prevent homeless situations.

@ahalapia (942)
United States
April 13, 2007 8:38am CST
My family and I have for the past two weeks been struggling to prevent ourselves from loosing are apartment that we have lived in for the past 15 years. Due to my illness funds have been drastically limited. We have no family to turn to so we turned to the system to help us out, unfortuately they have not helped and I am afraid we will now become a part of the growing number of people living on the street. We have been told that if we had already lost our home that we can live in a shelter for 30 days, or that when we do become homeless which is only a matter of days from now to go out and find a home (which costs up front dollars) and then they would try and help us, but they weren't promising anything. When you tell them that you are disabled they automatically think that you receive money from the government, but when you tell them you are not and that you have been waiting for that to come through for three years now, for some reason they turn a deaf ear. The agencies think automatically that you have family you can turn to, and treat you like an outcast when you ask for help. Unfortunately it seems bleek for us, but we as whole should demand more programs to prevent homelessness before people are put on the streets, and the agencies should be trained in how not to treat everyone as the same but understand that each individual case is different.I understand that there are people that abuse the system, but what about the ones who don't, not everyone is the same.
1 person likes this
1 response
• United States
14 Apr 07
I subscribe to the old adage "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Meaning if you help the situation before it becomes too bad, it isn't nearly as hard to remedy. Our governments and civic association are so corrupt that unless you don't actually need help, you likely won't get any. The SSI system is among one of the worst. The majority of people recieving SSI disability in our area do not need nor do they deserve it. Many of them haven't worked a day in their lives and don't intend to any time soon. I wish I could be more helpful but I don't know of any solution off the top of my head.
@ahalapia (942)
• United States
14 Apr 07
To say the least our government is run by way of if you need the help you probably won't get it, or you will go broke trying to get the help that you need. I understand that alot of people abuse the system (for example my neighbor who is in his early 20's who never worked a day in his life, had quit school in his 11th year and sits around all day playing playstation 2, told me he is applying for SSI) And the way the system is run he is probably more than likely to get it. While others like me, are being put on the street and told the help isn't there for us.