Walmart fired my cancer stricken friend- now she's homeless

[Tucker]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8456259

1monster  Donating Member  (1000+ posts)  Journal  Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Mon May-31-10 02:46 PM
Original message

Need advice: I saw an acquaintance yesterday who is now homeless.
   

She worked for years for Walmart and they let her go for whatever reason. She had a really rough few months before getting what was a dream job for her.

Not quite a happily ever after, though.

She was diagnosed with cancer, lost her job and her home. She recently got out of the hospital where she was in for cancer surgery and treatment (paid for by Medicaid, fortunately). However she has no home. She is getting food stamps from the Florida Department of Children and Families, but no aid in getting a roof over her head. She is unable to stay at the local inadequate homeless shelter because she owes them money for the time she stayed there prior to her surgery... Apparently it costs $5.00 a day to stay there and she couldn't pay.

In more normal times, I would have helped her pay for a place to stay until she got a job again, but I am broke and about to be out of work for ten weeks.

She has applied for disability, but has been turned down in the initial application and in the appeal. She is now to have a hearing (soon, I hope) and is represented by a pro bono lawyer, but SSI benefits are never guaranteed despite the disability.

Does anyone know of any group/organization/government agency that might help her in Northeast Florida (St. Johns County, if possible)? I estimate that she is somewhere between fifty-five and sixty-two (given that one can officially retire and get social security at age 62.

This woman is new to the streets. I have offered her a tent and other amenities if she can find a place to pitch it. I've suggested that she approach other homeless women--there are far too many of them--to ask them about homeless communities in the area and to show her the ropes while I try to find some more solid types of help.

I am stymied and don't know where to start.

Despite the numerous "homeless" who stand out on the same street corners day after day after day with their cardboard signs which and gather quite a large amount of money from tourists and people like me, I am aware that there is a huge population of homeless here and am aware that "There but for the grace of God, Fate, or Karma, go I."

Now this is how you write a bouncy. No cop and no conversion, but she hit the Walmart, illness without medical insurance, homelessness and non caring social bureaucracy.

6 obamas.

 

Cleita  Donating Member  (1000+ posts)  Journal  Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Mon May-31-10 03:21 PM
Response to Original message
3. What a disgrace this country is who let's hard working Americans
   
become indigent because they can't work anymore no matter what the reason whether because of health, lack of work or because they went to war and came back damaged human beings. I wish I had some advice other than to tell you badger your elected officials from local to federal to get to work to do something about this situation although I wonder how much they care.

Dyedinthewoolliberal  Donating Member  (1000+ posts)  Journal  Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Mon May-31-10 03:22 PM
Response to Original message
4. Try the local
   
Catholic Community Services/Charities office or any of the faith based places. They may be able to offer some kind of assistance.

We need you after all.

Akoto  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Mon May-31-10 03:48 PM
Response to Original message
8. She needs to keep fighting for the SSI.
   
Their hope is that, after being rejected time and again, you will give up. It's the people who stay the course with legit cases that eventually get it.

I'm actually coming up on getting a date for my hearing, myself. I've been rejected initially and on appeal, even though my doctors have all concurred that I am disabled. When you get to look an actual human in the eye, rather than being brushed off by some paper pusher, your odds are improved.

The deadbeats scam is working.

Walk away  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Mon May-31-10 03:56 PM
Response to Original message
10. This is going to sound facetious but when I was facing the same situation...
   
last year (I literally pulled out of my plunge within days of losing everything) I researched Federal crimes that I could commit that would have little or no impact on individuals but earn me prison time.

I would never recommend that anyone do anything illegal but a minimum security Federal prison is pretty cushy compared to most shelters. If you are sick they will send you to one with a hospital. I know it sounds horrible but here in the U.S. we take better care of our prisoners (on the Federal level) then we do our poor.

Idjit.

Lorien  Donating Member  (1000+ posts) Click to send private message to this author  Click to view this author's profile  Click to add this author to your buddy list  Click to add this author to your Ignore list      Mon May-31-10 04:23 PM
Response to Original message
14. No one she knows has so much as an extra room or sofa that she could stay on?
   
If anyone I knew personally were homeless I'd offer up my tiny home to them. None of us can't count on State or local agencies for anything any more.

Since you know that no one will take you up on the offer, you can afford to be generous.

[Carl]

Soooooooooooooo much left out of that tale of woe.

[BlueStateSaint]

Soooooooooooooo much left out of that tale of woe.

Bobbo the Hobo as of the time I post this, for example.

[formerlurker]

She was diagnosed with cancer, lost her job and her home. She recently got out of the hospital where she was in for cancer surgery and treatment (paid for by Medicaid, fortunately). However she has no home. She is getting food stamps from the Florida Department of Children and Families, but no aid in getting a roof over her head. She is unable to stay at the local inadequate homeless shelter because she owes them money for the time she stayed there prior to her surgery... Apparently it costs $5.00 a day to stay there and she couldn't pay.

The hospital's social worker would have given her a list of resources to obtain shelter and services.

[thundley4]

She worked for years for Walmart and they let her go for whatever reason. She had a really rough few months before getting what was a dream job for her.

Not quite a happily ever after, though.

She was diagnosed with cancer, lost her job and her home.

I'm confused. She worked at Walmart, then got fired, but after a few months ,found her dream job, right?

Then she was diagnosed with cancer, and fired from her dream job?

Or was Walmart her dream job, and the rough couple of months was before that?

[Ballygrl]

Why doesn't 1monster offer this woman a room to help her get back on her feet?

[bijou]

Soooooooooooooo much left out of that tale of woe.

The truth for starters.

[Tucker]

The truth for starters.

Oh yeah.

The truth is not a requisite for a bouncy. Imagination is a must..

[Chris_]

Idjit.

He may be on to something.  Why not go all the way and have Uncle Sam take care of their every need in one shot?

[The Village Idiot]

Why doesn't 1monster offer this woman a room to help her get back on her feet?

Wait, you mean did it occur to this DUmmie to do something to help?? Of course not, THAT is the governments job! 

That is how they think.

[Ballygrl]

Wait, you mean did it occur to this DUmmie to do something to help?? Of course not, THAT is the governments job! 

That is how they think.

I know!

Kind of like the left being so cheap when giving to charity, they're good with everyone else's money but they won't dare reach in their own pockets to give people money.

[Tucker]

Wait, you mean did it occur to this DUmmie to do something to help?? Of course not, THAT is the governments job! 

That is how they think.

Or an entity they despise............The church. They're OK for handouts as long as they don't mention God. Self serving hypocrites.

[Ballygrl]

Or an entity they despise............The church. They're OK for handouts as long as they don't mention God. Self serving hypocrites.

Looks at this fools response:

Dyedinthewoolliberal  Donating Member  (1000+ posts)        Mon May-31-10 03:22 PM
Response to Original message
4. Try the local
   
Catholic Community Services/Charities office or any of the faith based places. They may be able to offer some kind of assistance.

They have a lot of nerve even bringing the Catholic Church up with the way the left bashes us.

[Tucker]

I know!

Kind of like the left being so cheap when giving to charity, they're good with everyone else's money but they won't dare reach in their own pockets to give people money.

"Socialism is great until you run out of other peoples money."

-Margaret Thatcher

[Ballygrl]

"Socialism is great until you run out of other peoples money."

-Margaret Thatcher

The good old days, Reagan, Thatcher and Mulroney.

[kenth]

In more normal times, I would have helped her pay for a place to stay until she got a job again, but I am broke and about to be out of work for ten weeks.

Pay for a place to stay? Why not just let her move in for a while? That would cost the dummie nothing.

[chitownchica]

Looks at this fools response:

They have a lot of nerve even bringing the Catholic Church up with the way the left bashes us.

Just wait until Bobo shows up and bitches about how religious based charities are so wrong for expecting someone to hear about God.  If I were broke and needed assistance, I think I'd just shut up and say thanks.

[The Village Idiot]

Pay for a place to stay? Why not just let her move in for a while? That would cost the dummie nothing.

Well, its the governments job to these people