The program I am in is called WV Works. This should tell you some about the program.
I used to have a job and was working for the state as a flagger. I had a stroke in March of 2010 and had no income coming in and had to apply for welfare assistance until the Social Security Board decides whether I am eligible for benefits To make a long story short, I receive assistance from the state. As part of receiving this help, I have to be put into some kind of work program where I do so many hours a week or a total of 130 hours on the month in order to participate and receive the benefits. I went to our local college this year, Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College.
I am a full time student and carry 12-15 hours.I made the deans list and GPA of 3.72. I thought that I would get the winter break in order to regroup with my son who is in the 9th grade and wind down before the semester starts back in January but that did not happen. My worker said that I had to be put in some kind of activity in order to continue to receive the benefits and the program they put me in is called EXCEL. It is our local GED center.
With all the grades and accomplishments that I had just completed for the first semester, I am in the GED class doing math, reading, english, and learning how to get myself back into the workforce. It is a good program for those who need it but at the time, it’s not what I need. I didn’t even go to doctors appointments during the semester in order to get good grades at the college and not miss anything. I thought after the semester was over, I could pick up all the things I didn’t get to do.
I guess the reason that I got so upset with the whole program was that every month, we have to fill out a time sheet and turn it in to show our time and participation. This is also a travel voucher of such because we get paid our hours and mileage for going.
I turned my sheet in for the month of November on December the 2nd. They have to be turned in by the 5th of each month. Well, it’s Christmas and I haven’t received mine yet. I called and left a message for my worker on the 12th of December. She didn’t return the call, so I called her back on the 13th and she told me she processed them all on the 12th. I thought OK, it will be coming. While I was at the GED class yesterday, she calls me and had me come to the phone to only tell me that their computer shows that I brought my time sheet in but they can’t find it and I need to do another one.
I went through the roof. I do any and everything that the DHHR ask me to do because if you don’t you will get a letter or always be told that you are gonna lose your benefits. I used to make $31.96 an hour standing in the road for 3 10-hour days out the week. If the unemployment office would let me draw my own money, I wouldn’t need the DHHR but in order to get that, you have to be eligible to work and my doctors won’t turn me loose because of my health issues. They say that I could have a stroke at anytime because of the scarring on my brain. I PUSH MYSELF EVERYDAY TO GET BY BECAUSE I JUST CAN’T SIT BACK AND WAIT. That’s not me!!
This is from an anonymous guest blogger.
About DAWG
Direct Action Welfare Group (DAWG) is a statewide grassroots organization comprised of current and former public assistance recipients, low wage workers, people living in poverty, and concerned individuals who come together to share information and ideas and to advocate for each other, their neighbors, and themselves. Direct Action Welfare Group’s vision is the end of poverty in West Virginia. In order to make this vision a reality, we advocate with low-income families for economic justice
