This semester in our course we have had the pleasure of reading the book titled $2 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America. It amazes me that the books I would never choose to read are the ones that will teach me the most and will open my eyes to things I may not have fully understood prior to reading the book. This book—although it wouldn't be my first choice—I am glad it is a part of this course. It taught me a lot about poverty and welfare programs within America. Although a lot of the programs that are offered have good motives behind them, this book truly opened my eyes to whether they are truly working the way they should (they aren’t). I am not one that ever grew up in a family needing cash assistance or food stamps, therefore I am not one that is educated very well on such programs. After reading $2 a Day, I started putting pieces together, it opened my eyes to the world around me and little things that I was missing in my day to day life. It opened my eyes to the fact that I have taken being raised in the household that I was for granted. Additionally, I can look back and see that I took several opportunities that were given to me for granted.
This is one of the great outcomes of reading a book like this, or going out into the wilderness backpacking, or traveling to another country. All these experiences wake us up and help use appreciate aspects of our normal life or our culture. By seeing other possible lives, we realize how things we never noticed (we took for granted) make our lives easier (or worse), and we can enhance our appreciation for the advantages we enjoy (or become more eager to make changes to address the things that aren’t so good).
There is so much to discuss and lots of good material within $2 a Day, but something that stood out to me was when it spoke on the individual that went to the Department of Human Services up in Chicago trying to receive assistance. This particular individual was sent away because she had not arrived early enough and there was not a slot available for her to see a caseworker, even though she arrived to wait in line long before the center even opened. This is disheartening and upsetting because she had already felt as if she would never receive the assistance she had heard of but did truly need. First hand, I know that our state’s programs need serious attention and based on this book our state is not the only one. Due to the fact that I work for the Department of Human Services and see it daily, even if it is not within the unit that handles the services discussed in this book, I get it.
The programs need attention and staffing needs to be adequate within the state system before the idea of the programs running efficiently and well will ever be a thought worth thinking. Caseloads are way higher than what should be acceptable, resulting in burnout of the workers. This in turn results in inadequate staffing which leads to less individuals receiving the assistance they need because there are not enough people to get all of those in need through the lines.
So, why is poverty such an issue and why do welfare programs suffer? Why do these individuals struggle to get reliable jobs and why do they make next to nothing? It is something that the public needs to speak about, and journalists and leaders need to bring attention to it before anything will be done. What if the state jobs that are struggling and are understaffed were staffed with those struggling to find jobs? This would in turn benefit those seeking assistance from welfare programs and it would help the individuals that struggle to find jobs and make ends meet. People donate plasma as often as they can just to make ends meet or earn extra cash to be able to buy a birthday gift for their child. When will people say enough is enough, stand up, and take action to change America for the better to improve poverty and welfare programs helping any and all that need it?
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