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February 17, 2011

One Day

Chris took a temp job, working with his brother for the week.  His brother travels to different places and tears downs stores, packs them up and then cleans them.  Right now they are in Virginia.  Its been 5 days since I seen my husband.  The kids have been VERY good while he is away, and its been an easy week.  Except for the hassle of working with the DHS office and the new LOUD noise now coming from our van. 

Yesterday I thought I finally figured this DHS stuff out.  I called and spoke with the supv.  Well, I'm not really sure we should call it spoke, maybe yelled is a better term, but I think I got my point across very well.  I received a call from my case worker less than an hour later telling me, we were approved, and money for January and February should be on the card by the next day.  For the first night in a month I actually fell asleep and slept the whole night. 

That restful nights sleep was much needed for the day I just had today.  I called the food card and no money was added.  $0 balance.
After calling my case worker, her supv, and DHS more than 50 times today I get a call at 4:30 telling me that the money was placed on another card, a card I didn't have and no one knows where this card is.  I called customer service for the food card and was told that the card I had in my hand was not active since 2008 and there is no open account for 2011.  I gave her the card # that the money was on and she told me it belonged to a man..I asked if it was Chris and she said yes, but she couldn't talk to me because I was not authorized. 

(insert SCREAMING IN MY HEAD)

I called Chris in Virginia and asked him to call and get information for me.  He calls me back and said that yes the card was in his name and it had all the money that was supposed to be on it..on it.  He then said that the new card was mailed on the 16th and we should be receiving it in 3-5 business days

(insert more SCREAMING IN MY HEAD)

DHS has confused me, angered me, made me cry, and down right makes me want to write to the government to tell my story.  Per Michigan law, DHS had up to 30 days to process our application for food assistance...tomorrow marks our 30 days. 

I ask myself several times how people live like this.  It makes no sense.  We have had family help us, the Salvation Army, MCOP, and friends have dropped off groceries and supplies to get us through...What if we didn't have family and friends who were in the position to help us?  What would we have done...

I'm making a promise to myself right now, that when we get back on our feet, I will donate as much of my time and money and assistance to anyone I can to help out those families who truly and honestly need the help.

1 comment:

  1. been silent here and on facebook, but thinking/praying about you guys.
    hopefully, everything will turn around and things will turn for the better.
    big hugs and all my thoughts to you...

    ReplyDelete