Welfare caseloads have dropped steeply in recent decades, but some applicants in the South Bronx–one of the poorest communities in the country–say that’s not a sign of winning the battle over poverty. It’s about applicants feeling discouraged and disrespected in the waiting room.
BRONX, N.Y. (WOMENSENEWS)–Maria Rivera said the process of sitting in a state Human Resources Administration office here, waiting to apply for welfare, is so grueling that she has watched other applicants get frustrated and “wild out.”
She’s not one of those who has yelled at workers or thrown chairs, but said she understands the frustration.
In a recent phone interview, Rivera recalled days when she had little or no money to eat and was afraid to leave the office to get even a bag of chips, in case her name was called and she lost her turn.
“If you don’t get seen the day before, they tell you to come back the next morning at 9,” she said, referring to staff members. “But they arrive at 11 and go to lunch at 12,” added the 49-year-old, a welfare justice worker with Mothers On the Move, a welfare advocacy group based in the South Bronx.
Rivera said she would cry and be frustrated by the process, and then have to be docile when being interviewed. Her interaction with a caseworker–not objective criteria concerning her income and employment–meant the difference between getting approved or not, she said.
“They discourage you with the wait,” said Rivera, whose organization is focused on sharing information about welfare rules. Read more..
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