God love 'em they're trying...
...but the Chronicle / SFGate just can't let go of their anti "Care not Cash" bias. In an article published on January18th (yes yes, I've been busy ok?) titled "Place to live is just a first step Needs beyond Care Not Cash room send Brandy back to begging" they talk about Brandy, a homeless woman who panhandles on the corner of Van Ness and Golden Gate, even after getting an apartment, $59 a month in cash and $140 a month in food stamps because apparently that's just not enough.
Granted, $29.50 isn't a lot. But please remember...they're homeless and living on welfare. What should the amount be? $50 every two-weeks? $50 a week? I mean, yes, it sucks being homeless, but making your claim that you aren't getting enough for "...movie tickets..." isn't just asinine, it's insulting and really shows where people have the absolutely wrong idea about how to get off welfare and end their homelessness. They're homeless, not on vacation. $59 is enough to buy toiletries if you are prudent about it. Say $6 for shampoo, $3 for soap, $2 for toothpaste, $5 for toilet-paper and say $20 for other (whatever, I don't know, I couldn't come up with any absolute necessity toiletries after my list. Maybe Shaving cream, deodorant, "womens things", etc.) That's $31 so far still leaving $28 left over. With $28 I could buy some books (used granted but so what...the words don't decay), even go see a movie if I wanted to and still have money left over. Heck, I could save more money by watching the movies for free at the San Francisco Public Library.
My point being that if you are serious about getting off the street and you are wise about your money (don't spend it getting drunk like Brandy supposedly does "every few weeks", with housing and food paid for you can get by on $59 a month in San Francisco. Would it still suck? Yes, but like I said, you're homeless, not on vacation.
"She also got her first-ever welfare check that day. It was $29.50. That's what homeless recipients receive every two weeks under Care Not Cash, the program that cuts their welfare in exchange for shelter or housing. The food stamps help, but they don't buy toiletries, movie tickets, or the other niceties of normal life."
Granted, $29.50 isn't a lot. But please remember...they're homeless and living on welfare. What should the amount be? $50 every two-weeks? $50 a week? I mean, yes, it sucks being homeless, but making your claim that you aren't getting enough for "...movie tickets..." isn't just asinine, it's insulting and really shows where people have the absolutely wrong idea about how to get off welfare and end their homelessness. They're homeless, not on vacation. $59 is enough to buy toiletries if you are prudent about it. Say $6 for shampoo, $3 for soap, $2 for toothpaste, $5 for toilet-paper and say $20 for other (whatever, I don't know, I couldn't come up with any absolute necessity toiletries after my list. Maybe Shaving cream, deodorant, "womens things", etc.) That's $31 so far still leaving $28 left over. With $28 I could buy some books (used granted but so what...the words don't decay), even go see a movie if I wanted to and still have money left over. Heck, I could save more money by watching the movies for free at the San Francisco Public Library.
My point being that if you are serious about getting off the street and you are wise about your money (don't spend it getting drunk like Brandy supposedly does "every few weeks", with housing and food paid for you can get by on $59 a month in San Francisco. Would it still suck? Yes, but like I said, you're homeless, not on vacation.
