Why There Must Be Welfare Reform

Being on welfare is very hard. I have trouble paying my utility bills. It is very difficult, trying to stay ahead of the light company to keep them from turning your lights off so that you can survive. Food stamps do not usually last until the end of the month or until the next time you get them a month later.

There is no money for clothing at all. My children are growing children, and they do need new clothing. I cannot pay for any activities that my children would like to join or attend, even for my son's graduation this year. Emotionally, being on welfare is very hard. I cannot provide for my children what they need or the things that would make my children happier.

When I was employed, we used to go on short vacations. We used to celebrate holidays, and my children could participate in extracurricular activities and sports. Now, there is just no money for any of that. All of this makes me and my family very depressed.

Now, I am qualified for a job, and I am looking hard for one, but there aren't any jobs at this time to be had. When I was a trainer, I found that my students, who were non-English speakers, had an even harder time getting off welfare because they do not possess any basic language skills that they needed to get jobs and to keep these jobs. They also had trouble with child care, health care, and finding jobs that would support their families.

Based on my experience, I have a simple message for you today. There are millions of us with skills and experience who want to work. There are just no jobs out there that will pay us a living wage, that will buy the child care and health care that we need. This is especially tough on single parents, like myself, who need time to spend with our children.

Folks like me do not need more job training; we need jobs that will allow us to support our families with dignity. For people without skills on welfare, we also need more resources that would give them the language skills and the job training that they need.

Welfare reform must allow people to earn a decent wage and adequate child care and health benefits. "Two years and out" will never work unless the government creates jobs for everyone who needs them. People without skills may need more time to acquire them. Unless the government commits enough money, "two years and out" would be a cruel joke.

I want welfare reform to work, but I do not want to become a victim of the welfare reform. I want to get out of the revolving door of the welfare system, and I hope welfare reform makes this a reality.

Sammy is constantly researching interesting information and writing articles to make it easy for his readers to understand.

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