Pulling Together For Success (Letter to the Editor, Lakeville Journal of CT, April '23)
To the Editor:
Matthew Desmond, author of Poverty by America, asserts in an Apple Podcast that the systems to provide help to elderly or low-income family are poorly designed and not readily supported or easy to use for many who need that help.
About 1 in 5 people do not get one or more kinds of help who qualify for aid and funds (TANF--Temporary Aid to Needy Families) from the government for food, monetary support, insurance, tax credits, disability and more.
Some people need practical support to access programs, fill out paperwork or forms on a laptop or even on an iPhone or Android (with phone apps which has been shown to make more things initially accessible and even complete forms.)
Some people need practical support to access programs, fill out paperwork or forms on a laptop or even on an iPhone or Android (with phone apps which has been shown to make more things initially accessible and even complete forms.)
Offering teams noting what any household may want to learn about with a few volunteers going over information would be a game-changer for many who are missing out on help, programs and funds.
The funds for TANF go to states which can use them for programs, leaving little for cash assistance.
There is $175 Billion in uncollected or unpaid (or evaded) taxes in the top tier that would offset the costs of 'levelling the playing field.' Mr. Desmond encourages more of our citizenry to become 'poverty and to get government to address the basics for more folks.
To build political will and multiply the efforts, people can join endpoverty.org. More schools, non-profits and businesses as well as individuals could join together along these lines for mutual growth.
With the long-term efforts ( such as non-profits and Schumacher Center) in the tri-corner area (MA/NY CT, "The Many Connect Area" as I have dubbed it,) we can make more strides toward equality of services, education, accessibility and more over the life span, especially 'at the beginning and in later years'. Let's get dreaming and teaming up for shared success this spring and each season of the year and of life!
Catherine Palmer Paton
