Pushing Past Assumptions and Hearsay

Anyone without a social security number can just walk in and get government assistance, while American citizens have to wait in line.


I knew a family with generations on welfare, who told me they had children so they wouldn’t have to get a job.


I work with children who literally don’t know how to do laundry. It’s more affordable for their family to take a taxi once a month to the Goodwill, buy clothes, wear them for a month, then throw them away, then to use laundry mat services.


My family donates to provide holiday food baskets and toys every years, but I keep hearing of families who take from multiple agencies. Plus, they’re on food stamps.


We see families who fall through the cracks every day. Their income isn’t low enough to receive food assistance, but they can’t afford to buy food and pay their rent, so they go hungry.


I would never use government assistance. I believe in self-sufficiency.


We benefited from food stamps and WIC while raising a family and attending graduate school. We feel like we’ve contributed much more than we’ve taken.


The debates go on and on, especially during election season. Sometimes I listen to someone make a compelling point, then later hear an equally convincing counterpoint. Based on the information they have, the experiences they’ve heard, and quite a few assumptions, each sounds valid.

Listening to these passionate conversations, it’s clear to me that opinions don’t divide people into the “bleeding hearts” and “tight fists.” Good people from all backgrounds are doing their best to navigate the minefield of politics, red tape, and social programs to determine how to vote, what to support, and where to cut some fat. Unfortunately, so much of what we have to go on is based on a great deal of heresay and propaganda and very little facts or first-hand experience.

I wonder how this would be impacted if every high school student (or undergrad) took a civic course that challenged them to navigate our social welfare system. What would it mean to actually interact with local government agencies, be a part of the application processes, seek out information about assistance, and utilize it.

They could explore questions such as?

What is it really like to talk to someone from DSHS?
How do you receive WIC checks and what does it feel like to use them?
How long can someone actually stay on unemployment? How do they qualify?
How does an illegal immigrant get a job? Is it easy? Costly?
How do employers screen employees? Is it unbiased? Easy to undermine government regulations?
What does it cost small business owners to purchase health insurance?
How many and what types of programs are available for low income students?
Is it easy to get access to government assistance? How long is the wait? What’s the process? Do you need internet access?
What’s it like to sit and wait at the social security, DSHS, or unemployment office?

I imagine students could receive a racial, religious, educational, family, and socioeconomic background. Their family would need some type of assistance and it would be up to them to determine how to proceed. The process would somehow involve interacting with real agencies and having experiences, not just figuring things out on paper.They would be given experiences such as these:

Your  husband has just died unexpectedly from a heart attack at a young age. You have two children and enough life insurance to cover his funeral and the next couple of months. You work part-time as a cashier, but don’t make enough to support your family. You almost completed an associates degree 15 years ago. Your task is to figure out social security, determine if you qualify for educational assistance, figure out if you can receive any food stamps or reduced school lunches,and determine childcare.


You’ve just moved and had a baby. Your change of address form didn’t go through, so you missed your renewal appointment for food assistance. Since you are on maternity leave from your hourly job, you don’t have any income. You need to apply for emergency assistance, but you don’t have internet service or a working car because you are trying to be frugal.


You were raised in the United States after your parents immigrated illegally when you were 2 years old. Your primary language is English, you are married to a US citizen, and you have a full-time job. Your whole life is here – your family, friends, church, work – but you are facing deportation. What are your options?


You’ve decided to return to graduate school after working full-time. You have a family of three and a a generous savings because you plan to support your family without using government assistance. Right before heading to school, your wife has a medical emergency that cuts into  your savings. Student loans won’t entirely cover your family’s needs. What do you do?


You’re a single dad with custody of your preschool aged daughter. You work two part-time jobs and attend community college at night. Day care/preschool takes half of your income. You make too much to qualify for a majority of assistance, but you might have to give up school to earn enough to pay your utility bills. What are your options? Would it be easier to quit your job(s) and go on assistance? How do the programs work? Can you receive help with childcare expenses?


You are an elderly woman on disability. You’ve qualified for section 8 housing, but are having difficulties finding a place that feels safe and clean that qualifies. You decide to write to landlords explaining the benefits of the program and asking them to consider signing up and renting to you. What would you include in your letter? What are your options? Is there really a deficit in good housing or are you being too picky?


You’ve moved your family to an area that includes several expensive developments, as well as a large number of apartment complexes. You hear rumors that the school has great staff, but the population that attends is less than desirable. Most of the middle class and wealthier families apply to have their kids attend school elsewhere. If feels like “white flight” to you and you believe in supporting your local school, but have to prioritize what’s best for your kids. What do you do?


I am not proposing this because I think all of these experiences will be negative or because I think it will – or should – suddenly change everyone’s minds.There are, of course, tools and resources to get people the help they need beyond the government. Planning, preparation, and budgeting are necessary skills all adults should have. Perhaps it’s too easy to depend on government resources – or is it as easy as many people seem to believe? I don’t have all of the answers, but I don’t think generalizations or “I’ve heard” or “cable news” says are helping much.

I’ve had some humbling experiences thinking about this. I’ve met people who’ve faced challenges similar to these. I’ve lived through the illness of a parent, where a support system made it possible to make it through without government assistance. I’ve navigated the process of applying for – and figuring out – assistance. I’ve fretted over finances, celebrated generous assistance, and put faces to some of “those” people who are at the center of these debates. Some things took longer than I expected, information didn’t come easy, and the process could be frustrating. Of course, maybe it shouldn’t be easy, should take time, and require effort.

Thinking about all of this lately – the things I’ve learned, the questions I have, the excess I’ve seen, the challenges I recognize – has made me wonder how we could re-frame these debates, see where government programs are really helping and places where they are excessive and wasteful. How would they change if we had experiences to gain empathy and to brainstorm new ways to educate/help/prepare people for life’s challenges. The need won’t go away the people involved are diverse and complex, so simple solutions, hearsay, and wishing things the way they once were won’t help.What would happen if we really asked

What if this were me, in an imperfect world, with a unique set of challenges?
How does the system truly work? 
Who benefits?
Who takes advantage and how?
How can we make positive changes that help people become more self-sufficient without cutting them off from needed services?


instead of labeling, judging, assuming, and looking to politicians to simplify into a soundbite?