I have lived at Lee Terrace for 2 years. It is a low income, elderly highrise in Charleston, WV. I have noticed that many of the people who were here when I first moved in have died - even a few that I thought were just milking the system.
I know there are people who fake being disabled but for the most part the people who are here are not able to work and would be dead if it weren't for Social Security. Heck! They are dying even with Social Security.
I know because I am part of them
1. Social Security Back Pay - when I applied for Social Security they gave me a huge back pay check once it was approved. I would have been perfectly happy just getting my monthly stipend of $714.00. (what my check was when it first started) The logic is that they owe you money from the date of your application but I quit being homeless when that check started. Now the approval process is so locked up by lawyers and government red tape that it usually takes years to get approved (which makes a bigger check for the lawyers by the way). By the time most people get approved they get thousands and thousands of dollars in one lump sum payment.
You don't have to have a lawyer to get Social Security. I did not have one. Everytime I was denied I just went back to the office and applied again. Afterall I was not doing anything but sleeping and watching tv all day anyway. A lawyer is not required for the process.
2. The government sponsored cellphone programs (i.e. safelink) I have one of these phones and I treasure it. I helped around 30 people get their phone. Most of them sold them for around 5 dollars when they got them. Now someone else has a government sponsored cellphone with 68 free minutes a month for a one time $5 fee to a goof ball who just wanted a little drug money.
3. The computer program which supplies computers to my building. The computers are used basically by just a couple of people and although Buzz (supervisor) will help you there are no lessons to help people learn to use the computer or internet. There is a library that is around 5 blocks away that serves the same purpose. Another waste of government money multiplied by my building and 1000's of others across the country.
Instead of running to the computer at every opportunity, I have been walking or doing some other form of low impact exercize to try to get into shape. I haven't lost any weight but I haven't gained any either.
I am starting to improve my diet again. I had to resort to lots of starchy potatoes and bread and salty food because I missed a few weeks work in late December and early January. (that is the food that is cheap to eat) I am back on track again. The good news is I didn't gain any weight, I just maintained what I had lost already.
Hopefully by March, I will have good news to report on the weight loss front. I will continue to walk as weather permits. I hope to start working more but I have to make sure I can work enough to pay the additional medical costs and rent that will come when I start working more. As near as I can figure I will have an additional $250.00 in expenses before I will ever see a penny of working more.
That is fine by me I just have to make sure that I can work an additional 20 hours a week to pay for the stuff and I am not able to do that at the current time.
I am working on it though.
