When I applied for this position, I was told, 'As an AmeriCorps VISTA member you will be eligible for food stamps...'
Food stamps, officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is a federal program that helps low-income individuals and families buy the food they need. SNAP eligibility is largely based on income. People living at or below the poverty line and with minimal additional assets are eligible, according to the federal standard. States have the option of expanding eligibility to include people who might be technically living above the poverty line but still need help accessing adequate and nutritional food. Colorado and Jefferson County (where I live) generally sticks to the federal guidelines when determining who is eligible and at what assistance level.
Although SNAP gives AmeriCorps the option of not paying their 'volunteers' more because they are eligible for SNAP assistance (an ethical choice? perhaps not.), the process of actually accessing this aid has been quite difficult. Let's take a look at why.
Firstly, what remained unsaid by the AmeriCorps representatives was this aid would be dependent on other assets I was holding prior to joining AmeriCorps. I only discovered this fact when trying to plan out my budget and I discovered that, according to some random benefits calculator, I was not eligible for SNAP aid. When I brought this to the attention of my AmeriCorps liasons, they made me feel like I was the dumb one for not realizing this in advance. I recognize that, if I have savings, I might be in less need than someone who is truly living on edge. That said, I volunteered a year of my life to domestic service - it seems the least the government could do is ensure that I don't have to dip into my savings to buy basic food.
Secondly, this is a long process. And I mean looonnnnggggg - so far it's taken 6 weeks. About 10 days ago, I finally received a letter from the Jefferson County Department of Human Services, saying that I had an interview at 2pm...that afternoon. During my interview, it was clear my case worker had never heard of AmeriCorps and was totally confused by the concept. Here's an example (not verbatim) of how our conversation went.
Case worker: So you're unemployed?
Me: No. I have a full time job working with the Jefferson Conservation District. It's a part of the AmeriCorps VISTA program, which means that I basically volunteer for the District and am paid a living stipend by AmeriCorps.
Case worker: Ok. So you're unemployed.
Me: Um, no.
(Later)
Case worker: So where do you live?
Me: I live in an apartment with a friend. We are both on the lease and split the rent.
Case worker: Where do you get the money to pay rent if you're unemployed?
You get the idea. Our interview lasted about an hour and left me feeling like my case worker has no idea what I'm doing and no sympathy for my situation. Yesterday I sent in the last of the paperwork she requested and now I'm waiting to hear the final verdict. Although the lack of clarity on the part of AmeriCorps and the lack of knowledge on the part of the county has been hugely frustrating, I'm still hoping to get some food assistance so I'm not stuck eating Ramen all year.
Wish me luck!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
The Oath (PSO, Part II)
The most valuable thing I learned at my Pre-Service Orientation in Albuquerque (besides how to spell Albuquerque...) was how AmeriCorps and VISTA are related and the mission of each. This really helped me to begin to understand my role with the Upper South Platte Watershed Association and my opportunities as a VISTA. With that in mind, I'm going to run through some brief (I promise!) descriptions of the organization to help you better understand my role in the whole thing.
AmeriCorps - a program of national service that was founded by President Clinton in 1994. AmeriCorps is the umbrella organization overseeing many domestic service/volunteer programs, including VISTA. AmeriCorps members address critical needs across the US and largely focus on direct service.
VISTA - stands for Volunteers in Service to America. Although it is now under the umbrella of AmeriCorps, VISTA was actually envisioned as a domestic Peace Corps by President Kennedy and became law under President Johnson in 1964. All VISTA members work to eliminate poverty and, unlike other AmeriCorps programs, VISTA focuses on planning and capacity building in addition to direct service. Although support lagged for VISTA (and AmeriCorps as a whole) under the Bush administration, the Obama administration has voiced strong support for the program and a relatively large amount of stimulus money went to the creation of new VISTA positions.
That's basically the backdrop I'm working in. So even though in my day to day job I am working with the Upper South Platte Watershed Association and the Jefferson Conservation District, my living stipend comes from AmeriCorps and is purposefully set at the poverty line. This means that, for the organizations I work forwith, I am technically a volunteer, even though I am treated like a regular employee.
After learning all about AmeriCorps, VISTA and poverty during my week at PSO, I discovered that I was required to take an oath to officially begin my term of service as an AmeriCorp VISTA volunteer. I know that most jobs require you to sign a contract, but I was more than a little weirded out by the fact that we had to raise our right hand and actually affirm our commitment to service.
In case you are curious, here's the oath:
"I do solemnly swear/affirm that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;
That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;
That I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion;
And that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter.
So help me God (note: this line is optional)."
Um, what????!!! I'm pretty sure that's the same oath that soldiers have to take. And potentially the same oath Obama had to take when he was sworn in. If not the same, pretty darn close. I guess I didn't realize how much of a commitment being an AmeriCorps member is / is expected to be. The weirdest part was that no one else seemed to think it was weird that we had to take an oath. What do they know that I don't??
Oh, and if you are an enemy, foreign or domestic...watch out! Apparently, I'm gonna getcha.
AmeriCorps - a program of national service that was founded by President Clinton in 1994. AmeriCorps is the umbrella organization overseeing many domestic service/volunteer programs, including VISTA. AmeriCorps members address critical needs across the US and largely focus on direct service.
VISTA - stands for Volunteers in Service to America. Although it is now under the umbrella of AmeriCorps, VISTA was actually envisioned as a domestic Peace Corps by President Kennedy and became law under President Johnson in 1964. All VISTA members work to eliminate poverty and, unlike other AmeriCorps programs, VISTA focuses on planning and capacity building in addition to direct service. Although support lagged for VISTA (and AmeriCorps as a whole) under the Bush administration, the Obama administration has voiced strong support for the program and a relatively large amount of stimulus money went to the creation of new VISTA positions.
That's basically the backdrop I'm working in. So even though in my day to day job I am working with the Upper South Platte Watershed Association and the Jefferson Conservation District, my living stipend comes from AmeriCorps and is purposefully set at the poverty line. This means that, for the organizations I work forwith, I am technically a volunteer, even though I am treated like a regular employee.
After learning all about AmeriCorps, VISTA and poverty during my week at PSO, I discovered that I was required to take an oath to officially begin my term of service as an AmeriCorp VISTA volunteer. I know that most jobs require you to sign a contract, but I was more than a little weirded out by the fact that we had to raise our right hand and actually affirm our commitment to service.
In case you are curious, here's the oath:
"I do solemnly swear/affirm that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic;
That I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same;
That I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion;
And that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter.
So help me God (note: this line is optional)."
Um, what????!!! I'm pretty sure that's the same oath that soldiers have to take. And potentially the same oath Obama had to take when he was sworn in. If not the same, pretty darn close. I guess I didn't realize how much of a commitment being an AmeriCorps member is / is expected to be. The weirdest part was that no one else seemed to think it was weird that we had to take an oath. What do they know that I don't??
Oh, and if you are an enemy, foreign or domestic...watch out! Apparently, I'm gonna getcha.
Poverty v Playing Poor (PSO Part 1)
So it's been a while, but I've been meaning to post some thoughts about my Pre-Service Orientation in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
As a requirement of AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), I was required to attend a four-day Pre-Service Orientation. My PSO was in Albuquerque, New Mexico and housed about 150 new VISTAs who will be working in places as far apart as Washington DC, Arkansas, Colorado, California, New Mexico, Arizona and Nebraska. It was great to meet so many new people who are dedicated to social justice - even though I was hesitant to become friends with anyone working super far away from me because, let's be honest, I'm not going to Arkansas anytime soon... And I can't even begin to imagine how much money the federal government spent to fly us all to Albuquerque for the week and put us up in the hotel.
Because so many different people attend PSO, it is more of an orientation to the VISTA program than to any of our actual jobs. I was expecting a pretty boring week, but was interested to learn a little more about this program I fell into. And that was basically what I got. It was pretty cool to learn more about the history of AmeriCorps, and VISTA in particular (a topic for another day), and to see who else participates in this service program.
I was pleasantly surprised at the diversity of race, age and socioeconomic status among the group. After listening to T tell me that the only people who can afford to do AmeriCorps are well-off white kids whose parents are helping them out (of which I readily admit I am one) and believing this to be true, it was good to see that not everyone was right out of school, not everyone came from a privileged background and that not everyone would be taking a pay cut by taking this position. There were a fair share of kids who just graduated from school and were so excited because they looovvveee volunteering and have been waiting to do AmeriCorps their whole lives, but there were also people who fell into their AmeriCorps position after doing other things and having other life experiences. Thank goodness.
The string that connects all AmeriCorps VISTAs is that we are all supposed to be working towards the alleviation of poverty in the United States. As a result, there was a lot of talk about poverty throughout the week. Did I say a lot? I meant A LOT. Too much. There were a few good discussions but mostly it was just interesting to see the different ways people defined poverty, depending on whether their experience with poverty was personal or something learned in sociology class.
The conversation I thought was the most interesting began when our instructor (mediator?)brought up Barbara Ehrenreich's book, Nickel and Dimed, which is an account of the author's quest to live for a month on minimum wage. He commented that the book is very controversial and opponents feel it is unrealistic because Ehrenreich is merely "playing poor," knowing that, if she fails, she won't experience any of the consequences someone actually living at the poverty line might face.
This analysis was accepted without complaint by the majority of the group. But it infuriated me. Here we were criticizing Ehrenreich for playing poor in her book when, in reality I (and most of the other people in the room) were just beginning a year of the exact same thing. For me, living on minimum wage is a challenge. It is stressful and at times seems impossible to manage. But I'm just "playing poor." Living on minimum wage for a year is not necessarily going to make me more a member of my community by teaching me what poverty really means (this is the reason AmeriCorps gives for setting its stipend at minimum wage and forbidding participants to find other, supplemental work). It seems more likely to produce the opposite result; to show me and my neighbors that I have a strong family and friend network and that, if I do fail, I have somewhere to go and people to help pick me back up.
Living at the poverty line provides a unique understanding of the challenges of everyday life, but I do not for one second feel that I am poor or impoverished. I chose this job. And the fact that I was willing and able to choose it separates me from those who are truly living in poverty and struggling to find the resources to survive day to day.
As a requirement of AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America), I was required to attend a four-day Pre-Service Orientation. My PSO was in Albuquerque, New Mexico and housed about 150 new VISTAs who will be working in places as far apart as Washington DC, Arkansas, Colorado, California, New Mexico, Arizona and Nebraska. It was great to meet so many new people who are dedicated to social justice - even though I was hesitant to become friends with anyone working super far away from me because, let's be honest, I'm not going to Arkansas anytime soon... And I can't even begin to imagine how much money the federal government spent to fly us all to Albuquerque for the week and put us up in the hotel.
Because so many different people attend PSO, it is more of an orientation to the VISTA program than to any of our actual jobs. I was expecting a pretty boring week, but was interested to learn a little more about this program I fell into. And that was basically what I got. It was pretty cool to learn more about the history of AmeriCorps, and VISTA in particular (a topic for another day), and to see who else participates in this service program.
I was pleasantly surprised at the diversity of race, age and socioeconomic status among the group. After listening to T tell me that the only people who can afford to do AmeriCorps are well-off white kids whose parents are helping them out (of which I readily admit I am one) and believing this to be true, it was good to see that not everyone was right out of school, not everyone came from a privileged background and that not everyone would be taking a pay cut by taking this position. There were a fair share of kids who just graduated from school and were so excited because they looovvveee volunteering and have been waiting to do AmeriCorps their whole lives, but there were also people who fell into their AmeriCorps position after doing other things and having other life experiences. Thank goodness.
The string that connects all AmeriCorps VISTAs is that we are all supposed to be working towards the alleviation of poverty in the United States. As a result, there was a lot of talk about poverty throughout the week. Did I say a lot? I meant A LOT. Too much. There were a few good discussions but mostly it was just interesting to see the different ways people defined poverty, depending on whether their experience with poverty was personal or something learned in sociology class.
The conversation I thought was the most interesting began when our instructor (mediator?)brought up Barbara Ehrenreich's book, Nickel and Dimed, which is an account of the author's quest to live for a month on minimum wage. He commented that the book is very controversial and opponents feel it is unrealistic because Ehrenreich is merely "playing poor," knowing that, if she fails, she won't experience any of the consequences someone actually living at the poverty line might face.
This analysis was accepted without complaint by the majority of the group. But it infuriated me. Here we were criticizing Ehrenreich for playing poor in her book when, in reality I (and most of the other people in the room) were just beginning a year of the exact same thing. For me, living on minimum wage is a challenge. It is stressful and at times seems impossible to manage. But I'm just "playing poor." Living on minimum wage for a year is not necessarily going to make me more a member of my community by teaching me what poverty really means (this is the reason AmeriCorps gives for setting its stipend at minimum wage and forbidding participants to find other, supplemental work). It seems more likely to produce the opposite result; to show me and my neighbors that I have a strong family and friend network and that, if I do fail, I have somewhere to go and people to help pick me back up.
Living at the poverty line provides a unique understanding of the challenges of everyday life, but I do not for one second feel that I am poor or impoverished. I chose this job. And the fact that I was willing and able to choose it separates me from those who are truly living in poverty and struggling to find the resources to survive day to day.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)