The title �Breaking the Cycle� was a derivative of my own experiences and circumstances:
My Grandparents were not born into a well off family; they could care for themselves and their children well enough to keep them sheltered and fed properly, but not well enough to put them thru college. My mother had to go through college with the use of state aid, it was a struggle for her with three small children and her fianc� not at home to help. She managed though; became a respiratory therapist, and she made pretty good money. With my stepfather�s help (who became a high iron worker, after serving in the air force) we were supported well. Not real wealthy, but well enough to managed a couple new outfits for school every year. We had presents for the holidays without having to worry about not getting the bills paid.
So we were comfortable. Then my father was killed at work (things happen). My mother was able to obtain a settlement from a wrongful death suit, which allows her to go through life without having to worry if she will be taken care of in her old age, but she still does not have the means to put her three children through college.
Being not brought up to know God or attend church services I too had children out of wedlock (I hold no grudge my family did the best they could and were very loving). Since then I have found the love of God and an opportunity to continue my education through the aid and assistance of the state, but the system is different now than it was when my mother went to college.
Some differences are good changes, like single fathers can now get aid, and there are more options and means of assistance like fuel or electrical credits.
Some changes, however, were not meant to assist the ones in need.
Forget about the stories you hear about people cheating the system and living luxuriously on taxpayers money. This is not the case (I�ve never found any evidence that anyone has been able to do this). People who are on state assistance are living well below poverty level.
The state makes sure that the individual is given just below what they need to cover life's bare minimal expenses.
In the state of Maine there is a five year limit on how long an individual can be eligible for assistance (two years is the limit in most other states). The objective being that the individual seeking assistance will be forced to work or will fall deeper and deeper into a financial debt. Which is a pretty good idea; in theory, but does not secure the future of the individual seeking the aid. Nor does it secure the future of the individual's family; their children will then also be forced to depend on state assistance if they ever want to obtain an education above high school.
State aid also puts a limitation on the type of education that an individual can achieve, and what kind of job the individual can obtain. No doctors will be born of low income families, or at least very few will make it that far.
On top of that for an individual to be able to further their education they must be enrolled full time in order to receive assistance with gas and child care costs. The individual also has to be engaged in 20 hrs of work a week. Oh yea, day care costs will only be covered during class and while at work so I really hope that most who are on state assistance can study and watch their kids at the same time with out either one of those suffering because lets face it no one wants to neglect their children and if you don�t keep your GPA above 2.0 state aid drops you.
When the individual has no extended family to help and has children, success in education is no easy achievement.
Those who have gone through college know of the toils and tribulations that can be dealt to them even with out having children or work to be concerned over.
The limitation of aid and education secures the availability of wealthy paying jobs for the wealthy born individuals. It does one more thing: it guarantees that the children of the individuals who depend on this assistance may also face the possibility of having to depend on this assistance as well, if they ever wish to further their education and get a job that will pay them more than minimum wage.
Now I�m not saying that this is so, for all of those who reach out for help from the state. Nor do I demote state assistance as a benefit for those who have no other way to better their currant lives. I definitely promote the utilization of the said assistance.
What I have purposed and have vowed to do; is to assist those who have fallen into circumstances that are beyond state assistance to mend. The state can only provide so much for people in need.
If an individual, is confronted with circumstances that pulls them from their schooling, and the individual is faced with the decision to either continue the education that will secure their own future (and the futures of their children) or to drop out so that they can feed their children. Or an individual would like to further their education beyond what any state will allow, then by any means that are available to me; I will help that individual obtain their goals and fulfill their needs. God forbid that anyone should suffer the way that I have, we all know that any individual would chose an immediate need over a long term necessity. No one should be forced to choose between having a life and living.
The wealthy aren�t the only high or able achievers in this world. No one�s worth should ever be determined by the size of their wallets. Nor should any ones achievements be limited by the same means.
I vow to help those in need of further assistance because of unavoidable, unfortunate circumstances. But I can not do this alone. Everyone who is anyone has gotten where they are with the help and assistance and aid of another. The only real way to fix any economy or to promote a better standard of living for all to endure is: by giving a hand to those in need when the opportunity prevails itself.
If you feel you can reach out your hand, and help someone in need, or if you are someone in need and would like to share the circumstances of your situation with me to be placed on a list of those who need a hand please contact me.
No obligations, you will not be receiving any emails or solicitation for any further collections. Nor will any information be given to anyone else.
Thank you for your time and assistance. For more information please contact Theresa Morey at [email protected] �more info� as your subject.
All donations made will be given in full to someone in need of financial aid to further their education and better their futures.
