No Change for the Bus

 Ms. King at DSS (Department of Social Services) in New Haven, CT gave the best customer service I have received in a long time!! She was clearly understood Sarah’s needs and worked expediently to ensure Sarah received services!!!!!!!!!!!!  Sarah became unemployed in June 2012 and found herself in dire straits.  She had not been unemployed and/or completely broke since she had her daughter 21 years ago.  She found herself in need of services, Comcast would cut her off regularly and consistently; I would imagine it could be really hard to look for job with no phone service or immediate access to the internet.  Sure she could walk or catch the bus to Hamden and use their services, but when that employer calls on Monday at 6:00 PM and they can’t reach her, they simply move on to the next candidate.

UI (United Illuminated) cut Sarah off several times how do you look for a job with no electricity to properly prepare your clothes for an interview.  No more cleaners for her, she had to learn to take of her permanent press clothes by hand.  For months she told UI she was unemployed and slightly disabled DAV (Disabled Veteran) and it wasn’t until she called Governor Malloy’s office and sent Senator Blumenthal an email that someone from UI called her with services for someone in her financial condition.

She had a job that was a 118 mile drive, which may not have been the best option for her during a time of major life stressors, but the thought of at least having some income during the - (3) Deaths, (1) possible foreclosure, (1) repossession of a vehicle, (1) license suspension (she ran out of money to cover vehicle insurance for 2 cars) and (1) divorce would make things better.   Sarah is an intelligent mother of (1) daughter, she acquired (2) Masters and she could not get a job at a warehouse, McDonalds or Burger.  Yes she applied to them all to no avail.

Yesterday her heat my heat went off and to my surprise Sarah is not angry, disappointed or sad.  During the interview she noted the VA (Veterans Administration) told her she may have to wait another 357 days before a decision is made on her claim for drinking contaminated water in Camp Lejeune – Note the claim was initially filed in 2007.   

I admire Sarah for her inner strength and durability.  I asked her how she did it.  She said it was really rough at first she tried to mediate the pain away and then one day the light bulb went off, friends left her, family left her and she was alone.  Then she remembered something she had read, “I will never leave you nor forsake you”.  She remembered she was not alone and it was not easy at first.  She stumbled and fell many, many times but her perseverance is remarkable.

Sarah is still unemployed and working on a Doctorate Degree the school waived the registration fee and made a choice/decision.  Sarah said, “You simply have to decide if you are going to stay on the floor and let life run you over, or you are going to get up get the bus stop of change and wait – even if you don’t have any change”.