Single Mother Of Two Disabled At 30 Seeks Government Housing Grant

by Nicole Ralston
(Medford, Oregon, USA)

I was 30 years old when my dreams ended. I was working at a lumberyard doing all the hardware buying, merchandising, inventory, customer service, special ordering, sales etc.

For two lumberyards, I was a single mother of two and was taking care of my children without having to be on welfare. I was successful.

While getting ready for work one morning my back went out. I tried to continue to work for another two weeks until it became to much for me. I haven't been able to work since.

It is ten years later, I have had two back surgeries and need another one. It took me seven years to be approved for SSI and SSD, that gives me a total of $600 a month. That $600 is all I have to live on every month.

My children are grown now but lived through the most difficult time in my life with me. They were there when there was no money for Christmas presents let alone toilet paper or shoes for school.

I am now homeless! I worked like a man most of my adult life to be able to take care of my children on my own, and by doing so I crippled myself.

I paid into the system all those years and for what… to be crippled and homeless at 40?

I can't afford to even rent a one bedroom for myself and even if I did I wouldn't be able to afford electricity. And I now have grandchildren that can't come to grandma's house because grandma doesn't have a house.

I can't bake them cookies or birthday cakes. All those things I was working so hard for all those years ago. And still no Christmas presents for the kids and now my grandbabies too.

There are no other state or government programs in my area to help. I only qualify for food stamps from welfare because I make too much from SSI/SSD.

I don't know of anyone who can survive on $600 a month. Could you? Please think about it. Could you live on $600 a month?

On top of that I have a storage payment every month, time on my cell phone, personal items and sleeping on peoples couch isn't free either.

Please help me, this wasn't what I was dreaming my life would be like. Don't I deserve at least the basics in life? Please help! Sincerely, Nicole Ralston.

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