Report says feds blocking
welfare-to-work successes
SPECIAL TO THE C HRONICLE
RALEIGH ? Restrictions
contained in federal welfare laws
are holding back North Carolina's
progress in welfare reform,
according to a new report released
by the N.C. Justice and Commu
nity Development Center, the
state's leading anti-poverty advo
cacy group. Called "Holding
Families Back: Federal Road
blocks to Work First Success," the
report finds that many of the prob
lems that Work First families and
county social services agencies
are facing are attributable to the
lack of adequate support and
interference by the federal gov
ernment.
"North Carolina social servic
es agencies and welfare families
have embraced the Work First
philosophy of federal welfare
reforms passed in 1996," said
Sorien Schmidt, author of the
report and a public interest attor
ney with the justice Center. "As a
result, thousands of North Caroli
na families have left the cash
assistance rolls and gone to work.
Unfortunately, most of them are
earning low wages that keep them
stuck in poverty and in need of
assistance for health care, trans
portation, child care and housing
- critical components of econom
ic self-sufficiency."
In 19%, the federal govern
ment transformed welfare from
an "entitlement" program called
Aid to Families with Dependent
Children (AFDC) into a "block
grant" called Temporary Assis
tance to Needy Families (TANF).
_ _ _ _m
Rather than guaranteeing cash
assistance to all who were eligible
for as long as necessary, TANF
was designed to provide families
with time-limited help until they
could be directed into the work
force.
The report makes several
findings about the impact reforms
have had in the state. Work First,
North Carolina's cash assistance
program, has seen its rolls decline
more than 60 percent since 1995.
Seventy percent of families leav
ing the rolls have earnings, but on
average they are earning only
$7,5(X) their first year off the pro
gram. In 2002, that amounts to
only about 60 percent of federal
poverty level. From 1990 to 2000.
there was a 12 percent increase in
N.C. children living in poverty .
"Congress created a road map
for the state to follow," Schmidt
said, "but they blocked the way
with barriers in the road.'" The
report identifies five key areas in
which Congress must act if North
Carolina's welfare reform efforts
are to be successful.
1. Inadequate funding for
TANF. child care and child wel
fare prevents the state from pro
viding the services required by
families and required to meet fed
eral TANF goals. Congress must
provide more dollars.
2. Federal measures of state
performance focus primarily on
caseload reduction, ignoring
whether families who have left
are employed or self-sufficient.
This sidetracks the state on meet
ing measures that don't achieve
the goals of TANF or North Car
olina's Work First program. State
performance should be measured
by state success in helping fami
lies get and keep work, and earn a
living wage.
3. Narrowly defined allow
able work activities prevent North
Carolina from helping families
address many of the barriers they
face to obtaining employment and
restrict the state from training
families for better-paying jobs.
States must be given flexibility to
define work activities more
broadly.
4. Inflexible time limits are
unresponsive to economic down
turn, family hardships and natural
disasters. States must be given
flexibility to implement time lim
its as appropriate based on indi
vidual family and county circum
stances.
5. Restrictions arbitrarily pre
vent North Carolina from serving
many legal immigrants. With
nearly 500 percent growth of the
North Carolina Latino population
over the last decade, this restric
tion the use of federal funds
puts the state and counties in a dif
ficult position when addressing
the needs of this new and growing
population. States should be
given the option to serve legal
immigrants.
The report shows how these
federal restrictions impact county
social services agencies, and local
officials echoed Schmidt's con
clusions. -
"Funding is a real issue for
us," said Evelyn Dawson, director
of social services in Halifax
County. Forty percent of the chil
dren in Halifax County live in
poverty, and the county has few
job opportunities or existing
resources. "It took us a while to
start fully spending our money.
We aren't like the big counties.
We don't have enough services
already existing in our communi
ty. If we needed more child care
we had to create it. but we have to
keep serv ing people at the same
time. We are building the plane
and flying it at the same time. To
make Work First work, we have
to build lots of planes, not just
one."
Dawson pointed out that
despite these obstacles the county
has reduced its caseload by nearly
two-thirds since 1995. although
the downturn in the economy has
resulted in more people returning
to welfare. "Just as we get the
services in place and are able to
use the money, it is at risk due to
increasing caseloads and the
budget deficit."
Narrowly drawn federal work
participation rules are among the
barriers to family self-sufficiency,
according to Anna Green, director
of MulticuBiral Community
Development Services (MCDS)
of Spring Lake. Green and the
MCDS staff work with Work First
recipients every day.
She said educational pro
grams and health care are critical
support services for those trying
to attain economic self-sufficien
cy. "It is worth it to invest in edu
cation so people can get a skill
and don't have to go back on the
system. The rules should be
changed so people can go to
school with Work First help. That
way, when they leave the program
they can get a job with decent
wages and benefits. Now people
go off Work First into low-wage
jobs with no benefits. When they
get so sick they have to go back
on Work First, they're in worse
heath than when they started."
Congress is reviewing the
TANF and child-care block
grants, which are set to expire on
Sept. 30. The U.S. House of Rep
resentatives has passed its version
of TANF reauthorization legisla
tion and the Senate is taking up
bills.
Schmidt said, "North Caroli
na is poised to move forward to
the next phase of welfare reform;
however, remaining federal road
blocks must be removed to further
these efforts. The information in
this report provides a guide for
TANF reauthorization that would
help North Carolina welfare pro
grams to improve the lives Of
low-income families so their chil
dren can turn off the dead-end
road to proverty."
Fill Photo
Congress is expected to review the controversial welfare reform laws, which are scheduled
to expire by the end of September. Critics hope that the legislation will be altered.
Happy Hill
from page A /
Organization of the Piedmont, we
extend our thanks. The connection
between our two people - Liberians and
African Americans - is very
unique....Our connection is no mis
take." Hunder said. "I look forward to
living on Liberia Street soon. I signed
up today through the Southside CDC.
Liberia Street will be revitalized. I hope
that other Liberians Will follow so that
the dream of our ancestors will be per
petuated."
Tory Woodbury of the New York
Jets offered encouragement to the
youths in the circle.
"I love all of my people in Happy
Hill. You kids don't know how blessed
you are to have the support of people
like Mrs. (Yvonne) Jefferson (who
works at the Happy Hill Community
Center). Mr. Piggott and Mr. Bitting.
Y'all look up. and stay out of trouble,"
Woodbury said. "There is a lot of trou
ble around here, but let's have some
fun."
On Friday night. Elder Sam Davis -
a native of Happy Hill, associate minis
ter at Mt. Olive Apostolic Church and
sports editor of The Chronicle - served
as the keynote speaker. The topic of his
address was "Can Anything Good
Come Out of Happy Hill? Come and
See." His scriptural text came from
John 1:46. in which Nathaniel asks
Philip about Jesus, who went about
doing good. He asks. "Can anything
good come out of Nazareth?"
A large crowd of reunion partici
pants come home to this gathering for
various reasons.
John Rivers traveled from Balti
more. Md.. to attend this family affair.
Although he has lived in Baltimore for
22 years, he feels compelled to come to
the reunion. His'family has lived on Gill
Street. Pitts Street, and Alexander Street
in the Happy Hill community. Rivers is
the third of four children in the Rivers
family, and they moved to this public
housing community in 1951. This is his
third time coming to the festivities.
"I got to show my face in the place.
I am glad I came," Rivers said. "When
you coming home, you don't worry
how far you have to travel. I was bom
and reared here. This is home."
While he told his story, two of his
friends - Alphonzo Webb and Jasper
Turner of Winston-Salem - sandwiched
him in the middle of a heartfelt hug.
They attended Columbia Heights.
Anderson High School and Atkins High
School. They ran to greet Rivers
because they had not seen him in 20
years. >
Webb comes each year to win a
reunion T-shirt during the bingo game
and to see old friends. Rivers. Webb and
Turner also remembered another special
friend named James Stalks, who is
deceased.
"We all have been friends since the
1950s. Rivers has been hitting me
upside my head all of my life." Webb
said. "I decided that if he hits me this
time. I am going to knock him out. We
have always had fun together. 1 get
happy when I see them."
Jerry Hinson and his family lived at
503 Willow Street and on Pitts Street.
They lived in a shotgun house. He
recalled that he could see through the
floor to the ground because the wooden
slabs were not meshed well. They were
glad to finally move into the "palace"
on Free Street.
Jazz musician Joe Robinson lived at
716 Gill Street. He comes to the reunion
to perform each year.
"Ben does the work that in my heart
I would like to do with the young peo
ple. I come each year so that I can
inspire some child that way Harry
Wheeler and Bernard Foy inspired me.
They often played their instruments at
the community center dances, and they
would let me in to play one song with
them." Robinson said. "It was an adult
thing, but I had my trumpet, and they let
me in to play my song and leave. I come
back to connect with my history. 1 come
back to pass it on."
Tim Watson of Winston-Salem lived
at 1236 Alder Street for about five years
during the 1960s. He and brother Joe
Watson and other siblings liked to play
in the tunnels. Watson's most vivid
memory is that of Wendell
and his whistle. "He scared
every child in Happy Hill
during the 1960s." Watson
said. "I remember he sang
a song that said. 'I see a
girl and a dee' dowdy do."'
James Funches and sis
ter Beverly Funches
Williams lived at 1244
Free Street from 1952 to
1962. They come to the
reunion each year.
Williams was honored at
the Friday night ceremony
for mentoring young peo
ple in the community.
"I was deeply touched
last night. They said I did
something good."
Williams said. "Every
body's space is important.
Everybody has to find a
space and fill it."
Kimni Stanback grew
up on Powell Street. When
she came to the reunion
three years ago. she saw
her childhood face in one
of the pictorial exhibits.
The photograph portrayed
her as a child playing in the
former recreation center.
Her family moved out of
the Gardens in 1980 and
moved to California. Stan
back makes no apology
about being from Happy
Hill.
"This is where I grew
up. I am not ashamed. This
is me." Stanback said
"People want to see old
friends and we want to see
new ones. This is a family
thing to me. 1 conte to see
people I have not seen in
20 and 30 years."
Moses "Mo" Lucas
accompanied the BOSS
Drummers, under the
direction of Eric Lowery.
and the Y-ett's, under the
leadership of Robin Car
penter. during their per
formance. When he was
married, he and his wife
lived at 609 Gill Street in
the 1950s. They resided in
thp area for 10 years. He
recalled that there were .
many rules that the low
income families had to fol
low.
"Everything was under
control. We could not have
cars or televisions and live
in the projects," Lucas
said.
Pholo submitted
Several former and current
residents of Happy Hill were
honored Friday at a specipl
program. Many of them
posed for a picture after tfie
program.
i
?
i
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