During the summer Hamilton College senior Karen Pogonowski interviewed Food Bank clients and surveyed welfare recipients at offices in Utica and Rome, using a questionnaire developed by the Children's Defense Fund. She also analyzed data from the Head Start surveys conducted last spring by Erin Reid '01. The situation she found was a bleak one. On November 29 Karen reported to an assembly of students and faculty the results of these surveys which were part of her research as a Levitt Fellow. Sponsored by the Levitt Public Affairs Center, she worked with Associate Director of Community Programs, Judith Owens-Manley.
Karen painted a vivid picture of the hopelessness the people expressed, many breaking down in tears. Most of the Food Bank clients were unable to receive welfare for various reasons. One was sanctioned and dropped from the rolls for a year by her case worker because she received Christmas presents from Operation Sunshine.
Women in particular were unable to find jobs that provided enough income to support their children (average wage was $7.16 per hour), and those jobs they found were often part-time or of short duration. None reported that they did not want a job. "Life is a bitch," said one. Many had to find homes with friends or relatives and some had to cope with disabilities. Even a "Happy Meal" at McDonalds was out of the question.
When asked what she would recommend, Karen said she had little hope to offer and that a solution would not be easy perhaps requiring a complete reorganization of the welfare system.
