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“I’ve used assistance before,” she says. “But I’m able to work. I pay my bills. I pay my rent. The people who just sit on [welfare] and not work, they don’t need it,” she says. One helpful way she saves money is by going to the food giveaway at King-Kennedy. Every Monday she goes to Winfield Church in Ravenna for a warm, free meal. She can go to a free clothing store once a week to get clothes for her children. She says her children don’t feel any different than other children at school because everyone is in the same situation. They see their cousins when they go to the church for a meal. She says her children aren’t greedy and don’t ask for a lot. They only wish their mother could be home more often. “They’re kids,” she says. “They always want mom home.” But she says they know she has to work. Her children like helping at King-Kennedy as much as they can. Taylor says Josh, 15, is especially good with community work. Josh, Christopher, 7, and Sandra, 12, pack grocery bags for the food giveaway and help to pass them out. When her children were young enough, she participated in the Women, Infants and Children program. Participants may use WIC only until their children are 5 years old. Taylor says the government should increase the age limit for the program. “Why can’t they raise [WIC]?” she asks. “They’re growing. They still need milk. WIC helped out a lot.” She hopes she can go back to school full time after Christopher graduates from college so she can study to become an X-ray technician and work in a local hospital. In the meantime, she will continue working at King-Kennedy and encouraging others to give back to the center that has helped them. “I volunteer to support the community,” Taylor says. “Even if it’s just to sweep the floors — I want to help.” |
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| {above} The area is an easy target for vandalism. Abandoned buildings, wooded areas and dimly lighted streets hasten such destruction. {below} Socks hang to dry at a home in the McElrath community. Before 1974, the area was without a sewer system, making routine tasks such as washing laundry time-consuming chores. |
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