LaTeesha's Story

Even though you may check our website and read our blog, to fully appreciate how New Century IDA empowers people you need to hear first hand from someone who has participated in the program.

LaTeesha is a graduate of Winston-Salem State and an Income Maintenance Caseworker in Family and Children’s Medicaid for Forsyth County. She has completed the financial literacy classes and will graduate from New Century IDA with Wave 29 on March 27^th. Like many people who participate in New Century IDA, LaTeesha is motivated by her son. By achieving her goal of homeownership, her son will be able to grow up in his own family’s home. He will also learn what his mother is capable of and what can be achieved with hard work and dedication to a goal.

To learn more about LaTeesha’s experience in New Century IDA, watch the video below!

Thanks to LaTeesha for sharing her story! Congratulations on all of your achievements so far!

Living on SNAP (Food Stamps): Conclusion.

Over 40 million people in the United States depend on SNAP in order to feed themselves. A 2009 study found that of the households using SNAP, 47% of recipients were children, 8% elderly, and 64% of adult, nonelderly recipients were women.

The amount of people on SNAP is rapidly increasing, although program funding is constantly at risk of getting cutback. These statistics do not cover the amount of people who are eligible for food assistance, but do not apply. They may not apply because of pride, they are unaware of programs that can help them, or they do not know where to go and how to apply. Because of this, there are many more uncounted Americans who go hungry every single day. Of these groups, the elderly are the least likely to apply for food assistance.

The millions of people utilizing SNAP are men, women, children, and the elderly. They have different upbringings, educational levels, are mixed in age and race. But, an alarming amount of those on food assistance are single, female heads of household and children, and the amount of elderly in need is far more because the elderly are most likely to not apply for aide. Those who use these programs the most are also the most vulnerable members of our communities.

This blog series shared the stories of three Americans who used SNAP and food stamps in order to feed themselves: a 22 year old college graduate who found herself homeless; an emancipated youth faced with harsh reality of attending school fulltime, and trying to feed herself and her fiancé on two part-time jobs; and myself, a college graduate and AmeriCorps worker, who grew up on food assistance. Although all stories are different, we share one commonality: we previously used or currently use SNAP in order to feed ourselves. Hunger takes on many faces, and the stories shared in this series are not the “typical” idea of who utilizes food assistance in order to fulfill their needs, or as Stacy said, “So I can eat more than a sack of potatoes.” When we open our hearts and eyes to trying to understand who seeks assistance, it is a step forward in finding a solution to eradicate poverty in not only those groups, but for everyone.

My story, along with my friends stories are only three of millions. All three of us are educated, young women who found ourselves in need. Now, with our stories still relatively fresh in your minds, I leave you with these questions: Who deserves to go hungry, why do they deserve it, and what is the true face of hunger; is there one? On that note, why are so many people unable to save their money, despite working several jobs?

Written by:

Andriana Bicanin

AmeriCorps*VISTA 

New Century IDA

2010 - 2011

IDA Success Stories: A Single Mother of 2 and the Family Caretaker Reaches for the American Dream

I am a 42-year-old single African American with two sons, ages 15 and 24. My elderly father and his sister are also in the home. Currently, I am employed with the Forsyth County School System as a Teachers Assistant. I wasn’t familiar with any program in Winston-Salem area that would work with families that needed some assistance to help them become self-reliant.

I was at home when I received a phone call from one of my friends telling me about a program that she would like for me to participate in. However, she knew that financially I would be unable to do the program in its entirety. So, she asked that I come and hear her lecture because she knew it would benefit me somehow. By hearing her lecture it helped me set financial goals, budget planning, insurance and many other things. I was so glad to have received that call. The young man who met me at the door recognized my name and introduced himself and told me to please enjoy the lecture. At that point it was very clear to us that financially it would take a miracle to be able to participate in this program and purchase a home. But, thanks be to God the young man I met earlier was able to work out a way for me to participate. I was given sound advice from a team of workers through the IDA program.

Later, my IDA worker told me about the Self-Sufficiency Program at Experiment in Self-Reliance. I was approved for enrollment and needed additional assistance with budgeting skills, assistance in acquiring information on citizenship for my sons and father who are currently in the United States on Visas, and financial assistance to stabilize my household. This program would further enhance the ability to become a homeowner and self-reliant through a series of intense case management session during my monthly visits.

Things have come together for me. My family is receiving regular medical services. I have increased my annual income and learned some basic budgeting skills. Each month I continue to work with my case planner on developing those skills, and others that will help me become economically self-sufficient. I meet with my case planner once each month, and maintain telephone contact to ensure that no additional barriers arise that would hinder my progression to self-sufficiency.

I have finished the IDA Program by building a new home from scratch; and I may add I am the first one out of the group to have a home built. Even though some may believe that it just happened, I know that God had a plan and it was just unfolding.

I am thankful to God who is first in my life for making all of this possible for my family and myself. I am so grateful for the friends that God has placed in my life to be angels and they are not even aware of that. Please continue to make these programs available to others who aren’t able to do it alone.

Just imagine five persons living in a home and only one working. To purchase this home is nothing but a miracle for my family and me. That’s why the name of my home will be The Miracle House. ESR and IDA programs provide assistance to people who would otherwise not have the opportunity to better themselves and their situations.

If I had not been given the opportunity to be a part of the ESR/IDEA/Self Sufficiency programs, I would still be renting a house that would never be mine, struggling to manage my expenses each month, and I would probably be making the same amount of money I was earning before ESR, because I didn’t have a home to call my own, thereby making me feel more motivated to keep what I worked hard to accomplish. Also, my family would still be wondering when they would become citizens of the USA. My boys are just days away from becoming citizens and my father would have the same opportunity in a very short while.

Thanks to all of you for being there in my time of need.