Stories on the Recession, Part 5

One in five children are homeless at a public school in Brooklyn, New York, reports Meredith Kolodner of the New York Daily News. A majority of these kids reside at one of ten nearby shelters. A federal grant has kept the school’s after-school programs open. So the students have been able to spend time reading, cooking, building robots, and staying out of fights until 6pm. “We have families who come in who need shelter,” said principal Danika Lacroix. “We have mothers who come in and say, ‘My husband’s beating on me.’” She continued, “We make sure they get help.”

The program costs $1,700 for each student annually, most of which is covered by the grant. Only a year back, just a third of fourth-graders were reading at grade level. Currently, that number is up to 44%.

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If it weren’t for her Chihuahua, Diane Woods-Kavalski would have lost hope. Woods-Kavalski ended up homeless, reports Stephanie De Pasquale of the Quad City Times, after dealing with a methamphetamine addiction, being hit by a truck, and then getting kicked out of the place where she was staying in Davenport, Iowa. Her dog, Retia, was by her side through it all, but was not allowed into a local homeless shelter where Woods-Kavalski was staying.

King’s Harvest, a local organization dedicated to helping the poor, offered to provide temporary housing for Retia until Woods-Kavalsksi was able to get back on her feet. The organization’s new program cares for the pets of the homeless, and keeps them safe until their owners can get back on their feet. “It’s very difficult for some individuals who don’t have children or family. Their pets are the only thing they have,” said shelter program director Cindi Gramenz. “So that might be the one thing that’s with them constantly that doesn’t pass judgment, doesn’t do whatever. It’s like a kid to some of these people.” Woods-Kavalski recently moved out of the shelter and into a one-bedroom apartment, and was able to take Retia with her.

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Mary Oddan, a teacher who lives with her 81-year-old mother outside of Bakersfield, California, thought she had gotten a mortgage modification through the Making Home Affordable plan. But before she could even make her first payment, she received an eviction notice. According to local NBC affiliate KGET, representatives of CitiMortgage initially denied they had any record of Oddan’s Making Home Affordable paperwork after her home was foreclosed. Then they later fessed up that she had, in fact, been granted a trial modification. For the time being, though, Oddan is still unsettled. “I’m just waiting right now for someone to drag us out and lock the door behind us. Every day I come home wondering if I still have a home,” she said.

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Fintress Harris bought a new house in Milwaukee in 2005 with an adjustable-rate mortgage. In 2008, his mortgage rate skyrocketed, and in a panic, he went to an organization that promised to lower his rate for a $2,000 fee. Unfortunately, reports the local ABC affiliate WISN, Harris was scammed. And he fell for it twice. “They say they’re going to do this and do that and really they don’t,” he remarked. After the second scam, he sought out Select Milwaukee, a local non-profit that provides advice and assistance for homebuyers. They helped him get in touch with his lender and refinance to make his payments more manageable. They also work with first-time homebuyers to keep them out of the traps that Harris fell into, and keep homeowners out of debt and in their homes.