Va. Stretches to Help Workers Make Transition From Welfare; Cash, Training Programs Help Keep People Off Rolls
When Tonya King got off welfare in January and started working as an adult day-care provider for $9 an hour, she knew making ends meet would be tough.</br></br>A few months later, her expectations were confirmed: Her monthly paycheck barely covers her $700 rent and $235 in child care for her two sons. Utilities and other essentials are squeezed out of what's left, with a little help from her parents. She receives food stamps and is on a payment plan with the electric company, but she still finds herself in a hole every 30 days.</br></br>"This job is a blessing," said King, 33, of suburban Richmond, who was on welfare for six months. "I would never want to go back on welfare. I believe in working. But I look at my bills and I look at how I was doing when I was getting help, and I can't help but notice that there isn't much difference."</br></br>The state gives King and other recent welfare recipients $50 a month for a year to help them with the transition. The stipend is only available if clients maintain employment. "Hey, every little bit helps," said King, who also is seeking child support from her ex-husband.</br></br>The cash benefit is one of several efforts that Virginia and other states are using to address the hardships recently discharged welfare clients face.