Busy, Busy, Busy

The last few weeks have been about as busy as we've ever been here on the Mobile Express. Highlights in the past few weeks have included the Great Pumpkin Show in Circleville and the start of the Home Energy Assistance Program right here in Columbus.

See that first link? Click it. Scroll down a few paragraphs and check out the picture of the 2009 prize winning pumpkins. The biggest was 1600 pounds. Have you ever seen a 1600 pumpkin before? Have you even considered a 1600 pound pumpkin before? I had two different people (Enrollment Specialist Jerry Lee and VISTA/Senior Employment Specialist Danielle Gray) with me over the course of the event, and I tried out the same joke: "Whoever planted those gigantic pumpkins must have been out of their gourd." Neither Jerry or Danielle laughed, but their contributions were appreciated regardless.

After speaking to hundreds of people in Circleville, the Mobile Express spent a week in The Breathing Association's parking lot to help people who were applying for emergency utility assistance. Those funds became available on November 1, so the Association expected quite the turnout.

While in that parking lot, we spoke to dozens of people and helped a few people apply for food stamps. I even did one person's back taxes, leading to an expected $1500 refund. It's always surprising to see how many hungry people are eligible for food assistance but still haven't applied. No matter how many times we run into these situations, it still shocks me. I'm proud that we are and will continue to work to close that gap.

If You're Getting Out of Jail, Apply For Food Stamps!

I've been to three events recently that have targeted released and soon-to-be released felons who are eligible for benefits. Erin and I spent an entire day in Circleville where parole officers walked their wards over to the Mobile Express to have their eligibility checked. Jerry and I did the same in Sidney. And Erin and I, with a VISTA volunteer (thanks, Zach!) made another trip to Marion to help prisoners who were to be released to the general public in the next thirty days.

The trip to Marion clearly illustrated that many convicted criminals don't have jobs lined up for when they are released. And the trips to Sidney and Circleville hammered that point home. Unemployment remains a huge problem here in the Buckeye State. Being convicted of a felony greatly exacerbates that. Work is hard to find, and unemployment can lead to recidivism.

So why don't any of the ex-offenders we see have food stamps!?

There may be no greater population in need of public assistance and yet this is the population most likely to be eligible for something they're not taking advantage of. It's a problem. Hopefully, our trips to prisons will give these soon-to-be released inmates a jump start on receiving the benefits that can help provide for a second chance.

Little Round Town

On Tuesday, April 21, we took the van down to Circleville, Ohio, the county seat of Pickaway County. Our goal was to help people enroll for benefits like food stamps and utility assistance. We were honored to have media, both local and national, in tow.

The event was hosted by Pickaway Manor, an assisted-living facility. We were blown away by the efforts of Terri Tyree (a social worker from the Manor) who put in much effort to tell people that we'd be there. Mothers went to the van saying their children brought Benefit Bank fliers home from school. The event was also advertised on the front page of the local paper. Word is that they even put our fliers on pizza boxes!

The event was serviced by the two Mobile Enrollment Specialists - Erin and myself - as well as two counselors from our Columbus office: Jerry Lee and Zach Reat. Over the course of four hours, we helped over a dozen people from Pickaway County apply for benefits. One client was so happy that she asked us to provide her with Governor Strickland's office address so she could write a letter of thanks.

I'd like to extend my hearty thanks to all of the people who made this event such a success.