Three years ago this man went through a divorce and was awarded custody of his teenage daughter. A consistent worker all of his life, he kept losing his jobs as he struggled with health issues. Each time he lost his job, he would lose his health care. He was eventually sent for a stress test at a hospital and was found to have a bad heart with a string of other problems.
He applied and was accepted for medical assistance BUT because his daughter was receiving cash assistance from social security, he was disqualified and taken off. He could receive assistance for medications but was told he must be on Social Security for two years to qualify for the health care program. Even with a pacemaker, he had no doctor care for those two years. Luckily, his daughter was covered by SCHIP (the State Children’s Health Insurance Program) during this time. Now he is old enough to receive Medicare and all seems to be resolved at this time.
I canvassed a woman who said she once had it all. She ran her own business, which she loved, she had a loving husband with a great job which provided the entire family with health care coverage, and two healthy kids. Then, a series of events happened that changed her life as she knew it.
First, she was in a horrible car accident that left her hospitalized for over a month. During this time her business suffered greatly—which lead to the very tough decision to shut it down, and stay at home with the kids while depending on her husband as the sole provider. Then, the unexpected happened again. Her husband died. Grief-stricken, she realized she had to start planning for a new life without his income or health care benefits. She found herself on an extremely fixed income and her family without health care coverage. Luckily, both of her children qualified for the Michigan health care assistance program provided by SCHIP; however she was still left without health care.
To this day she has no health care coverage, and she worries now about her part time job stability. “My main focus right now is to stay healthy, and keep the kids healthy. Tonight I’m thankful to have a few dollars to put under my daughter’s pillow from the tooth fairy.” She is making the best of her situation, but never realized how alone someone could feel, in this country, when they come on hard times. “It’s tragic to know there are families without any health care.”
As she shared her past years experiences with me I saw her try to hold back the tears. It was then that I was reminded why we do what we do. There are millions of stories just like hers across our country, and it is unacceptable. And for the first time, I think she realized she is NOT alone. It was a good feeling for both of us. She is now a hot contact, and wants to do what she can to help.
Chelsea found that while going through neighborhoods with different income levels, everyone wanted to hear about the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). People all connected with the need for health care.
While canvassing tonight, I met a single father who works hard every day to support his children. He was formerly a Teamster, and still supports unions wholeheartedly. We talked for a while about jobs, the SCHIP program, and politics in general. He and his daughter wrote letters to Rep. Pryce thanking her for voting yes on SCHIP and urging her to continue voting to override President Bush’s veto.
As I was leaving, his daughter said that Working America should come to her high school and educate the children in the community on what is really going on in this country. I left that house with a smile on my face.
Today I talked to the mother of an autistic child. She said that he benefits from the SCHIP program. She was amazed that our “President” would do what he is trying to do to this crucial program. She voted for Bush in 2004 and told me that she now regrets ever having put faith in his values. She wrote to Rep. Jordan and asked him to vote yes the next time that SCHIP is voted on, and urged him to help overturn the President’s veto. She was a nice woman.
While canvassing on a Friday night in Macedonia my observer and I came across a stoic looking man who said little. However, he quickly invited us in out of the cold and responded to my request for a dues contribution with a check for $20. When I told him and his wife about a letter to Sen. Voinovich for SCHIP he called for his son to go type up the letter and print three copies. As he closed the door as my observer and I stepped out the door I heard his wife remind him to leave the porch light on… needless to say there were three letters waiting for me later.
I was having a challenging night, it was hard to get people to talk to me. At one point in the night, a little girl answered the door and said her parents weren’t home. Her aunt was busy cleaning the house and folding clothes. I tried to yell over the vacuum to get her attention. I think she pretended not to hear me. From the kitchen, I hear a voice ask me “Is this about SCHIP?” I replied with relief that it was. A young man came to the door and grabbed the clipboard out of my hand and began to sign up immediately. He was so enthusiastic to be graduating high school and couldn’t wait to study political science in college. I let him know that I received a degree in that subject myself.
He wants to dedicate his life and studies to government because he believes it is the job of the government to provide solutions to problems our society, and will fight with all his heart for universal health care and better trade laws to protect American jobs and families. It was great to see a young person with such devotion. If he wasn’t about to go off to school, I would have offered him a job with us. I guess writing about him on the blog will have to do.
I met a woman tonight who had lost her benefits at work about three months ago. Her daughter has a serious health condition that requires constant medical attention and monthly prescriptions. Luckily, she was able to get the SCHIP program to give her daughter the full medical coverage required.
Unfortunately, the woman was laid off from her job this week because her employers were “paying her too much” and told her they could bring in someone new and pay them half of what they pay her. The woman was crying at this point, explaining how terrible this was, especially right before the holidays!
She was so appreciative that I was at her doorstep fighting on all these issuesaffecting her. She hugged me before I left, and I knew I at least made her feel a little better and provided some inspiration and hope.
I canvassed a woman in her late thirties, sitting on her porch with a kind of searching, empty look on her face. She signed up as a member and even wrote a letter to her representative regarding the much needed funding for SCHIP.
As I turned to leave I noticed she still had that look on her face, so I told her that this is about more than politics. That real change starts here with every action, every day, with each other. This put a smile on her face and mine. I am glad I connected with her.
Yesterday evening I had the opportunity to knock on the door of a single disabled grandmother with five grandchildren. All five of her grandchildren are directly affected by Bush’s veto of
SCHIP. She joined as a member, and I asked her if she would be willing to make a dues donation. Although her pocket book contained nothing but five dollar bills, she was so enamored with our cause that she gave it all.
Not only did she also write a letter to Voinovich, but she gave me the most sincere thank you I have ever received!
Three years ago this man went through a divorce and was awarded custody of his teenage daughter. A consistent worker all of his life, he kept losing his jobs as he struggled with health issues. Each time he lost his job, he would lose his health care. He was eventually sent for a stress test at a hospital and was found to have a bad heart with a string of other problems.
I canvassed a woman who said she once had it all. She ran her own business, which she loved, she had a loving husband with a great job which provided the entire family with health care coverage, and two healthy kids. Then, a series of events happened that changed her life as she knew it.
While canvassing tonight, I met a single father who works hard every day to support his children. He was formerly a Teamster, and still supports unions wholeheartedly. We talked for a while about jobs, the 
While canvassing on a Friday night in Macedonia my observer and I came across a stoic looking man who said little. However, he quickly invited us in out of the cold and responded to my request for a dues contribution with a check for $20. When I told him and his wife about a letter to Sen. Voinovich for 
I was having a challenging night, it was hard to get people to talk to me. At one point in the night, a little girl answered the door and said her parents weren’t home. Her aunt was busy cleaning the house and folding clothes. I tried to yell over the vacuum to get her attention. I think she pretended not to hear me. From the kitchen, I hear a voice ask me “Is this about 
I met a woman tonight who had lost her benefits at work about three months ago. Her daughter has a serious health condition that requires constant medical attention and monthly prescriptions. Luckily, she was able to get the 
I canvassed a woman in her late thirties, sitting on her porch with a kind of searching, empty look on her face. She 
