The Story Bank

Akeisha’s Story:

I am a single parent caring for three surviving children; my son was murdered three years ago. My family relies on Medicaid to access therapy that we need to heal. Also, with life being as hard as it is today, the SNAP program has helped my family through some hard challenges.

How do you think having universal access to food and healthcare would change the way people live work and interact with each other? What would that mean for your family?

It will help a lot of families from going hungry and also help a lot of people out here that are facing mental health challenges with nowhere to turn to.

Elena’s Story:

I am 53 with an almost 8-year-old son. We recently left a domestic violence situation. We are living in a section 8 apartment. I work 2 jobs currently. I do retail merchandising and Uber Eats to pay my bills. That also includes whatever things my son may need. Without the government programs for housing, medical, and food, we would either still be living in that horrible situation or homeless. I do not receive child support of any kind. I am doing this all on my own aside from the help of SNAP benefits. It is a huge help in being able to feed my son healthy food. I do my best with the SNAP benefits we receive. I can not go back to my situation.

Have you ever had to make a difficult choice between paying for healthcare or paying for something else like rent or food? How did benefits help you in that situation?

Yes.

How do you think having universal access to food and healthcare would change the way people live, work, and interact with each other?

I think that people would worry less about expensive medical bills, medication costs, and where their next meal was coming from. People would have happier lives.

Marilee’s Story:

Just weeks before my 65th birthday, I had a stroke that paralyzed my left side. I was cleaning homes for a living but did not make enough to put money in savings or enough money for health insurance. This was devastating to me. While in the hospital for several weeks relearning how to walk and use my left hand and arm, someone came in to see me and help me with all the forms for Medicare, Social Security, and Medicaid ( Medicaid came in to pay my Medicare payments), since there was zero savings and now no longer a wage from working. Since I didn’t have a large amount going into Social Security prior to my stroke, my SS check was under $900 a month, well below poverty. I went out to Northwest Senior and Disability shortly after being released from the hospital and they helped me get SNAP. I am still in all the programs because although I have regained mobility, I am considered disabled. I use a cane and am unable to walk long distances.

If this administration cuts Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and SNAP, I will no longer have any income, healthcare, or food. Is that their plan to kill off all the seniors in my situation? I have been signing petitions and writing letters to my politicians to stop this heinous agenda since 2016. Needless to say, there are no extra funds to donate for these actions. At times, I feel that I am not making any impact on resolving the MAGA ‘s heinous agenda.

How do you think having universal access to food and healthcare would change the way people live, work, and interact with each other?

I believe it would lessen the everyday struggles and stress for a large portion of our citizens since the billionaires and millionaires in our government are bribing politicians to help them more than the lower income, which is growing, and fewer middle-income families. I haven’t yet figured out why seniors like myself and lower income voters would vote for these people who want to make life more difficult for them by taking  away the programs that we paid into our entire work lives. I just do not understand.

Harry’s Story:

Since my retirement in 2016, these benefits have sustained my wife and my family. I worked for over 45 years and paid into these programs for the same. These are not entitlements! This is my money. No one is putting any extra money in my pockets. If it were not for these programs and my retirement benefits we couldn’t survive. We’d have to work again!

Have you ever had to make a difficult choice between paying for healthcare or paying for something else like rent or food? How did benefits help you in that situation?

Fortunately, no. But who’s to say that with the current climate we will have to do something like this.

Marsha’s Story:

In 2014, my mom was diagnosed with lung cancer, and thankfully, she could get health insurance through ACA; before it was an option, she was denied because she had glaucoma, a pre-existing condition, and was denied coverage. She went through radiation and chemotherapy, and she passed away on 9/16/2016, but with ACA, we had more time with her. I am very thankful for that. In June 2023, my husband had heart failure and a stroke and has been disabled ever since; he has the waiver program through Medicaid, which pays for care for him while I go to work. He also has a lot of doctor appointments, and we also get SNAP benefits. They have been a lifeline for us. Without them, I really don’t know what we would do.

How do you think having universal access to food and healthcare would change the way people live work, and interact with each other?

It would definitely make life for many individuals and families a lot less stressful and in turn, make life a lot easier for the vulnerable people in our society. Without medicaid and SNAP benefits, I wouldn’t know what we would do.