I received this email from one of the people we interviewed in Detroit, Michigan, and she gave me her permission to add her email to our blog.

Monday, I will see if there is anything I can do to help her. In the meantime, if you can send her your moral support through a blog post, I know she would appreciate it. Thank you very much.

Hello,

I don’t know if you well remember who I am. But I was the person you interviewed at Operation ABLE, in Detroit, Michigan. I just wanted to let you know how things are going.

Well, I haven’t found a job. My phone is off, Cable and Internet is next, My bills are all behind. The Last Unemployment check that I received was on May 28, 2010. I have no Income, my retirement funds are empty, and I did finally get a increase in my food stamps from $16.00 a month to $200.00 a month.

But, unless I have shut off notices for my utilities and evection notice for the rent of my home “Human Resources” (Welfare) can’t help me.

I have never felt so degrade, defeated, and lost especially by our government. Because those of us who are not receiving any unemployment are not in the count of those receiving. So it reflects a smaller amount of people unemployed.

I feel like have have failed and if I died tomorrow no one would care. It’s hard when you been looking for work and no one seems to want you. I have skills but no degree. the discouragement gets stronger as the days go by.

I don’t know where to go.

Thank you for listening and caring about those of us 55 and over struggling to make it.

Mary Eilola