I am a 60-year-old white woman who has worked since the age of 16 years old to support herself, save for a house, buy an automobile here and there; worked on political campaigns, worked on various charities, paid taxes and paid FICA.
Basically, I am just a boring person in life who tried to play by the rules and expected nothing in return unless I worked for it.
Now, at age 60, I’m too young for social security, but apparently too old to hire for employment.
I have lived in Milton for over a year now and applied at many jobs I am well qualified for, but not qualified enough to hire. I was even told at one small company, “As you can see, we are a very young office.”
What does that mean? I’m too old to type and answer phones? I type 70 words per minute, have a strong background in legal, administrative assistant, human resources and have done just about everything you can imagine in an office environment. They tell me there is no age discrimination (Article 15, EEOC); but there is — I am living proof.
I bought a house here, and had a small savings account, which, because of lack of employment, is all gone.
I have pawned my rings and sold what I can at the flea market.
I have two dogs, but can’t afford vet bills or haircuts.
I had such awful health insurance, with a $6,000 deductible, that even though I have medical problems, I can’t afford the doctor visit.
I can’t afford to go to a dentist or an eye doctor for new glasses.
My feet are numb and I don’t know why, but I can’t afford the doctor visit.
Disparately, I called the state of Florida for some kind of assistance. I was told:
1. I have no children, so I don’t get housing expense help; (doesn’t this requirement encourage young women to have children? Instead of one hungry mouth to feed, let’s encourage two, or three hungry mouths). Also, since I am not child-bearing age, this is discriminatory against older poor women.
2. My dogs are not certified health dogs (like a seeing-eye dog), so I get no help with vet bills (Democratic states have CIP assistance).
3. I was also told that if I need cash assistance to call various churches in the area.
4. I was eligible for $194 per month for food assistance, but the state worker warned, “In January we will verify you are looking for employment for that assistance to continue.” (I look for employment every day.)
I was on the verge of tears, and I said to the state worker on the phone, “I paid into this system since I was 16 years old. Where is my safety net from something like this (poverty)? Why do people come over here, who have paid nothing into the system, get cells phones, food assistance, housing assistance?”
The state worker then told me she didn’t want to hear my “racist” talk. Wow!
This country takes our money and then re-appropriates it to whomever they feel should have it. That’s wrong. I want and need some help, but not from other U.S. taxpayers. I want some of my money back because I need assistance now, and I paid into this for almost 40 years. And, Ms. State Employee, don’t call me a racist when your employer takes my money and gives it to somebody else who has contributed nothing in tax / FICA contributions.
Why are some people more “entitled” than others and why, as U.S. taxpayers, do we put up with it?
In summary, this country doesn’t care about a poor 60-year-old woman who can’t get a job, or pay her bills. There are probably plenty of us out there. We will just fall through the cracks of poverty with no mention and no fanfare. We are not a big political “dog and pony show” that politicians love to campaign on, like sanctuary cities.
While me, and people like me, may be eligible for $194 per month for food, this country and the state of Florida could care less if we eat that food in an alley somewhere.
Kim Sumner lives in Milton.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: No country for old women (who are U.S. citizens)