Tuesday's Series Story
A look at how two local women are coping with not having a job for the first time in several years.
Editor's Note: This is the first in a weeklong Times' "Stretched Thin" series looking at how the weakened economy has affected business and daily life in Green County.
MONROE - In January 2008, 818 people in Green County received food stamps from the state. After only three months of this year, that number was exceeded by more than 450.
Through March, 1,273 Green County residents received assistance from the program.
Jeannie Blumer, economic support supervisor at Green County Human Services, said the economy is worse than anytime she can remember in her 28 years with the department.
"Those are troubling statistics," she said of the food stamp recipient numbers.
Blumer said there are some people who don't want to apply for any county assistance, but find they have no other options. People will apply for medical assistance, but there is a stigma about food stamps, she added.
"They hesitate to sign up for food stamps. It's devastating for them. Families are stressed," Blumer said.
Blumer recently met with a man who didn't have any other choice but to ask for assistance. He was someone who worked all his life, and Blumer could tell he struggled with the thought of asking for help.
"He told me he never thought he would have to do this," she said.
In the early 1980s the economy struggled and it was difficult for people. It's different this time, however.
"There doesn't seem to be a lot of hope," Blumer said. "People are thinking the economy will take a year to begin to turn around rather than a month. They wonder about the future."
Over the past year, the number of unemployed workers has steadily increased, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
In March, unemployment in Green County increased to 9.8 percent, up from 9.2 percent in February and up from 5 percent in March 2008. Unemployment in April, the most recent month counted, was 9.4 percent in Green County.
Local factories in Brodhead and Albany have closed, leaving workers with years of experience looking for work, Blumer said.
"There's no such thing as job security," she said.
Blumer said she's not supposed to take her job home with her at night, but it's impossible not to think of the people she sees each day. Sometimes when she's home, she finds herself wondering about how to help the people who come to her for assistance.
"It's hard to describe how it affects you. You have to be here to talk to them," she said. "They did everything right. They went to work and they worked hard."
MONROE - In January 2008, 818 people in Green County received food stamps from the state. After only three months of this year, that number was exceeded by more than 450.
Through March, 1,273 Green County residents received assistance from the program.
Jeannie Blumer, economic support supervisor at Green County Human Services, said the economy is worse than anytime she can remember in her 28 years with the department.
"Those are troubling statistics," she said of the food stamp recipient numbers.
Blumer said there are some people who don't want to apply for any county assistance, but find they have no other options. People will apply for medical assistance, but there is a stigma about food stamps, she added.
"They hesitate to sign up for food stamps. It's devastating for them. Families are stressed," Blumer said.
Blumer recently met with a man who didn't have any other choice but to ask for assistance. He was someone who worked all his life, and Blumer could tell he struggled with the thought of asking for help.
"He told me he never thought he would have to do this," she said.
In the early 1980s the economy struggled and it was difficult for people. It's different this time, however.
"There doesn't seem to be a lot of hope," Blumer said. "People are thinking the economy will take a year to begin to turn around rather than a month. They wonder about the future."
Over the past year, the number of unemployed workers has steadily increased, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development.
In March, unemployment in Green County increased to 9.8 percent, up from 9.2 percent in February and up from 5 percent in March 2008. Unemployment in April, the most recent month counted, was 9.4 percent in Green County.
Local factories in Brodhead and Albany have closed, leaving workers with years of experience looking for work, Blumer said.
"There's no such thing as job security," she said.
Blumer said she's not supposed to take her job home with her at night, but it's impossible not to think of the people she sees each day. Sometimes when she's home, she finds herself wondering about how to help the people who come to her for assistance.
"It's hard to describe how it affects you. You have to be here to talk to them," she said. "They did everything right. They went to work and they worked hard."