Kayla’s Story

Kayla's income is $878 a month. Her rent is $550. She came to MetMin for the 1st time ever today, seeking help with her $214 EPB bill. She needed food, too.

Lots of people think that the poor are lousy money managers. We think in different terms here at MetMin, based on what we hear from real-live-poor-people like Kayla.

Kayla's 69. Her husband left her nearly 20 years ago. That's when she went to work - for the 1st time - as a bank teller. Rheumatoid arthritis set in when she was in her late 50's. She couldn't work anymore. After 3 years of trying, she was granted disability status.

Her car has been parked for almost 2 years. Kayla just doesn't have the money to get it fixed, so she has to rely on friends to take her where she needs to go.

We took care of Kayla's EPB bill and her food needs, but there's nothing we can do to increase her income.

"There's just not enough money to live. If I pay my rent, I can't pay my EPB bill. If I pay my EPB bill, I can't pay my water bill and my sewer bill. I try to make that $96 in Food Stamps last all month, but it's hard.

The only solution now is for me to move, but where would I go?"

Here at MetMin we think that poor people need more income. We think that poor people need affordable, safe places to live. For starters.

"I can't believe I had to come here. Never thought it would come to this. I'm not begging. It's embarrassing to admit that I'm not doing so well.Thank you for not making me feel like a beggar."