Couple's story triggers flood of offers to help

[Liberal_in_LA]

String of bad luck puts couple, pets on street

Bingo, right where he said. "We just had a lot of back luck the last year," said Candace Gentry, 68. "It hit me all at one time."

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They told me their story. Joe, a cook, worked in Pollardville's chicken kitchen for seven years. He lost his job when Pollardville closed in 2007.

While Joe looked for work, their savings drained. Their income shriveled to Candace's $600 Social Security check. "You know, $600 doesn't go too far," she said.

I guess not. That's $20 a day.

They moved in with Candace's ailing mother. In February of 2009, fire destroyed the mother's apartment. They lost their belongings.

Candace and her mother moved into a cheap motel off Highway 99. The motel would not take a third occupant. Or animals. Joe, unable to afford a place of his own, began sleeping in the car.

In June of that same year, Candace's mother died. Without her benefits, Candace could no longer afford the room. She joined Joe in the car.

For nine months they have lived together, squeezed into a haggard '86 Subaru XT with peeling orange paint, half-flat tires and 155,000 miles on the odometer.

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101203/A_NEWS0803/12030322/-1/a_news14

Couple's story triggers flood of offers to help

The phone started ringing at 5:11 a.m. Friday, as people read about Joe and Candace Gentry, the homeless couple shivering through the winter in their Subaru, protecting their dog and cat.

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People from rich to poor, offered money.

"I'd like to give 100 bucks," said J.J. Miller.

A voicemail: "Hi Mike, this is Jean in the lobby. A gentleman just came in and dropped off a check for $200 for you to give to those people that are homeless."

Bernhell and Trueman Phillips decided to forego Christmas presents.

"I don't need Christmas presents," Bernhell said. "I'm going to give the money to them."

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Lauren Ennis: "I have jackets. My husband has some sweatshirts. Whatever we can do."

People offered shelter.

Elizabeth Jade-Wong: "I could let them rent a one-bedroom apartment for $400 in the Country Club area."

Trina Williams: "I do have a three-bedroom two-bath three-car-garage home that I would not have a problem sharing with them."

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20101205/A_NEWS0803/12050316/-1/NEWSMAP

[madmax]

1. Good people offering to help

other good people who have had a string of bad luck. Should make us all feel good.

However, those with the power and BIG MONEY in DC who can begin to turn this shit around don't give a fuck! :mad: I've officially joined the I hate America crowd and but, I'm not leaving.

[DeSwiss]

2. K&R

It's wonderful that all these people want to help. But why does it always have to get to this point before anyone sees how fucked-up the system we have, is? Before anyone does any damned thing? I suppose if they'd have found their unthawed bodies in their car in the spring, it would have been seen as "god's will." All that: "well at least they're in a better place" BS.

And still, some demand that we give tax cuts to the rich.

[myrna minx]

3. K&R n/t

[drmeow]

4. Very heartwarming

but every time I read a story like this I think about all the people in the same boat whose story did not get told in a newspaper and are still suffering.

[hamsterjill]

5. +1

I'm glad these people were helped, but like you, I'd like to see it happen for all of those who need it!

And it's normally the poor or lower middle class that offer help. The rich simply look the other way unless there's a photo op.

[lukasahero]

6. One couple is "comprehensible"

One couple you can help - so you do.

The number of people who truly need help is so overwhelming you feel the situation is impossible to fix.

Of course, it is impossible to fix with donations - it's too big - we can give $100 bucks to one couple - we can't give it to even 100 couples... At least I can't. And there are thousands.

We need organizations who actually give the money to those in need - not skim off the top and pay large salaries to their directors. We need a government with the will to fix this.

Individual charity is great and the human spirit is full of kindness but our means are limited. That's why we need a liberal socially-minded government.

[drmeow]

7. "a government with the will to fix this"

That was sort of my point. We never deal with the systemic reasons why people end up in these situations - we need a living wage, universal health care, protection from abusive labor practices, penalties (that really hurt) for moving jobs out of the US, a progressive tax structure, etc. Even before the downturn (especially before the downturn) there was no justification for the grinding poverty in this country. Survival should not be as much a matter of luck as it is in this country.

[flvegan]

8. Same as any story about some particularly downtrodden animal in a shelter.

The public en masse jump on the story they see on tv, but may miss the big picture. Good for the couple in the story (and the aforementioned animal in the shelter), but so many go without the 15 minutes of charitable fame.