Program Abuse

We're often asked how we prevent program abuse when we don't ask any questions. The short answer is we can't. 

The long answer is that all three of us grew up poor, and unfortunately, we know how the system works, and those who grow up in poverty are more likely to stay in poverty into adulthood. What that means is we know almost everyone who uses our program in one way or another.  

Trust is another thing. We trust that those who use our program understand that abusing it prevents those who really need it from getting the help they need. 

When it comes to the unhoused, they will tell us, "Oh, I don't need a hygiene bag today. I still have yesterday's." If we have extras that day, we tell them to give it to someone they run into who needs it! If not, we always thank them for letting us give it to someone else. When we run out at Connect, and someone overhears us say, "I am sorry, we don't have any left." Someone always says, "Here, have mine. I still have some." 

For the family snack bags we trust, and there is a family on our list who proves to me every time that this trust is worth it! They were added to our list in January. They got snack bags for a month, and then mom went back to work. She messaged us and said, " We are okay now. Give our bag to someone else." So off the list she came. Sometime later, she lost her job and asked if there was room for her on the list. Of course. Then, a few weeks later, she found a job and let us know she no longer needed help. 

Trust, sounds strange to someone on the outside, but here, on the ground, every day, trust is everything.