The Freedom Bus left Atlanta for a day travelling through rural Georgia. At
Waycross, Georgia, local organizations had come together for a hearing
on the effects of welfare reform. These forums had been held in other
areas across the state, organized by the Georgia Up and Out of Poverty
coalition.
Before the forum, we heard the words of a local minister, and sang
gospel songs; the freedom bus choir shared some of the songs that
we have been taking around the country.
Sandra Robertson from the Up and Out of Poverty coalition introduced
the forum. We must be "no longer willing to accept this impoverishment,"
and "prepared to do whatever it takes to turn things around."
We heard stories of welfare recipients who were struggling with
the welfare system. All of them had been misinformed and denied services by their
caseworker. One woman who had moved off welfare noted that she had
been able to go to college, but with welfare reform that path has
been removed as a real option for welfare recipients in Georgia.
Others had health crises, and without access to medical care found
themselves struggling to survive.
Cheri Honkala delivered our message to the forum: "Too long
we've been told we're responsible for our own misery. We're not
responsible for the factories in our neighborhoods closing. But
we are responsible to do something about it." We're in a moral
crisis, where the deepening poverty we are living in exists in a
land of plenty. We need the right to jobs at a living wages!
The Freedom Bus left Atlanta for a day travelling through rural Georgia. At
Waycross, Georgia, local organizations had come together for a hearing
on the effects of welfare reform. These forums had been held in other
areas across the state, organized by the Georgia Up and Out of Poverty
coalition.
misinformed and denied services by their
caseworker. One woman who had moved off welfare noted that she had
been able to go to college, but with welfare reform that path has
been removed as a real option for welfare recipients in Georgia.
Others had health crises, and without access to medical care found
themselves struggling to survive.