Study Guide for Of One Heart and One Mind |
|
(3) |
| Handout 1-2 |
|
|
|
Meet Maureen and her four-year-old son, Richard (Pastoral, P. 2)
Maureen works at a fast food restaurant earning $6.25 per hour. She works as many hours per week as her manager will schedule her. Since she works at least 30 hours a week, she is eligible/or medical insurance. However, the employee share of the cost is very high in proportion to her earnings. Richard has frequent respiratory infections and has had to be hospitalized on several occasions. Recendy it was discovered that he is allergic to a wide variety of substances, so Maureen has had to go to the expense of changing her heating system to include electronic filtering. Her rent has also recently been increased. In spite of working full-time, she earns only $13,000 per year, which is not enough to meer her expenses.
Maureen, like 40,000 year-round, full-time workers in North Carolina, is one of the working poor: a worker who cannot afford basic necessities.1 And there are 84,000 families and individuals without children who work, yet live in poverty in our state.2 The majority of the 300,000 North Carolinians who earn under the minimum wage of $5. 15 per hour are female adults (not teenagers) and like Maureen are often the sole wage earner in the
farnily.3
Life on $6.25 per hour
As a group, put yourself in Maureen's shoes, imagining that you are her. Based on what you know about her and her son Richard, construct a realistic budget for yourself. Assume that you work 40 hours per week. After deducting payroll taxes and adding Earned Income Tax
Credit you net about $ 1050 per month. In urban areas in North Carolina, housing and utilities can eat up to 70% of that salary. Child care can cost $100 per week, per child.
Food...........................................................................................
Rent............................................................................................
Electricity, heat and water............................................................
Phone..........................................................................................
Transportation.............................................................................
Child care....................................................................................
Clothing and laundro-mat..............................................................
Church/charitable gifts...................................................................
Health Insurance............................................................................
Savings
.........................................................................................
Entertainment.................................................................................
TOTAL EXPENDITURES:...........................................................
When you have finished, discuss the following:
· What issues or struggles did you face as you completed this budget?
· How did you feel while trying to make ends meet?
Of One Hear and One Mind Study Guide
J.K. Frazer Office of Justice and Peace. CSS. Diocese of
Charlotte 704-370-3225
Back to Top
|
