I was just coming out of the dshs office in everett because i had just given birth to a baby girl i had put up for adoption and my benefits were about to run out, i had the baby blues real bad and i had a felony record from 3 years prior.
I was wondering what i was going to do and there they were outside the door with pamplets and everything they asked me if i had plans to get off the welfare dole and i told them my plight.
I went down to their office the next day, took the tour and they assured me that i could definitly get a good job regardless of my felony and that i would qualify for grant money i could use while i was in school.
I signed on the dotted line and started classes soon afterwards.
I made it through sections 1 and 2 but then the money they said i would get only turned out to be $700 every three months so had to skip classes to see if i could go through a day labor place every morning to make up for not having enough money, and when i got sent out on a job then i couldnt go to school.
They passed me even though i wasnt there half the time and then when it came time to graduate i found out that it was only a certificate of completion that meant nothing on most applications.
Three or four months after graduation i was still going out through the day labor places and they called me to see way i had not made any payments.
I told them i still did not have employment and they helped facilitate a job at a company that paid me a little over minimum wage to answer the phone and for data entry.
I had to drive 45 minutes to get there from everett and after i paid for gas and such i would have been better off finding a minimum wage job nearby.
I ended up leaving the job because my car broke down and i couldnt get there and still pay my rent.
Shortly after that, i realized that there were temp to hire positions and if i went to some of the local professional temp services i might have a better chance at getting my foot in the door somewhere local however the minute i told them i had a felony, they wouldnt even let me finish my application.
Since then, i have been working in gas stations, waitressing, short term jobs and ive never been able to pay the nearly $20,000 i owe.
I was trying to start my life over and do the right thing, i was very vulnerable that day, i feel like there is no way out of that financial mess, every time the student loan people find me i change my number, change my job so they cant take it out of my check, or move.
There is a bright side though, ive stayed out of trouble since my conviction in 1992 and employers generally only look 7 years back for any felonies.
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