Have tried to contact the City Manager on this particular issue two times. No reply. So here it is. I am a man on a fixed income. I used to get assistance from Junction City Local Aid in regard to my Pacific Power bill. The woman that used to be there would bring me back into her office and discuss the options I had. I would then be told weather or not I could get assistance from Junction City Local Aid. She has since retired. There is a new woman who took her place.
I went into the office and was waiting to get helped. I noticed that one woman was asked to go into the office where I had been in the past. The woman greeted the other woman needing help. She then said let me help you with your pacific power bill. Later the woman came out and she then said thank you and left. This was repeated with another woman.
As the woman who does the bill paying got to me, she came out and sat down in the lobby and discussed my personal information and asked me how much I could pay. I then told her I could not pay anything being I am on such a limited income. She then told me she could not help me. She disclosed my personal information in front of other people who were waiting for a food box.
I felt humiliated. I asked her if they help with people getting thier power hooked back up because of non payment. She said no! I asked her if they helped people who have been evicted for not having power in their apartment. She said no! I then got up and said I guess I will be homeless. She said nothing. I left. That was in 2008. I eventually went to and they helped me.
In 2009 I went in and the same happened. I got up and said I guess I will be living on the street. She got up as soon as I said that and went to her office. Now. I had a woman friend who went in before me in 2009 and she needed her bill payed and the circumstances were the same as me. Fixed limited income and had a disconnect notice. She got assistance right away. And she was called into the office.
When I went in after her in 2009 I was treated the opposite. Why. Deductive reasoning. Women can get help but men need to get with it? Maybe. But when I contacted the City Manager twice he never replied back. I believe they discriminate. Very bad especially for the needy today in these hard times.
I take no great honer in doing this. I just feel my experience on this matter needed to be brought to the fore front. I needed to expose this as for what I see it as. Good Day and Take care.By the way is a great organization that helps all kinds of people.
Kevin
Junction City, Oregon
U.S.A.
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