Story
A student at school where I work shared with me yesterday and mother confirmed when I called that both the electricity and gas have been shut off at their apartment for failure to pay the utility bills.
Mother works 5 days a week- 12 hours a day from 3 a.m. until 4 p.m. including travel time. She is a single mother and has 4 children. Neither of the two fathers of her children provide any type of child support. One father lives in Kansas and is an active alcoholic. Their rent is $1500 a month.
The student at my school had cancer as a child and wears a prosthetic eye due to the cancer he has. He also is on the Autism Spectrum and is considered a student with a disability. He tends to wear the same clothing each day and struggles greatly with managing his anger.
Mother plans on paying the light bill as it is low enough where she can pay if off but the gas bill has gotten so high and she is unable to pay it. It is estimated to be $900. She is undocumented so we are uncertain as to which utility billing relief programs she may be eligible for. She receives a 30 minute lunch break each day so I don't know how she would even have time to apply for these programs given her working hours are mostly business hours.