Social Security
Shout Out
Kids affected by tragedy address the government’s
influence on their families.
By Children’s PressLine
TWEENS & TEENS News September 2006
RRoughly five million kids are affected by
the Social Security law— an American
system that gives funds to eligible people,
from children with special needs to senior
citizens who can no longer work— according
to research by the National Academy of Social
Insurance and reports by the child advocacy
organization Connect for Kids. Three million
children receive monthly payments as beneficiaries
of deceased, disabled or retired workers and
more than two million kids do not receive
benefits themselves, but live with relatives
who do. The fate of these kids is unclear
under President Bush’s proposed Social
Security reforms. Children’s PressLine
spoke with young people whose families rely
solely on these federal benefits.
Kyle Blythe, age 15, Lakeland, Fla.
We’ve been living off Social Security
for a long time. That’s all the money
that comes into our family right about now.
It’s made a big impact on my life ‘cause
without it we wouldn’t have any money
coming in and there’d be a lot we wouldn’t
be able to do.
My father’s physically disabled and
can hardly walk sometimes. Our family got
messed up because he was hurt. My Mom’s
unable to work also. We’ve been getting
the benefits for seven years. Nobody works.
All we receive is Social Security. That’s
why we’re kind of in a tight spot.
I get $123 a month. With my father’s,
my mother’s, my brother’s and
my money, the total’s about $1,100.
We use the money to pay for my clothes and
my food. We eat a lot ‘cause we’re
growing teenagers. It’s used for school
supplies that we need. Every once in a while
we get extra but a lot of times it’s
for stuff we need. We live in a housing project.
It gets us by every month but there’re
always things that we could use so every little
bit helps. [Extra money] would help us get
by without wondering whether we’re going
to eat well that month. If we had more money
it would be used for making sure that our
transportation got fixed. It would be used
to help us buy more food ‘cause my niece
and nephew have been added onto the family
for a while. I had to make some sacrifices
by not getting extra stuff.
I had a job at the end of 8th grade. That
year, I paid for my clothes and my shoes for
school with my Mom and Dad’s help. I’ve
tried to get a job at McDonald’s or
Winn-Dixie down the street but they wouldn’t
hire me. They said they were tired of hiring
13 year olds ‘cause they don’t
think they’re responsible enough. When
I turn 16, I’m definitely going to get
a job.
This year, I’ve been wanting to go on
the 10th grade class trip but it’s hard
for my parents to pay for it. I wouldn’t
have been able to go if I hadn’t found
some other way. My principal is paying for
it. He’s having me work community service
at the school and he’s having me work
for my extra money at other people’s
houses.
I’d really like to talk to President
Bush and tell him what’s on my mind.
Not in a bad way, ‘cause I respect him—
I even wanted to vote for him— but I
just want to talk to him about the things
that have been happening lately. I’ve
been applying for scholarships and they said
without my tax return I wouldn’t be
able to get a scholarship. We don’t
even get a tax return because we get Social
Security.
I’ve had a rough life but it’s
good. I’ve been getting what I need,
but without extra money it’s been hard
for me to go on class trips. I want to get
a car like all my friends at school and that
leaves me depressed. And I won’t be
able to go to college without scholarships.
Micah Paul Bufford, age 17,
South Bend, Ind.
When we were younger, my Grandpa died unexpectedly
and since [my grandparents] had adopted me
and my sister we applied for survivor benefits.
Most of the money goes for the rent on the
house and the utilities. We also use it to
buy groceries. My Grandma can’t work
anymore so that’s pretty much our only
source of income.
We’ve had to make some personal sacrifices.
We’re not able to go to movies. My Grandma
has had to spend all of her savings because
sometimes the bills pile up. Our expenses
are roughly $1,500 a month. I have a job during
the summer. I don’t make a whole lot
but I make enough so that I can be able to
do things the rest of the year. I make about
$150 a week. [If the benefits were lowered]
I’d probably have to quit school and
find a well-paying job so that we’d
be able to pay the bills and buy groceries.
Megahn Elizabeth Bufford, age 15,
South Bend, Ind.
We get about $512 each month. It’s not
enough to support us. My Grandma doesn’t
work ‘cause she has arthritis. We’ve
moved around a lot since we’ve lived
with our Grandma. Rent is real high. It’s
about $700. So that’s part of the problem.
I don’t have a permanent job but I do
babysit a lot. Hopefully, I’ll get a
scholarship to pay for college.
Serena Hankerson, age 14, Seffner, Fla.
People should try and step inside the shoes
of people on Social Security and see how they
have to live. It’s hard for us to live
off of what we got right now.
I get Social Security because my mother is
gone and my father is gone and my grandmother
is taking care of me now. She has five girls
and one boy in her house now. We need the
money ‘cause she doesn’t have
a job.
I get $301 a month. Sometimes it’s enough
money and sometimes it’s not. It’s
used for educational stuff like books, paper,
clothes, shoes. I can’t get all the
books I need. I go to a magnet school with
uniforms. I can’t wear the uniform because
it is very expensive. I considered getting
a job at McDonald’s or Cash and Carry,
but when I asked my grandparents they said
“no” because they wanted me to
focus on my school work.
Macy Langley, age 17, Oregon City, Ore.
I get Social Security benefits because my
father passed away. I get $375 a month. I
use the money for food and rent. The money
is definitely not enough for everything. I
have a job at Starbucks making about $400
a month to help me pay for car insurance and
other bills, like electricity. I live on my
own.
My grandmother took me in and took care of
me for a while and then I decided that it
would be better if I stood on my own and I’ve
been on my own since I was about 16.
I’ve had to work two jobs at the same
time. I’ve gone without eating several
times. I had to stop buying groceries and
eat more ramen noodles. Right now I’m
living in an apartment above a garage, but
before I lived with roommates and my part
of the rent was $275 a month. I have to have
a car to get myself to work and to school
‘cause I’m outside of my school
district and there isn’t a bus that
runs nearby me to ride to school.
I’m hoping that with my good grades
and the financial situation that I’m
in, I will be able to get a scholarship.
Children’s PressLine is a youth
journalism organization in Manhattan that
trains kids to interview their peers on issues
that affect them. This story was reported
on by Shukria Akhtar, 15; Janes Gregoire,
14; Catherine Guzman, 12; Shahruk Khan, 11;
Eliza beth Linton, 12; Patricia Rogers, 16;
and Lauren Woods, 11.
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Learn more about Social Security
at www.socialsecurity.gov/kids/index.htm.
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