Eric Ross, SHIM Service Coordination Director
As the Service Coordination Director at SHIM, I often find myself in discussion with people about what we/I do at SHIM. Some people quickly pass judgement when you tell them how we have programs and funds to help individuals meet basic needs both with food and direct financial assistance. I try to explain how tremendously difficult it is to make ends meet even in a two-income household these days. I ask them if something happened to you, or your partner, how long could you stay afloat on one salary or none? Usually, the answer is not very long.
I am always impressed by the resilience of a single income family. I am not just talking about single parents; others are seniors struggling to live off Social Security. For some families it’s cheaper for one of the parents to stay home with the kids because of the high price of childcare. Unfortunately, we encounter families that have sick partners or children at home and can’t juggle full-time employment while caring for their loved ones.
I can often relate to SHIM clients struggling to make ends meet. I grew up in Western Pennsylvania in a two-parent household with my two older brothers. My dad was a full-time warehouse worker. He worked every shift of overtime he could get. My mom was a stay-at-home mother for much of this time. We could manage on one salary, but it wasn’t easy. In my dad’s early 40’s he suffered a back injury, and we went from barely making ends meet to borrowing money from family and refinancing the house to stay afloat. The injury was too close to his spine and was too risky for an operation. Returning to work wasn’t an option. We struggled financially most of my teenage years. During this time, my dad enrolled in college, and we lived off his workers’ compensation, which is usually only two-thirds of your income. Workers Comp didn’t consider that he made much of his money working overtime. My dad graduated 3 years later with a bachelor’s degree. He worked in social services until he retired a few years ago. It took years to get back on track since entry level social service positions don’t usually pay well.
Stereotypes of being lazy or just wanting a free handout are not the norm. I feel a lot of us are just one layoff, illness or accident away from needing help. Most of the families we help with direct assistance have jobs and continue to fall short due to rising costs on just about everything. Over the last few years everything from food, gas, utilities and car repairs has skyrocketed. The costs of car parts have risen drastically. Most car batteries have doubled in price and repair costs have risen upwards of 20%. It’s not uncommon to see interest rates over 20% on used vehicles, which are typically older vehicles that need frequent repairs. Often, we see individuals stuck in a cycle of ‘what bill I can pay this month’. As they struggle to make payments on time, credit scores drop. Families face what can seem like insurmountable debts.
So, what do we do at SHIM in these circumstances to help? Being good stewards of the funds we receive is not taken lightly. I lead weekly meetings with my service coordination team to discuss what are the best ways to help, and what resources could be utilized to lessen the financial burden for families seeking assistance. We decide who qualifies for emergency grants and at what amount. We frequently refer clients to outside agencies that specialize in financial literacy, such as Financial Empowerment Center or Hebrew Free Loan Association. These agencies help teach budgeting skills and encourage clients to find ways to get out of debt, build credit and budget.
I’ve seen firsthand the impact that emergency grants have on local families. From single parents avoiding eviction to young adults maintaining employment- these grants are lifelines. Our goal is to keep the crisis from spiraling into a cycle of poverty. Whether we’re preventing homelessness or helping people keep their jobs, these investments in their economic stability empower them to find long-term success.
I’m proud to be part of SHIM’s holistic programming that helps neighbors meet basic needs and achieve self-sufficiency. Together we’re building a community where everyone can thrive.
Read more about our resilient neighbors in our Latest News section.
