“Making the Safety Net More Visible in Philadelphia,” by Jon Hurdel. New York Times, Aug. 30, 2013. Photo by Mark Makela/New York Times.
Like many poor people in this city, Gladys James did not know she was entitled to free home help or discounted water bills. She had no idea she was eligible to re-enroll for food stamps after being cut off last year because of a misunderstanding. Ms. James, 92, a former factory seamstress, lives on Social Security and a small pension totaling about $688 a month, or $8,266 annually. That puts her income well below the official federal poverty line of $11,490 a year for a single person. Read more…