“The Undeserving Poor,” by Kristina Cooke, David Rohde, and Ryan McNeill. The Atlantic. Dec. 20, 2012.
After serving in the army reserves and graduating from Ball State University with an associate’s degree, Toler got a job processing claims in a child-care program for the poor. When the state automated the system, he and the rest of this office were laid off.
Since June, Toler said recently, he has applied for dozens of positions without luck. The family lives in a trailer home and gets by on Medicaid, food stamps, and donations from local food pantries. Read more…