Charity Up in Smoke

I am a huge fan of the Habitat for Humanity organization. I fully support their goals and methods of achieving them. I commend them for their requirements that recipients contribute to the sweat equity of the homes. I applaud them in their efforts across our nation.

I am currently at a loss, however, to understand how it is that one of my co-workers has qualified for a HH home. I realize, first of, that I do not know all the details. However. My position at my company is very near the bottom of the totem poles for salaries. Most of the people here have PhD’s, a few just have their Masters. I support those people, so I realize that I’m not going to be paid nearly as much as they are. The gentleman in question is also in a support position, but in IT, so I would think that he would make more than I do, but for the moment, I’ll assume he simply makes my salary.

He currently rents in a high-rent area locally. He currently “supports” his live-in girlfriend (who doesn’t have a job of any kind) and her five year old special-needs daughter. Let’s assume that she at least collects unemployment, but from the sounds of it, he is completely responsible for their financial wellbeing as well as his own.

This man has a daughter of his own. I have no idea what he pays in child support for her or if he pays, but we’ll assume it’s a little something at least. His mom currently provides day care for his daughter, so I realize there’s no day care expense being added.

If I took my salary and tried to support another adult as well as LM, and perhaps shelled out a few shuckles for child support, it would certainly be tight, I’m not saying it wouldn’t. But would I qualify for an HH house?! I don’t think I should. I pay a sizeable mortgage payment (that’s what you get for living on the East Coast) and I make a car payment every month, so certainly I have enough to pay the bills with.

The real kicker for me is that yesterday, this guy shared with me that he’s now worked his way back up to smoking two packs of cigarettes a day. Not being a smoker, I inquired what that costs him a week. He said, “about $70”.

Now, if I took my currently salary and added about $300 a month to it, I’m fairly certain I could pay all my bills with a little bit of a cushion.

So how is it that he can qualify for this home?! How is it that volunteers are out there busting their butts and donating appliances (the fridge he is going to turn around and sell to the office because he doesn’t want one that doesn’t have an ice maker built in) – and he is smoking up $300 a month?!? If his girlfriend actually had to support herself (and I’m not sure he can claim her as a dependent since they aren’t married) and even if they had to rely on state funding to help her special-needs child, he would surely have plenty of money with which to buy his own place!

I am all in favor of organizations like Habitat helping those who cannot help themselves, but in this case, I am frustrated thinking that he is taking the generosity of this group and blowing it up in smoke.

I don’t even want to think about the money wasted if his girlfriend has a nicotine habit to support, too.

Comments

Katrina said…
That is frustrating, especially when you know that there are other families out there waiting for truly needed help. I guess things just don't always land fairly.

Look at the bright side--at least that sweet little girl will benefit from the outcome. :)
Amy said…
Katrina,

That's a really good point. Perhaps this little girl will be able to rise above her parenting.
Emily said…
ERGH! See, this is where there republican in me kicks in and angers the charitable portion of my heart that wants to take care of everyone.

I suppose charity is not about judging, just about helping. But it's INFURIATING to me when people take advantage of the system.

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