# Appointment with legal aid on the 19th



## Set me FREE (Sep 5, 2011)

The good news is I was approved for legal aid and my appt. is on the 19th. 

The bad news is I had a moment when I thought about crawling back to stbxh because chasing assistance is driving me crazy...the system is inefficient and misleading. 

I have been jumping through high hoops and wasting precious hours during the day were I could be working at the job I already have or looking for a better one. The state of FL will with hold food stamps and medicaid if you are applying or cash assistance and you need to invest 3 weeks into workshops and meetings to get TANF started...I applied for cash assistance because their online application indicated that I was qualified for cash assistance...today in my welfare to work orientation I got the gist that once I made any sort of income I'd be diverted off cash assistance but would be able to keep food stamps and medicaid for the kids(what I need the most)...well I already make more than what I would receive in TANF benefits...but the employment office wouldn't confirm my suspicions(TANF requires a 40 hour documented effort per week in FL for $300 per month) I am still going to use the service to update my resume at least...I am just mad that I'm 2 weeks into this process and just finding out I am goose chasing for no reason. 

I drove over to DCF.....and they asked me what I made per month and confirmed my suspicions about TANF and allowed me to cancel that application to release the hold on processing on my emergency food stamps and medicaid for the kids...thinking that I would have food stamps in a couple days I thought I was all set to pay my $530 electric bill with my direct deposit on the 10th and the money I have left over from selling the wedding bands yesterday and not have to squeeze cash out of stbxh..nope emergency food stamps still take 30 days in FL..but the good news is I will get 2 months worth of food stamps over the course of 3 days in October...for now I can fantasize about food shopping.. 


Well stbxh's GF was called into the ICU this morning for death watch on her father(no death announcement on FB yet)...so stbxh is pretty much not going to work again until a few days after the funeral is over...so any hope of squeezing cash out of him is out the window. 

So I had to scramble for something on this electric bill...only one agency is taking applications right now..Salvation Army..and I had to go to the homeless shelter/soup kitchen to pick up my application...at this point I thought about crawling back to stbxh and putting up with his crap and his girlfriend...and then I got angry..here I was in a very, very bad part of town ..in a soup kitchen looking for a way to keep the electricity on in the home HIS children live in..and he is off being distracted(again)...I understand her father is dying..I do have compassion for the family...but stbxh just blew off an overly excessive 9 days worth of work/income to help her and himself move and settle into her father's house..he was supposed to work today to get money in for this electric bill so his kids wouldn't have to change schools on top of everything else going on. (yes,I know, the universe s trying to tell me to get out)

So I left the soup kitchen with my application for a one time utility payment with instructions to call back to make an appointment next week..bill is due on Weds with shut off on Thurs for non payment...I look over the application and see several issues...1.)the bill needs to be in my name(nope) 2.) I have to show that I normally would make more than my bills cost..I don't even make enough to pay a average electric bill cause stbxh paid everything..so Salvation Army is not going to help me. So tomorrow and Saturday (if it doesn't rain) I am having a yard sale and selling the crap he left behind...if that is a bust I am renting a uHaul and moving myself and the kids to my mom's house. 

I have a new respect for those collecting gov't assistance...if I didn't need food and medical care for the kids..I wouldn't bother at all ... I feel so demoralized. 


So that was my day..how was yours?:rofl:


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## cherokee96red (Apr 23, 2011)

I am going through the same crap with FL. I'm still trying to get through to legal aid. On top of all the crap STBXH threw me into, I'm still waiting on the outcome of my disability that was caused by a brain tumor. I guess my warranty ran out because right now I fight the feelings of uselessness.


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## Set me FREE (Sep 5, 2011)

cherokee96red said:


> I am going through the same crap with FL. I'm still trying to get through to legal aid. On top of all the crap STBXH threw me into, I'm still waiting on the outcome of my disability that was caused by a brain tumor. I guess my warranty ran out because right now I fight the feelings of uselessness.


Hugs to you! I hope that it gets better for both of us soon!


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## cherokee96red (Apr 23, 2011)

Set me FREE said:


> Hugs to you! I hope that it gets better for both of us soon!



I'm a trying! I'm the one who has to make it better for me. Hugs to you too. Ain't FL grand (heavy sarcasm).


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