*** UPDATE *** We helped her reach her goal, plus some. Keep it coming, folks…
Oh my goodness, THANK YOU, everyone! I can breathe a sigh of relief on the debts, so troubling , getting behind, wondering when an employer is going to call. It is not for the faint of heart when you have to sell your car to pay rent, but you learn to persevere.
We will get through this, but we never had a chance without your help… Thank you again I was actually jumping up and down on the bed with the kids a minute ago - so great to feel that way!
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* I caught a glimpse of Ashley Goodwin’s Twitter feed not long ago. She had tweeted something critical about the governor, so it popped up on one of my routine searches…
* Goodwin appears to be an intelligent woman who is struggling to understand how she got to where she is and how to get out. She and her family are literally on the verge of homelessness, but she and her husband can’t find work or government help. Her feed is definitely worth a scroll…
* The Illinois Policy Institute has a decent writeup…
Ever since their Danville, Illinois, apartment building burned down three years ago, Anthony and Ashley Goodwin have been hustling to survive.
Anthony dug through the rubble for three days, searching for his wallet. But after working in tech repair and starting a resale business on eBay to stay afloat, the Goodwins have again found themselves in dire straits.
They don’t have enough money for rent. The gas has been turned off at their home. And Anthony walks three miles to the nearest Wal-Mart to buy groceries. Anthony, Ashley, their three-year-old daughter, Ana, and two-year-old son, Alex, face homelessness by mid-November.
They both want work, but there isn’t much to be found nearby.
“I can’t get a job at any of the 15 employers that hire unskilled labor in our community,” Anthony said. “The jobs aren’t there.”
The Goodwins are far from the exception in Illinois. They are not alone. […]
“If we could move out of Illinois, we would,” Ashley said. But her family can’t afford to leave.
The Goodwins have never taken government rental assistance, but their recent struggles have them calling state agencies every day looking for answers. There’s just one problem: Because Illinois doesn’t have a state budget in place, operations have ground to a halt at many social-service departments.
“The homelessness-prevention hotline is disconnected,” Ashley said. “That defeats the whole point of a hotline. It is really frustrating. For the first time in our lives, we are reaching out to the state for help, but there’s no one on the other end of the line.”
The broader context is the lack of jobs. Danville is not a great place to find work, and the family appears to have moved to Watseka, which, take it from me, isn’t much better.
* From her GoFundMe page…
Please share where you can - Trying to get help in Illinois is pointless, as most agencies do not answer, or are temporarily closed, there is nothing but a run-around and no answers from DHS or any other government agency.
I own my own mobile home in a small mobile home park, have lived here for two years, then had a recent change in income so we have gotten behing the last 2 and a half months, now, facing an eviction notice I recently received, I have come to realize just how the Illinois budget impasse has effected our lives.
I have a 2 and 3 year old and yesterday, according to United Way, since most agencies rely on the funds that have been frozen due to the impasse, I have run out of options so I need to prepare to lose my home that I own for a lousy $680 in back lot rent, because apparently, Illinois does not have $680. Not to mention our power is going to be shut off due to the impasse and LIHEAP (energy assistance) funds being frozen. All together, we have a $540 gas bill, they already shut us off, and our electric is $180, which will be shut off any day as well.
This has been an eye-opening nightmare, I have been calling every agency in the State, those that do answer, have no clue what to do as the funding is not available or try to pass me on to someone else who is even less help, but most don’t even answer, including the ever-worthless DHS “help line” at 800-843-6154, the number they give if you need help.. I have been calling every day for a week now, never get a person, no answer, and you cant even leave a message.
I am at a loss - something has to be done with this situation in Illinois. Someone has to look into what has gone wrong here. I have never gotten rental assistance in my life , yet am treated like I have no options, what is it all for?
…Adding… Many thanks to Rep. Dave McSweeney for his $786 contribution which helped Ashley meet her GoFundMe goal!
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 10:54 am:
that is very sad. While I can’t believe I’m typing this, thank you Illinois Policy Institute for highlighting her story.
- Tommydanger - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 10:55 am:
Don’t worry Ashley, the Governor has a plan to reduce the wages for more people across the state to create more lower paying jobs. Many one of the job creators will pop up near you.
You can hold out a while longer can’t you while Governor Nero warms up his fiddle?
- slow down - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 10:59 am:
We should all be ashamed and enraged that this can be happening in a society as wealthy as ours. Let’s be real people. It’s time for Gov. Rauner to start doing his job and stop leveraging good and decent people like this for his union busting dreams.
- DuPage - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 10:59 am:
Bruce Rauner’s Illinois. A living nightmare.
- Norseman - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 10:59 am:
I’m sure Rauner will honor Goodwin with his version of the Purple Heart for her suffering during the war against unions.
P.S. IPI published this story, wow. Even given the take on no jobs, her anti-Rauner take must be making the frat boys unhappy.
- BluegrassBoy - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:01 am:
She seems to be intelligent and well spoken. The Governors Office should hire her immediately as a spokesman so she can go out and lie to the public about how great things are going. If she has no scruples and she’s desperate enough she’d take the job.
- bullet - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:03 am:
how can you have a twitter acct. with no money
- Sir Reel - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:03 am:
If Ashley can just hold on long enough for the Governor’s Turnaround Agenda to create all the great paying jobs, presto change o, her family’s problems will disappear. For example, term limits will produce thousands of jobs, less the unemployed legislators.
Yes, her family’s plight isn’t funny, but seriously how will the TA create jobs for folks like these?
- thanksbruce - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:05 am:
Illinois…come for the butter cow, stay for the housin! Sorry, we just do not care. Leave. We got structural reforms, e.g. workers comp. for them hard workin folks, to nail down before we can get to you. Get a job slacker! #winning Governorin sure is easy!
- Commander Norton - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:05 am:
Twitter accounts don’t cost money. She may be accessing the internet from a public library, or more likely from her phone - which does cost money, but it’s also pretty much necessary for safety, not to mention having a callback number so you can apply for jobs.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:05 am:
===how can you have a twitter acct. with no money ===
Are you that stupid?
Twitter is free. If you read the IPI story, they’re using a neighbor’s wifi.
- TheCouch - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:07 am:
Where is Diana Rauner in all this mess?
- Johnnie F. - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:07 am:
So IPI got the memo about how to work the “wedge” angle.
- Anon221 - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:07 am:
Here’s a TAR spot for Rauner to visit and explain in person to Ashley and her family why they will be better off as he invites them to Trick or Treat at the Mansion on get some free donated candy for the kids. BTW- I donated. I remember the video on the news from three years ago when he was looking for his wallet. They aren’t asking for much, and our combined forces here on Cap Fax could reach their goal easily today.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:07 am:
Congratulations Bullet. I wondered who would be the first to blame the victim, and now I know. It must make you feel great to look down on others.
- Roamin' Numeral - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:08 am:
-bullet-,
That’s your takeaway on this? You’re gonna love living in Bruce Rauner’s Illinois!
- HangingOn - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:09 am:
==how can you have a twitter acct. with no money==
When did Twitter become a pay for service?
- Stumpy's bunker - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:09 am:
Mortified.
Even pre-Rauner, there seems to have been a trend not to help people in trouble. I’ve suspected its because there’s no profit in it.
I’ve taken what I call “suburban elites” to task on this post in the past, i.e. Rauner supporters whom are unaffected by his proposed agenda. In all fairness, though, the ones I know have a conscience, all the same. As they become aware of the difficult lives of those not in their proximity whose realities are the converse of theirs, that could be the beginning of change.
I hope it happens soon enough to help the Goodwin’s.
- Almost the Weekend - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:09 am:
She’s caught in the eye storm between past governors who made this mess and the current one. Let’s not ask Edgar the tough questions though.
- cdog - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:10 am:
I am hopeful that this attention can translate into bonafide assistance.
(State phone numbers need to be AUDITED (at minimum internally) in every agency. It is inexcusable that the taxpayers pay for non-working/non-manned lines. I have had this same experience but mostly at IDES)
- Former Hoosier - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:13 am:
Bullet- take your heartless trolling elsewhere.
To the post- it’s beyond words how sad this is. It feels like the 1800’s in London…families with no money, no services, no hope…being thrown into the streets or workhouse. How can this be happening in 2015 in Illinois?
- Anon - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:13 am:
This is the result of a state spending beyond its means for decades. Avoidable? Absolutely… in a number of ways.
- AC - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:14 am:
Hmm, what would Ron Sandack say? Let’s check Twitter:
Ron Sandack – @RonSandack
Such pain can’t be worse than status quo or doubling down on the painful, failed policies that got us to this point.
- Juvenal - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:15 am:
Rich -
The family ought to be eligible for Norman Funds through the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services:
http://www.illinois.gov/dcfs/lovinghomes/families/Pages/Family-Preservation-Services.aspx
Norman Emergency Cash Assistance and Housing Locator Service
Norman Services provide assistance to families who have children who are in danger of coming into DCFS care (or cannot be returned home from DCFS care) due to lack of food, clothing, housing or other basic human needs.
The program provides the following three services:
Cash assistance to purchase items needed to care for the children that the client cannot afford to purchase themselves;
Assistance finding housing; and
A waiver to allow families to apply for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) so that children in DCFS custody can be returned home within 90 days.
I believe the closest DCFS field office is in Kankakee: 815-939-8140
DCFS funding is covered by court order.
DHS should update their hotline and website to direct families with children to DCFS for possible help.
I understand these are tough times in state government, but it is like they aren’t even TRYING to manage the situation.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:17 am:
===This is the result of a state spending beyond its means for decades. Avoidable? Absolutely… in a number of ways.===
Well that should keep them warm this winter. Not as warm as LIHEAP, but you know, warm enough.
- Old and In the Way - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:19 am:
- Anon - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:13 am:
This is the result of a state spending beyond its means for decades. Avoidable? Absolutely… in a number of ways.
This is the result of a state spending beyond its willingness to tax the rich for decades. Avoidable? Absolutely… a progressive income tax!
There….fixed it!
- Appalled - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:20 am:
Heartbreaking. I donated. I hope a lot of us do.
- Usually Silent Observer - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:20 am:
Rich do you know of contribution options other than GoFundMe? They take 8%, according to their Q&A. Would like to help, but prefer for all of it to go to Ashley & her family.
- Joe M - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:21 am:
Maybe we should ask the Governor’s consultant, Donna Arduin about what can be done. Arduin seemed to have sage advice in the past for homeless people.
- Matt - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:21 am:
My heart breaks for those poor kids.
- Roamin' Numeral - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:22 am:
Big props to David McSweeney! Well done, sir!
- Jimmy CrackCorn - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:23 am:
Rep. McSweeney just picked up the remainder of her funding goal. Bravo, sir.
Maybe there still is such a thing as Compassionate Conservative.
- hisgirlfriday - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:23 am:
from the gofundme looks like several donations have come in since rich put this post up. bless you capfax commenters. I’ve never used gofundme before but plan to try and donate a little something after I get home from work.
- Old and In the Way - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:23 am:
Rich
Is there some way that we can help Ashley and her family? Please point us in the right direction. This is the Raunner reality for Illinois residents…….the governor is ncapable of empathy for those in need. I’m ashamed.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:29 am:
===Is there some way that we can help Ashley and her family?===
https://www.gofundme.com/vf6rtukw
- hisgirlfriday - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:30 am:
@old and in the way: you can still donate to her go fund me even if it met its goaland the help you want to give is money. just takes a credit card.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:32 am:
These poor people are looking for unskilled work in a section of the state where unemployment is far higher than the “normal” numbers in Illinois. Blame only Rauner? For the short term pain, perhaps in part. But the long term problem that will keep these folks on the bottom rung of our economic ladder? No discussion? Not worth fixing?
Sheesh!
Am I the only one here that feels that is a problem? No unskilled work. No unskilled jobs. Permanent underclass due to such jobs migrating out of Illinois over many, many years.
I have posted here in the past how I used to travel the State defending Workers’ Compensation claims in multiple cities, including Danville. That was 25-35 years ago. Most of those factories are gone. Most of that industry is gone. Most of well-paying unskilled jobs in this State are gone. My observations are backed by plenty of reports and studies.
I will visit her goFund site and make a donation. But the “no we won’t discuss any proposed changes ever” group is equally responsible for their suffering right now.
Politics in Illinois really is pretty pathetic these days.
- God's Country - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:39 am:
Bravo to you, too, Rich. God bless.
- Abe the Babe - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:39 am:
==Am I the only one here that feels that is a problem? No unskilled work. No unskilled jobs.==
@ Louis, you aren’t wrong but this is more about rural flight than it is specifically about Illinois. While the state can fix things to make it more “business friendly” that wont stop the current trend for people to locate to urban areas with better jobs and amenities.
==My observations are backed by plenty of reports and studies.==
I have no doubt that there are plenty of reports. But im sure those reports show the same thing in other states too. Im not saying we shouldn’t design policies to help rural areas, I just see it as a uphill battle.
- Oh please - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:39 am:
Sandack grades this family’s pain as less than his lock-step aping of Rauner’s cruel policy demands. Utterly sickening.
- Anon - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:40 am:
Old and In the Way - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:19 am:
Your solution is about as doable as the governor’s collective bargaining restrictions. Delusion on the left is no more of a solution than anti-union delusions.
- Han's Solo Cup - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:41 am:
Where did those jobs go Louis? Not to other states for the most part. They went to Mexico and China. No anti-union reforms are going to bring them back.
- Ashley Goodwin - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:42 am:
Thank you for so much support! You have no idea what this means to us! For the record -bullet- , I use my neighbor’s WIFI, they were very understandable once they learned our situation, because I have a free SafeLink phone, which is too simple to do twitter.
- Old and In the Way - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:42 am:
Thanks Rich! It appears that the Capitol Fax crew, and others have done their civic duty to help Ashley and her family. What about the thousands of others who are in just as bad a situation? I’m afraid RNUG is right and it will take a tragedy or two to get everyone’s attention and get Raunner to actually do his job!
- olddog - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:46 am:
=== She’s caught in the eye of the storm between the governor who made this mess by exploiting human services as a “wedge” issue and the partisan shills who try to blame everyone else for his choice of tactics. Let’s not ask Rauner the tough questions though. ===
There, fixed it for you.
- Ashley Goodwin - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:46 am:
-Han’s Solo Cup - My husband has worked at 3 separate factories in rural Illinois that have all closed and gone to Mexico, one in Georgia as well.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:51 am:
@Han’s Solo Cup, what has the State attempted to do to stem the outflow of such jobs in the last 25-35 years? And this isn’t just a rural problem, just visit the west, south and southeast side of was once a thriving Industrial Chicago and ask yourself the same question!
- Xavier Woods - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 11:53 am:
The fact that a person living in this state has to have a goFundme created in order for her to make ends meet shows a level of dysfunction that I have never witnessed and quite frankly is a disgrace. Kudos to the people who donated, but why should it have even gotten to this point? For collective bargaining destruction, term limits, redistricting reform, and workers comp? This is out of control and an absolute embarrassment. We deserve so much better than this.
- Juvenal - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 12:05 pm:
Ashley -
See my note about Norman Funds available through DCFS above.
- Ashley Goodwin - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 12:14 pm:
Juvenal - I will get ahold of them, have ran out of monthly minutes on my phone, but get more on Sunday, so I will call them Monday, and Thank you for the information, DCFS is not an organization I would have thought to call, out of the many I have tried
- Iron Lady - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 12:17 pm:
Well said, Xavier.
- thechampaignlife - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 12:17 pm:
I sent this to Ashley directly but wanted to mention it here as well for others in the area facing similar situations or working with those that are.
The Money Mentors program (http://go.illinois.edu/moneymentors), operated for free by the University of Illinois Extension, works with individuals one-on-one to provide financial education and personal strategies on topics such as budgeting, setting goals, building savings, and managing credit. It is an excellent resource that may be able to help identify other social services resources to help provide stability in the short-term and provide financial capacity to avoid or better weather future financial emergencies in the long-term.
- Curious Georgina - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 12:21 pm:
Bless you, Rich, for sharing this. I checked her GoFundMe site shortly after you posted the story and she had 6 donors whose contributions totaled a few hundred dollars. I checked again just now: 49 donors and almost $2,900 (her goal was $1,400). You made a generous contribution and based on the timing of your post and the number of donations made since it went up, clearly a lot of folks here donated as well. Nice work.
- Anon - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 1:00 pm:
Well-done, Rich!
- Anonymous - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 1:11 pm:
I am literally ill after reading this sad story.
- Ashley Goodwin - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 1:16 pm:
Thank you, again, Rich, for all of your help.
The HOME situation with the Fed Gov. cutting it so harshly (around 93%) , in reality, means there are going to be a many more families in the same situation as ours next year as a lot of that funding goes to IHDA and HUD in Illinois, just a thought, as the HOME fund is the only 100% dedicated Federal fund to affordable housing.
With the trickling employment loss, affordable housing is one of the few areas that actually will need an increase in support.
- slow down - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 1:18 pm:
Let’s all just keep in mind that the generosity of those that contributed today is a temporary solution for Ashley and her family and the reality is that there are countless others facing similar challenges. It’s time for Gov. Rauner to abandon his leverage the crisis approach and get a budget done. The ability of good people to keep a roof over their children’s heads depends upon it.
- Ashley Goodwin - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 1:28 pm:
Thank you , everyone, this is amazing, not to have to worry and struggle for a little while is an soothing feeling, yes, a temporary solution to the permanent problem to find a decent-paying job and to keep enough to stay ahead is an issue a lot of people I personally know are facing.
It is literally a celebration when someone I know can find employment. To think, they have closed the DHS office in our county, the SS office, 2 major factories and a host of other small businesses here in the last 4 years.
Not a very progressive economy for many small farming towns in Illinois. I am sure we are not the only ones who feel this way.
- Han Solo Cup - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 2:10 pm:
Louis….oh I don’t know…hmm. Tif zones? Edge credits, one of the lowest personal and corporate taxes in the country, workers comp reform in 2011?
- nixit71 - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 3:23 pm:
==This is the result of a state spending beyond its willingness to tax the rich for decades. Avoidable? Absolutely… a progressive income tax!
There….fixed it!==
Oops, you forgot to tax retirement income. Can’t have a truly progressive tax without doing that. Still on board?
- Gabe - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 3:24 pm:
I’d thank the IPI if I thought for a second they wouldn’t exploit this story to get every bit of their money’s worth.
- Louis G. Atsaves - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 3:30 pm:
@Han Solo Cup, “Louis….oh I don’t know…hmm. Tif zones? Edge credits, one of the lowest personal and corporate taxes in the country, workers comp reform in 2011?”
Tell that to the unemployed Goodwins. I doubt it will make them feel better.
- Das Man - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 3:46 pm:
The Capital Fax is doing more today to help Illinois families than Springfield has done in four months
- cdog - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 4:09 pm:
Pardon my politics, but I must point out that jobs leave rural areas, and the country, because well compensated executives have to deliver profits to shareholders, public or private shareholders.
You know, for the public ones, Wall Street’s watching.
I look forward to the day, since we have an economy based on consumer spending, that providing good paying jobs in all neighborhoods, is looked at as the economic engine it is.
Profits, banked into domestic or offshore accounts, does not benefit anyone.
Hopefully the Governor doesn’t close the work camp down south. Good jobs that positively provide a service to society and economic stimulus for the nearby towns.
- Old and In the Way - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 4:30 pm:
Nitix71
Oops, you forgot to tax retirement income. Can’t have a truly progressive tax without doing that. Still on board?
Absolutely! They key is progressive. Those with little in the way of pensions or retirement should pay less than those with a comfortable pension. However, all should contribute!
- Han's Solo Cup - Friday, Oct 30, 15 @ 4:39 pm:
Louis, you asked for examples. What are other states doing that Illinois needs to be doing? Maybe we can lower our minimum wage to $5 a day to make us competitive with Mexico. I bet that would make the Goodwin’s feel better also.
- E - Saturday, Oct 31, 15 @ 7:29 am:
Regarding LIHEAP - Ashley and her family should be eligible for federal LIHEAP assistance on Monday through the East Central Community Action Agency.
- Ashley Goodwin - Saturday, Oct 31, 15 @ 9:12 am:
E- Thank you, already on that
Happy Halloween , Everyone!