Four women gathered recently at the Lifetrack Resource Center in St. Paul, where they talked about what it's like to be on welfare and how they got there. They also talked about problems with the system. Some complained that their case managers didn't return their phone calls or give them information on details of their MFIP benefits. Some say being on assistance is stressful because they have to follow strict guidelines, and if they are not followed they can have their cash benefits severely restricted.

	•Tiffany McQueen (left) describes a typical day for her. Listen. •Wendy Willman (right) talks about her goals and the obstacles in her way. Listen. (MPR Photo/Brandt Williams)

Tiffany McQueen - she's single, 26, has four children and has been on welfare for nine years.

McQueen says she always wanted to go into nursing or childcare. She has a felony conviction on her record, and she says that prevents her from being hired in those fields. McQueen is getting an extension of her benefits because she's enrolled in a work program. She says the old AFDC system didn't give people incentive to move off the system.

Wendy Willman - she's married, 26, has one child of her own and takes care of stepchild. She's been on welfare for five years.

Willman's husband was injured on the job and can't work. She says he can hardly stand for more than 15 minutes without being overcome with pain. Willman says he's trying to get worker's compensation, but hasn't been able to do so, yet. In the meantime, she's been with the same job program as Tiffany McQueen, but it barely pays enough for her to afford the rent. Willman says she's trying to get into nursing, and wants to enter a nursing program at a vocational school. But she says she has a lot of barriers which make it hard for her to do the things she needs to do to apply for the school.

	•Luann Hieb (left) and Shannon Smith (right) say people have false notions about how they take care of their children. Listen. •Tiffany McQueen and Shannon Smith say men are not held accountable in the welfare system. Listen. (MPR Photo/Brandt Williams)

Luann Hieb- she's single, 36, has four children and has been on welfare for five years.

Hieb says she spent four years taking care of her mother, who had a stroke. Hieb says she couldn't work for those years because her mother required 24-hour care, and she says her mother's medical benefits wouldn't pay for a family caregiver. Her mother died last year and Hieb says she still can't find a job that will help her take care of her kids. Hieb is getting an extension of her benefits because she's a victim of domestic abuse.

Shannon Smith- she's married, 29, has five children and has been on welfare for 11 years.

Smith says she had her first child when she was in high school. She says she didn't really take the welfare system seriously until she started getting notices about her benefits being cut off a few years ago. Smith was diagnosed with depression, but says she stopped taking the medication because it made it hard for her to function.

Life on the Bottom Rung (July, 2001)