This last quarterly report has been the most difficult for me to write, because I'm finding it difficult to concisely articulate my thoughts on the conclusion of my fellowship. For starters, I'm feeling a myriad of emotions about leaving Grinnell. I am looking forward to the future-moving to Chicago with my partner and attending graduate school in social work-but I'm also anxious about leaving Grinnell, my home for the past five years. When I graduated last year, I was sad about saying goodbye to my friends, but, because I wasn't yet leaving Grinnell, I didn't feel that nostalgic about graduating. Now, a year later, it's finally starting to sink in that I really am done with college, I really am an "adult", and I really do have to enter the "real world". And on top of that, every day at MICA I learn so much, but am reminded that I really know so little about the conditions of poverty. I am leaving MICA with more questions-about how to create lasting social change, how to put my own anti-oppression analyses into practice, how to use social services to empower families, how to build effective organizations, how to prevent staff burn-out-than answers. With all of these questions, it's hard to reflect on what I've learned and worked on during the last three months, but I'll do my best!
Ice Storm 2007
In February, central Iowa was hit with a huge ice storm, which caused major power outages in Poweshiek County. I live in downtown Grinnell, so my block was one of the first areas to regain power, and in total the electricity at my apartment was only out for six hours. My friends and I lit candles, ate leftovers, and went to a performance on the Grinnell College campus, one of the first areas to regain power. But I was a lot more fortunate than many families in the Grinnell area; many families were without power for almost a week, and some families who live in rural areas outside of Grinnell were without power for even longer.
For some families, living without electricity and heat, while inconvenient and uncomfortable, was not life-threatening. People made due by using battery-operated or propane-fueled heaters and appliances, going out to dinner, and staying in hotels when it became too cold in their homes. But for families in poverty, the extra expenses incurred during the storm were a huge burden. As we witnessed after Hurricane Katrina, a crisis situation caused by a natural disaster magnifies pre-existing economic disparities in the effected area; while some families are able to get back on their feet quickly, others are still reeling after months or, in the case of Katrina, years. The differences between how I viewed the ice storm (as a fun, short-lived adventure) and how many of the families that MICA serves viewed it (as a financial crisis) illustrate the realities of poverty and economic privilege in Grinnell.
In the weeks and months after the storm, MICA got tons of requests for assistance with hotel bills, groceries, heaters, and repairs and we handed out food boxes and referred families to the Department of Human Services to apply for state-allocated emergency funds. Grinnell and other small towns in Poweshiek County operated free shelters and warming stations where families could sleep and get something to eat, and when families called asking about funds to help pay for hotel rooms, I always passed that information along. I was surprised that many families did not take advantage of the shelters - one woman told me that she would rather freeze to death than stay in a shelter. This woman's statement made me think about how much strength and courage it takes for families to come to MICA for assistance. I strive to treat the people we serve with as much dignity and integrity as possible, and I hope that as I continue my career in social services, I will find ways to make accessing social services an empowering and positive experience.
Wrapping Up
LIHEAP (the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) ended in April, and with it the moratorium on service disconnections for non-payment. Unfortunately, the two or three hundred dollars that families who apply for LIHEAP receive is only a fraction of their entire winter heating bill, and many families find themselves hundreds or even thousands of dollars in debt at the end of the winter, and facing eminent disconnection. Paula and I have been busy helping families in this situation apply for other emergency funds and utility assistance programs, but these funds and programs are not nearly as large as LIHEAP, and we can only help a fraction of the families who applied for LIHEAP. Families that received this assistance after LIHEAP last year are not eligible to receive it again, and some of our funds can only be used with specific utility companies. When I can help families pay off some of their utility bills and get back on track, I love this part of my job, but when a family isn't eligible for assistance, or when their bill is just so huge that the amount of assistance we can provide would only make a dent in it, I feel frustrated and overwhelmed.
Working on the tax preparation program has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my fellowship. There is nothing more gratifying than telling someone that they are receiving a several-thousand dollar tax refund that they weren't even expecting. All in all, our team of volunteers completed 111 tax returns at tax sites in Grinnell, Marshalltown, Iowa Falls and Tama, helping low-income families claim a total of $164,555 in federal and state returns. While many eligible taxpayers do not claim the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit, news of MICA's tax preparation program is spreading, and I've enjoyed watching the program grow to serve more and more families. I also really enjoyed coordinating the tax site in Grinnell and helping to train and organize volunteers.
The Obligatory Thank You Sectionâ¦
My year at MICA has included countless frustrating and heartbreaking moments, but it has included countless inspiring and empowering moments, too, and I feel so fortunate to have the experience of working for MICA as the Grinnell Corps Fellow. I am very grateful to the MICA staff-Paula, Joy, Roma, Rachel, Mindy, Melissa, Dick, Clarissa and Lisa-who have all been amazing mentors and friends over the last year. I am also thankful for the many MICA volunteers and interns who have so graciously donated their time and talents. Lastly, a big thank you to Doug for all the support and advice this year!
