What to do? What to say? How can I assuage this anger, this debilitating fury I have inside. Children 14 and older, lining up at 6:30 in the morning in hopes if getting a six-week summer job that pays $7.25 an hour. No extras, no future. Just a six-week summer job, come and go.
There was money for only 500 jobs and over 700 showed up. Many walking miles to get to the new one-stop Social Services Center that is not, I repeat, not centrally located for its clients. Most of whom do not have a car.
After waiting in line for hours, at 12:30, the rest were told to come back at various times during the day, some were asked to return as late as 4 p.m., to get a "wait" number but also told not to get their hopes up and perhaps look elsewhere for summer employment. A wait number means if someone drops out or doesn't finish their paperwork, there might be a lucky opening, but with 200 youth on the wait list, chances are very minute that those with later appointments will find a place to work.
This is a city of great poverty; almost 25 percent of our youth are living below the poverty level. When they turn to drugs or thievery, who are we to judge? Oh, we tell a good story — all those suicide prevention meetings, a three-day training session (now, how much did that cost?). But youth who see no future for themselves look at other options. How much money to make State Street look pretty? How many buckets of flowers are going to hang there? Pretty for whom? Not these kids who don't get to sit at the economic table. I mention yet again "The Big House"; how much will the final reckoning be there?
In my lifetime, I have seen downtown totally rebuilt three times. Millions and millions of dollars. Who remembers the little canals with the paddleboats and the al fresco dining on terraces? Not to mention the big Friday night parties? The city has won a national urban development award. Every one of those early businesses are gone or relocated elsewhere. How old is Center City, which now is going to be pulled down and rebuilt again?
All of this, like a child's toy village, constantly being rearranged and altered to the tune of "TOO MUCH MONEY!" Come on folks, trickle-down economics do not work. Or are we all living in such a never-never land that if we believe and clap loudly, Schenectady will arise on a golden cloud, tinged with pink harps playing and money will flow like water down the avenues?
Our children are in trouble and they want to work. Our children want jobs. They are not asking for handouts. They want to earn their keep. For some, this would have been the main income in the family.
Most of these jobs were slated for those in dire economic distress. Where is CDBG? How closely is that money being monitored? Why are agencies that don't do the paperwork or have the programs still getting funded? An extra $20,000 or $30,000 would provide a lot of jobs for poor kids. It would give them hope. It would show that people cared.
Four suicides, two more attempts in the last two weeks. Kids with no options — no future — no life. But we adults are still going to meetings to assure ourselves that, "Oh no, we're not to blame. Look at us, see how hard we're trying." I am disgusted.
As a further indicator of our dire financial plight, the downtown burrito shop opened its little palatial establishment and over 400 people showed up or went online to apply for a job, slots which numbered 50 at best. No room for kids here. The everyday, ordinary bastions of kid jobs, McDonald's, etc., are now held by adults who are barely hanging on themselves.
I think every agency in the city that gets public or federal funding should give back by hiring, at least, one person 18 or under. And yes, QUEST does that. Multiple mentoring and cleaning jobs at $20 per week and one larger job which pays a livable wage. And we do this on a budget of $135,000 and yes, we take SJTA summer help. Ten kids, in fact. And we offer education programs (compulsory) geared toward these employees as part of their hourly duties, plus everyone gets supper. And, if you're a young mom, you can bring your kids to work (every single day).
But still, it's really not enough. Every day, multitudes (well, at least four, anyway) drop in, looking for a job. People of ages as varied as 14 to 72. Contrary to the myths of society, many, many poor people do want to work. Economic downturns hits the poorest, most vulnerable in our community the hardest. Even the food banks are suffering. Not enough volunteers, not enough quality food, and yes, even rising food prices at these establishments.
Donations are down, poverty is up, and the only thing I see trickling down is despair and destitution. I will give anyone who asks a tour of Schenectady. I have done this many times and the only changes I see is spreading blight. Younger kids on the street, more burned-out buildings and large, roving bands of kids, some even pushing baby strollers on their travels!
We say we care, but talk is cheap and easy. We have youth agencies that don't even take kids for community service or work with probation. As a matter of fact, one of these agencies got CDBG funding for gang outreach. An agency should be transparent and open to the public. It is, after all, public funding that props up these facilities.
But obviously, no one cares enough about these children to make sure the money is used appropriately and that the bottom line is clear and visible.
I do want to say thank you to JG, at SJTA, who listened to my rant and was both understanding and kind.
Let us not make these children who died into anonymous ciphers. Let us not sweep their young lives under a carpet of dusty, forgotten memories.
On May 17, there will be a candlelight vigil at Central Park, sponsored by parents against youth suicide.
The sweet face of the girl on the poster killed herself two years ago. Her parents and a funeral parlor are, even now, stapling fliers to trees in Central Park. Let us join hands and raise voices to truly make a difference in kids' work.
No more meetings and empty talk — action please. Jobs and education and shelter. Remember that old Beatles song?
"All we Need is Love"
"Love is All we Need"
"Love is All we Need"
Just do it
Just show it
Action and Love
What a combo
