After A Layoff, Detroit Family Struggles

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/04/25/business/childofrecession/main4968873.shtml

CBS Evening News: In Hard-Hit Detroit, Are Children Getting Left Behind?

DETROIT, April 25, 2009 | by Jeff Glor

(CBS) Discouraging as the economic statistics are for Detroit, numbers alone tell only part of the story. For a first hand look at the human crisis, CBS News paid a visit to a hard-pressed family - home to one laid-off wage earner and four children of the recession, as CBS Evening News Saturday anchor Jeff Glor reports.

It's dinner time in the Thomas household, where things have changed dramatically ever since father James got laid off from his engineering job at Chrysler last December.


The Thomas famly of Detroit eats dinner. Trying to support four kids between 7 and 13, the Thomases went from an annual income of $101,000 to $35,000 after father James Thomas lost his job at Chrysler. (CBS)


"My complete department was obliterated because of budget cuts. So that was basically 125 people gone. Just like that," James Thomas said.

Trying to support four kids between 7 and 13, the Thomases went from an annual income of $101,000 to $35,000 - Celia's social worker salary - and just above the poverty line for a family of six.

All that, while trying to make a mortgage payment of $1,000 a month.

"Having James lose his job has been really, really hard," Celia Thomas said.

The family is cutting back on all non-essentials. No more soda with dinner. No movies.

FULL story at link.

[ejpoeta]

1. the sad reality for a lot of people. and worse than just losing the job

i would think is the difficulty in getting a new one. hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel when you can't even find a job.