This is a story of woman we will call Sophia who was initially seen on November 17, 2009 through La Casa’s Family Success Center.  At that time she had recently moved to the USA from Peru. She is a 52 year-old female with a 14 year-old daughter. This family was fearful that any assistance that they might receive would affect the relatives who brought them to the USA.  But, the child was without insurance and the mother was not being paid on a timely manner at her workplace. The Family Support Worker made various attempts to enroll her daughter in NJ Family Care and advised her mother to seek other employment– and to complain to the Department of Labor for unpaid wages. Meanwhile, they were assisted with food referrals.

Finally, in November 2010, La Casa’s Family Support Worker was able to verify the mother’s employment in order to submit the employment verification form to NJ Family Care in Trenton.  A new Family Success Plan was developed to identify the family’s current needs. She was referred to the Board of Education to apply for bus tickets and free lunch for her daughter, since she was paying for those services. She was assisted in filing a complaint to the Department of Labor/ Wage and Hour Compliance for her unpaid wages. Her daughter was referred to the school-based clinic at Barringer High School. An appointment was scheduled for the mother at UMDNJ Ambulatory Care Center. The company’s information was provided to the hospital for billing since she was being seen there due to a job-related injury. She was also referred to the Unemployment office to apply for benefits.  The Family Support Worker finally convinced her to apply for food stamps since she is unemployed at the time as well as submit a claim for unemployment benefits.

Sophia is finally exercising her rights and applying for assistance available to the family. She is overcoming her fears with small steps thanks to the advocacy and information and referrals provided at the Family Success Center.