Let me tell you about the DHHS in Texas. Right now, it has a class action lawsuit being filed against it because their food stamp program has had so many complaints and they've fallen so far behind on their casework. I got to experience this firsthand. A caseworker has a time limit of 30 days to get back to the client. My caseworker was supposed to get back to me last week and didn't. I called her today multiple times and she didn't pick up. I called 211 (health and human services hotline) and talked to someone who asked me to spell "stipend". I finally found out that I was approved for $16, but all the other Americorps had been approved for the full amount, $200. I went to the DHHS in person to sort it all out. First of all, the DHHS is ridiculously disorganized. It's unclear where you should go when you enter. It's impossible to ask anyone a question unless you wait in a half hour line. I waited in three lines totaling 2 and a half hours of waiting. I finally talked to my caseworker and she outright lied to me about food stamps and my eligibility. After being shuffled around and waiting in my third line, the person helping me said, "okay your caseworker's supervisor has sorted it out. You'll get your $200 by this afternoon." I guess we'll see!
In other news, Austin City Limits (Austin's famous three day music festival) was a great time :)! I saw Chapman favorites like Bon Iver, Girltalk, Andrew Bird, Broken Social Scene, and the B-52's performing Loveshack.
My friend Alese and myself gearing up for the day:
Pretty much what the festival looks like:
End of day 1:
Waiting for Bon Iver in the pouring rain (yes I'm wearing a poncho I fashioned out of two trash bags):
Bon Iver in the pouring rain:
Girltalk:
At Girltalk!:
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