Beverly

Beverly is a 51-year-old nurse by training. In January 2003, she was laid off from her position as a health care research assistant for the University of Connecticut. After three years of researching the prevention and spread of HIV/AIDS in urban areas, Beverly and many others were let go because the government-funded research was cut. Without income, Beverly was forced to sell her life insurance, manage with no health care and visit food pantries on a regular basis.

My Story
Throughout my life I’ve helped people in one way or another. For many years I worked as a nurse, but I finally found my calling when I started working for the University of Connecticut as a research assistant. After three years of researching the prevention and spread of HIV/AIDS in urban areas, I was let go because the government-funded research was cut.

After a year of unemployment, I haven’t been able to find meaningful employment. I may look into being retrained to be a substance abuse counselor, but now I’m just trying to get by. My life has changed dramatically in the last year. Today, I don’t have health care, I’m constantly worried about my utilities being turned off, there’s a lien on my property and I had to sell my life insurance. Worst of all, I visit food pantries on a regular basis for nutritional reasons, because I can’t afford to buy food for myself.

There’s a lot of emotional stress that comes with losing a job and not being able to afford the very basic necessities. I’m starting feel that looking for a job is pointless, because I can’t even afford to appropriate clothes for an interview. Some family members and friends don’t understand or sympathize with my situation because they don’t understand what the job market is really like. My employment issues have really caused us to drift apart.

A lot of folks I talk to are suffering from unemployment, and I see business after business close in my community and the downtown area where I live. I know I’m not alone in this situation.