"We can't afford to pay the rent"

is the subject of yet another "human interest" story in our state newspaper today.  

Someone on the editorial staff obviously decided the paper (which I read online) needs to provide a sort of social service. We get almost daily stories of people in need of "help", often financial help and requests to go to "Go Fund Me" sites.  

No doubt many of them are worthy causes but I have never contributed to one. I prefer to help people I know or go through registered charities I know enough about to know they don't spend most of the money collected on "administration". 

This morning's story was about a family who cannot afford to pay the rent now that the landlord has increased it. The rent has apparently gone from $480 to $600 in one jump. That is a lot, far too much in the normal way. 

It is the increase, twenty-five percent of the previous amount, which has me wondering. It seems particularly disturbing when we are also told that the family recently lost a child. Having seen the devastating effect the loss of a child can have on a family I would not wish it on anyone. Why is a grieving family being asked to move?

Reading on I found out more. The family has recently moved here - from a country area where there would be work. The father had work here - but I know the location and it would have been a very temporary position and possibly quite hard physical work. He has apparently given up the job to "care for his partner" who is pregnant again.

I would be interested to know more. Is the man's partner (they do not appear to be married) so ill he needs to be her carer? Does he have any qualifications? What made them move from an area where there was work to the city?

There was a photograph with the story. There are four more children in the photograph. The father is heavily tattooed. The mother has a tattoo just above her cleavage.  Tattoos are expensive to get done. Perhaps they had them done when money was not an issue but it does suggest some interesting priorities.

 I feel sorry for the children - and the baby yet to come.