Patricia Jackson | FIRSTHAND: Living in Poverty
Patricia Jackson | FIRSTHAND: Living in Poverty
Patricia Jackson, her husband, and their children live in her mother’s basement in the Roseland neighborhood on the South Side. The family’s only source of steady income was Patricia’s low-wage job at a WIC grocery, until the coronavirus pandemic forced her to take time off. Now a remarkable opportunity has landed on Patricia’s doorstep: a nonprofit called the Family Independence Initiative offered her financial assistance with no strings attached. In the short term, these cash infusions will allow the family to keep their heads above water. Looking to the future, Patricia and her husband hope to get an exciting new business off the ground.