02/26/2019
With a frustrated heart, I write this:
The University of Chicago Hospital’s social worker (1) ordered and paid for the client’s birth certificate and (2) had their psychiatrist to sign the Application for Disability Form which is accepted by the Secretary of State. We prepared the (3) Homeless Certification Form and got it notarized. We (4) obtained from the client’s probation officer, his (4) Discharge Cook County Jail Form as well as a (5) copy of his active and current State ID.
With all of this, Social Security denied him and told us that he would have to reapply from the beginning for social security benefits (a 4 to 6-month process). As a result of this devastating blow, we will have to return him to Cook County Jail because we cannot subsidize his residency fee and food costs.
There is no blame to lay. Had the Social Worker knew to call social security and obtain a verifiable date of benefits termination, we could have moved faster and perhaps saved him. We were given a date in March 2019, but the true date was February 9, 2019. This client had reached the 365-day mark on that day and his Social Security benefits were terminated on that date.
We have no grant funds to help this young man.
All in a day's work. One day, someone who has won the lottery will look favorably on the work that we do day in and day out and that person will make a sizeable contribution towards helping us to help the less fortunate.
Until that day comes, I remain
Otis J. Williams
CEO, New Beginnings
