My basics: I am 38 years old and have never been in trouble. I am a single father of three girls whom I love dearly.
I have broke my right hand three times since 2012. Those injuries have made it difficult for me to find steady work. So I am often forced to find ways to survive and not bread down when I have three wonderful ladies looking up to me.
How does this affect me? Simple mathematics: To live in the District of Columbia you have to make at least $40,000 a year for a one-bedroom apartment. I don’t earn enough money for that standard of living. My problem, then, is not having enough money to care for a family of four, yet still provide a smile on my face for my customers. Another serious issue is that my situation makes it difficult to get Social Security income.
Nevertheless, at the end of the day I give thanks to Street Sense Media for enabling me to sell the paper and attain some type of dignity by working for myself.