Janice Lumley is a single mother of seven children ranging from ages four to nineteen. She lives in Mobile, Alabama, in a modest community. Though Janice’s oldest son doesn’t live with her, her mother still does. Janice says that because of chronic back pain and lack of a high school diploma, she can’t work and, instead, relies on federal programs. She pays her rent by using Section 8 Housing, she buys the food her family needs using food stamps, and other expenses are paid through Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). Her son, who suffers from seizures, depends on Medicaid for his medication and visits to the doctor.
Janice lost her job because her son’s frequent visits to the doctor kept her from working full time. Although Janice doesn’t have a job, she volunteers at an animal clinic as well as several of the local schools. Many of the animals that she now owns came from the clinic. The clinic, in turn, gives her the supplies she needs for her pets. Janice recognizes the importance of education, especially for her children, “And see my little girl, she’s only in first grade, but you see over on the wall the A, A/B honor roll. She wants to be a veterinarian. She would need some college; without it she’ll more or less be in the same place I’m at.”
