Paying Rent Or Buying Food: A Choice Cuyahoga's Poor Must Make

CLEVELAND — Kayla Morales has seen the strain of poverty at her job, in her community and in her own life. She hears the stories and sometimes witnesses them firsthand — people working two jobs, borrowing money they don't have, doing whatever they must to survive. Earlier this year, Morales was one of those struggling people.

She fell on hard times financially. She was working a full-time job and driving Uber at night. She was part of a growing number of Cuyahoga County residents struggling to get by. "It's crazy what we have to do to get food," she said, "I see it."

Nearly one in five people live in poverty in Cuyahoga County, according to a study released this week by the Center for Community Solutions (CCS). The county's poverty rate is higher than it was before the Great Recession.

A survey about quality of life was given to 434 Cuyahoga County residents living near or below the poverty line between April and May of this year. The survey was conducted by Baldwin Wallace University via phone calls and online questionnaires. More than half of the respondents make less than $25,000 a year. Individuals who make $12,490 or less are considered below the federal poverty line.

Many residents living near or below the poverty line have steady jobs, like Morales. She is a specialist in the workforce development department of the Council for Economic Opportunities in Greater Cleveland, a group that worked with CCS on the survey. She's been luckier than most.

Nearly half of Cuyahoga County's impoverished residents work steady jobs but need government assistance to survive. In many cases, a family of three might make only $21,330 a year. A third of Cuyahoga County's poor would be unable to come up with $400 in an emergency and many families must choose between food and child care.

About 30 percent of respondents said they have struggled to buy food and struggled to pay their utility bills. Others said they've had troubles with credit card debt or making mortgage or rent payments.

“One thing we learned during this survey is that so many of our neighbors work full- or part-time jobs but can’t make ends meet because they can’t get enough hours at work, or they’re working at low-paying jobs,” said one of the study’s authors and Community Solutions’ Associate Director Emily Campbell. “This means so many of our neighbors have to make tough choices about basic necessities - things so many of us don’t think twice about.”

Food or Health

For some of Cuyahoga County's impoverished, any health scare could spell disaster. One in six Cuyahoga County residents living below the poverty line said they have had to choose between eating and getting needed medical care. Others said they've had trouble paying for treatment for mental illness or physical disabilities.

Morales had a heart defect at birth. She's had five major heart surgeries and she's flat-lined on an operating table. She's never known life without a pacemaker.

"I do worry about having to pay for my health," Morales said. "Sometimes I do end up sitting down and freaking out about it, to be honest."

Morales' story isn't a tragic one, though. It's a tale of empowerment and hope, she said. She describes herself as a born fighter. In her case, the label isn't an empty platitude. After all, she was literally born struggling to survive.

Since nearly dying during a surgery in 2016, Morales has lost 130 pounds and lives a healthier lifestyle. She shares her story with visitors and friends, she works to empower her community. She is constantly trying to give back.

That doesn't mean she doesn't encounter rough patches. Morales draws on her own strength, and the comfort of her family and friends, to calm herself when she sinks low.

"Even though we struggle, we have to be smart, we have to be wise. We have to do our best to plan for the future," she said. "It’s the power of uplifting one another that keeps me going. I see what people go through. You always have the power to get out of your situation."