w programs aimed at giving people money by helping their communities and the nation. Most Americans think people on welfare sit around all day. They think poor people want the government to support them. Some welfare recipients do feel the government should help them; however, most want to work and take care of themselves.Many people today do not take advantage of the welfare programs. Only forty percent receive any type of aid. Welfare is based on your annual income. Most receive food stamps, lunch and breakfast programs for children. There is a limit to how long you are allowed to be on welfare programs. The limit is two years for people who are seeking jobs. Most of the time this is long enough. Some people will stay on for five years or more. Two thousand children each day join welfare programs. The number of people on welfare has been dropping since the early 1990's. Just because you get a job does not guarantee you will go off welfare. Many jobs are low paying and low skilled. These are sometimes the only jobs welfare recipients are qualified for. Programs to train workers are a move in the right direction. Poverty does not need to last a lifetime nor is welfare designed to last a lifetime. There are people who truly need the support of the government. The temporarily unemployed, the disabled, the mentally and physically sick need the government programs. There are many more who are prepared to take the responsibility of working and supporting their families. Some just need a little help getting started. Generations of Americans have seen poverty. Poverty has been around for a long time and is not likely to disappear any time soon. ...
