Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
the U.S. Census data the racial demographics of the population are: 85.9% white, 7.1%
black, 5.1% Asian, 8.8% Hispanic. The median home price is $185,700. The median
household income is $65,304.
WhatdoesLeannegainbylivinginawhitemiddle-classcommunityasasinglemoth-
er who is dependent upon welfare from the government in order to support her family?
According to Leanne, she receives a number of resources that black, Latina, and other
women who cannot pass as white would not have access to if they live in poorer, urb-
an, and racially diverse residential neighborhoods. This includes holiday meals and ex-
pensive Christmas presents that she could not afford on her income alone. For example,
the Friends of Franklin organize the gift drive for low-income families within the com-
munity. The process is completely anonymous. In addition, Leanne gets to choose the
presents she desires for her family. She states,
Well before Thanksgiving they sent me a letter saying, “Do you want a free
meal?” When they bring me my Thanksgiving meal they give me this paper to
sign up for my Christmas meal. With my Christmas meal, they gave me a paper
to sign up for toys for my kids. And [pauses] they bring me at Christmas time,
three garbage bags full of toys for my kids. And then last year, the school called
me, actually I've gotten it for the last two years [laughs] … I think I'm one of the
only families. It's a lot of people helping people out here…. I mean you got less
people here on free lunch.
She goes on to describe the gift drive process:
So my son wanted roller-blades so I wrote down roller blades (on the wish list
that she gave to the social workers). I couldn't believe it. These people gave me
receiptsforthings.Imeantheyboughtmysona$50sweater,$100roller-blades;
they bought my daughter a $150 dollhouse.… now that's just the gifts, never
mind the $100 gift card to Target—between Target, Wal-Mart, Stop and Shop,
and Shaws (grocery stores) I got $400 worth of gift cards.
As a woman living in a community with a small number of welfare recipients, there
was less demand for these resources. During the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays,
Leanne does not have to worry about how she will pay for holiday meals because once
again, she benefits from the generosity of the middle- and upper middle-class donors
who provide dinners.
Thesedonateddinners,combinedwiththefreeholidaygifts,enableLeanne'schildren
to not feel deprived and to have the same material comforts as their middle-class peers.
Leanne states,
