My name is Teressa Sullivan, and I'm posting this from Overland Park, Kansas. I work for two privately owned local buisenesses, one on the Kansas side and another on the Missori side, and both have found that their overhead costs have increased while their buiseness has slowed. Hours have been cut for me in both places, and the amazing thing is that since I'm seeing so much of what they are seeing, I can't even be mad about it.

I really hope that things get better soon - for all of us.

Thanks for letting me be part of the discussion!

One of the things that affects the ability of concerts and other similiar activities to "sell out" is the increased cost of a ticket. Recently, Metallica tickets were in the $100 range. That's too pricey for all but a few fans.

For the past year I have been serving on the board of a small organization that for 25 years has been matching home sharers (mostly seniors) with home seekers (mostly college students) to allow seniors to age in place and those who need low-cost housing a safe place to live. That organization is known as HomeSharing. With dwindling resources, the board decided to find another community organization with a similar mission to take over HomeSharing's services. We found one such organization, which was poised to approve the "adoption" when the stock market tanked this fall and it lost a significant share of its endowment funds. With time and money running out, HomeSharing will close its doors at the end of 2008 at a time when more people in the KC metro area could use its services. The HomeSharing phone has been ringing even more frequently now that people are facing foreclosures and could use a paying tenant or a new place to live.

I'm the director of a non-profit that provides affordable housing to households in Johnson County, KS. The economic situation affects us several ways.

Tenants are typically elderly, disabled or low-income households. Those working as servers in restaurants see their tips decline. Across the board those working in retail have seen hours cut back so that making ends meet becomes more difficult. Many have lost full time jobs and taken part time work just to put food on the table. In several cases we've coordinated with Catholic Charities to get limited financial help for those without food, gas or money to pay utilities. We see more tenants making multiple rent payments throughout the month because they can't afford to use one paycheck to cover the cost of rent and utilities. This affects our bottom line and makes covering our bills more difficult.
Evictions are up, late rents are up and more families skip when they realize there's no more help available.
We get several calls a day from households needing financial assistance or are looking for a less expensive place to live. Some of these are foreclosures other as renters whose landlords insist on full payment each month before the 5th of each month. Many renters are trying to find a way to postpone eviction. We don't have financial assistance so we refer them to other agencies for help, websites that have listings for low cost apartments or websites that provide tabs for people looking for roommates.
We encourage more callers to seek help through SRS for food stamps, job searches, etc.
My property managers work more and more on financial counseling. We're working with one single mom with 5 children. Working two part time jobs she was getting by, but when she lost one job she sold her furniture and television to help pay utilities and rent. We're trying to find her some help so she doesn't have to sell her car and be without transportation to work.
We have one mother who abandoned a 17 yr old son to move back to Indiana with her family. She could move back home but her son wasn't welcome. He's living with friends for now.
We used to be able to distribute donated bread but the donations are no longer available.
Because we use loans to finance our properties refinancing becomes difficult and expensive. We were unable to find a lender to refinance an apartment complex when the loan came due. We had to settle for a higher than normal interest rate and pay a broker to arrange the note when in the past finding lenders was a simple process.
Financial concerns ripple throughout the lives of those living and working at or near the poverty level. For most a sick child, a broken car upsets a very delicate balance that can start the spiral to financial crisis.

in affirmation of 11/18 posting on housing. I also work in a part of the low-income housing field. Housing is the canary in the coal mine--how we keep people in a decent, stable home in unstable times will be a mark of our legacy as a society.

I'm gainfully employed on the Missouri side in the insurance industry. While I was assured that my company doesn't plan any layoffs the fact that this was even voiced was very troubling. Our competitors have not been as fortunate and the spector of being jobless, while distant, is still in sight. Other than watching my 401(k) funds dwindling with each new day the recession hasn't affected me greatly. I did cut down on driving when gas prices were so high since my car requires 91 octane. Other than worrying about employment the biggest change I've made is to put off discretionary large purchases for the foreseeable future. I wanted to buy a new computer but think that I am better off saving the money until the economy improves.

Health care issues run hot during these times. Incoming Secretary of Health Daschle is giving US ALL an opportunity to form future health policy.

Tomorrow, Saturday, December 20th, at 9:30 am. See below.

ALL KC/JC AREA RESIDENTS ARE INVITED TO HAVE A VOICE IN FUTURE NATIONAL HEALTH CARE POLICY AT LOCAL SHAWNEE COMMUNITY CENTER FORUM - RESULTS WILL BE SENT TO INCOMING SECRETARY OF HEALTH'S OFFICE.

Incoming Secretary of Health, Daschle calls for forums on health - Shawnee THIS SATURDAY, DEC. 20TH.

Local Johnson County / Kansas City Area Residents Invited to Discuss Health Care Issues at Local Event Encouraged by the New Incoming Secretary of Health & Human Services

WHEN: Saturday, December 20th, beginning at 9:30 until the discussion ends, or 11:00 am, whichever comes first.

The new incoming Secretary for Health & Human Services has made a national call for health policy discussions in cities across America for the month of December.

In answer to the Secretary's call, a local discussion forum has been set for this coming Saturday, December 20th, from 9:30 am to 11:30 am at the beautiful City of Shawnee Community Center at:
13817 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS (just west of the intersection of Johnson Drive and Pflumm)
SEE MAP:
http://www...nson+Drive

Any issues related to attendees health care will be open for discussion. Our event will also discuss preemptive solutions to avoid massive health costs down the road, as well as more immediate problems local residents are having with health care affordability and accessibility. Again, it will also be open to any other healthcare related issues that come up from the gathering.

We invite all local Johnson County/ Kansas City area residents, as well as local health care professionals.

FYI, We will be following the guidelines for public forums laid out by the incoming Secretary's office:

Participant Guide for all attendees, visit http://change.gov/participantguide.

Can there be happiness when there's no computer-activities going on under one roof? I know of a family whose Christmas involves NO technology, not even a T.V. except for a B & W to check the weather station. This family, for the last twenty years, has celebrated their Christmas by making gifts for each other, snow-sledding and puzzle-making, etc. for their enjoyment. They're all intelligent people and there's no happier family. They home school. You won't find anyone posing in a sexy outfit in their photos and there won't be any snears, both influenced by toys and T.V. these days. Also, I can attest to two familuies with minutes of my home in Shawnee that their children don't know of any religeous meaning to Christmas but they do know of the opporsite and their parents employ several nannies to supply meals, etc. They are very successful in their communities and in their businesses, by the way..........A Shawnee Grandmother.

My wife and I were married in June, and moved to KC from Springfield. She's from Joplin, and I'm from St Louis. We moved to KC to be in a large city, but still be close to our families. Our income has quadrupled from the day before our wedding. I started a new job at the end of June, and didn't like that one, so I got a different one with a financial company, were I still work. My wife is an elementary school music teacher; while she doesn't particularly like the district for which she works, she is fairly happy with what she is doing.

On 2/12, we closed on our first, in the Brookside neighborhood; we have bought new furniture and kitchen appliances. We feel very lucky that our income has increased enough at this point to be able to afford our house. With the excess of inventories, we got our house on the cheap, and were able to take advantage of many deals to purchase the new items within our house. Also, with the stimulus bill, we are getting an $8000 tax credit, which we expect to spend on more improvements.

I listen to KCUR at work all day, and I listen to story after story of jobs being lost, people cutting back. My department at work has many people similar to my age that are also starting out, recently married (or soon to be) and seeing their income increase from a year ago.

I believe this last is important; there are people starting out, and are able to spend some discretionary money. For me, this is a small sign of hope.

I'm originally from the KC area and just graduated college this December with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. I accepted a job offer with Hawker Beechcraft in Wichita this November and started January 12th. We were told the first day at orientation that layoffs were coming soon, and they had considered meeting us at the door and telling us we had no jobs. I survived 3 weeks and was caught in the 2,300 person layoff. The job search is rough, as few companies have the funds to take in a recent college graduate and train them for months before they get any productive output from them.

Those of us recently graduating from University, have it really tough. Just as we think we are about to start careers and making money ( not to mention hopeful about being able to pay off our student loans) We have graduated in the worst time in American History. What used to be valuable in terms of college education, internships, honors and experience in college- makes us feel worthless. Its a real blow to the ego at times.

I am delaying retirement because of the decline in the value of my IRA. I'm okay with working longer; looking around me, I feel fortunate to have stable employment. Eventually the economy will recover, and I'm just going to hunker down and ride it out. I've never been a big spender, but now I think a bit longer before I buy something.

Employers act like they are gods. Walk a mile in someone elses' shoes. How about some compassion toward others. It also seems like people hide behind their religion to act super pious. How about living what you believe. How can the economy improve when the middle class is supporting the irresponsible lending of banking giants to people who had no collateral for loans?

have reacted to the recession by turning off the "talking heads" who want to focus on every little negative piece or news and talk of nothing else. I realized a long time ago that I should cut back - not because of the economy but because I realized the stupidity of our consumer mentality. We have all lived through other recessions, we will live through this one. Here is how I react - get up every day and keep my feet moving. I am 71 years old, working every day at one job and doing some consulting on the side and that is how I have always made it. Let's move on and stop harping on this topic.

I am one of three pastors of a local church. For the past few months my colleagues and I have felt like what we are doing is less like routine pastoral care and more like triage at a MASH unit. We have repeatedly dipped into our discretionary fund to assist parishioners facing unemployment, bankruptcy, and foreclosure. And that's just the financial impact of this recession. More subtle but just as insidious are the physical and emotional tolls the downturn in the economy are extracting from people. We have offered care to people facing serious illness and depression that can be traced back directly to the stresses of the recession. It used to be that our ministry to "the needy" was directed toward people outside of our congregation, but increasingly this ministry is needed by those situated squarely within our ranks. There is a feeling of crisis that has permeated everything we do and the people we care for are suffering real pains as a result of this dramatic change in the economy.

My name is Jane. I went to buy an old bike from a woman who ran an ad on craigslist. It turns out that she's been unemployed for 3 months, is desperate, and extremely stressed as she waits for foreclosure notice on her modest home. She choked up as she told me she's had to resort to food stamps. She is selling everything she can.

I talked with her for a while, got her email address and sent her a referral for a temporary job and job clubs. The next morning, I heard the news about the $1 million+ bonuses for AIG employees, recalled the Billion dollar bonuses received by hedge fund managers, and all this poor woman needs to get back on her feet is probably about $5,000. Is this truly what our country has come to? The worst part is that this woman has tried - sent resumes, made phone calls, including trying to get some mortgage relief since the legislation passed, and nobody has responded or returned her calls. She was shocked that I listened to her, and cared enough to reach out to her. I'm heartbroken. I can't help her much, other than to help her with groceries or gas money. I wanted her story to be told - she is one of so many silent, stoic, "old-school" Americans who has worked and earned her way up. Thanks for allowing me to tell her story.

I am the director of development for the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City, a no-kill shelter and preventive vet care clinic. We've noticed several things lately that we believe are due to the economy: an increase in pet abandonment, an increase in volunteerism, a decrease in pet adoptions, and a decrease in the average donor gift.

With my spouse unemployed since November 6, we have managed to maintain our mortgage payment and our credit card payments as well as NOT use the credit cards. I figure we are very blessed especially since we had no savings. I have had to borrow against my 401(k) but now that we are heading into our 6th month with only 1 income, it's really looking pretty scarey. I have asked friends and family for help and it has been offered. We are barely keeping our noses above water. I had a part time job and that ceased. My job is secure (bank teller, 8 years) but my husband has had a heck of a time. He is utilizing the internet daily for jobs as well as contacting in person and via phone. He is talking to people as well. I have had to stop contributing to my 401(k), change medical coverage, halt certain insurances, all in an effort to increase take home pay so the bills can be met. No purchases that are "wants", no entertainment, yet I fear even with our hardest efforts to maintain without defaulting on our obligations, the very near future is bleak.

The impact of the recession on my husband and I has been really hard. We live in a small modest home in northeastern Johnson County, Kansas and have always lived like we are living on one income. Cars are paid off and only have two small balance credit cards and our home mortgage. However, these economic times have proven difficult at best. My husband's full-time job of 30+ years in the trucking industry has been majorly impacted by the economic downturn. He works in the intermodal/rail industry moving containers from railroads. He began working less than 40 hours in Nov 2008 and is now down to one to two days a week. He has not been laid-off, however, he works per hour and his hours have been drastically cut. He has taken on another part-time job, with a courier delivery service, which is flexible so he can work it when his other job is not working. One of the challenges with the part-time job is that he uses his own vehicle and fuel and ends up making less than half of what he makes at his regular job. I have been working half-time for the past two years because I went back to school full-time to further my education. I planned to go back to work full-time in January 2009 and it has not worked out as there is a hiring freeze at my current place of half-time employment. I am continuing to pursue full-time employment with no success to date. I have also increased my work load to two other part-time jobs and plan to increase that work load to a total of four part-time jobs just to keep things going. I also pay my own health care. My husband and I have very good work ethics, great work history and have not given up on finding full-time employment with benefits. We are very thankful to have the opportunities for other part-time work, but wish things would turn around so that we could each work one-full time job and have benefits. It seems like we never have any down time because our schedules are so erratic. On the subject of retirement, we have significantly lost those benefits due to the economy and stock market. Even though we are within ten years of retirement we don't see any prospects for our future retirement. We have managed to keep our basic mortgage paid current, house expenses paid, food and other basics, but have no money for anything extra like entertainment or eating out. I feel like we are just being able to keep our heads above water economically and are struggling to feel hopeful and positive. I know we are not the only folks out there that have struggles and feel privileged to have our health. However, we are now concerned that if one of our health fails, or if there is more turn-down in the economy, we could be living in a tent or on the streets within a few months. Thanks for listening to our story.

My wife and I were married in June of 2008. Because of job circumstances, I had to stay in New Mexico until January of 2009 while she worked in Lawrence. I finally moved to Lawrence in January of 2009, giving up my job so she could have her career, now I can't find work. It's unfortunate timing that I had to do that at one of the worst times in American economic history.