DATE: Thursday, July 31, 1997               TAG: 9707310398

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY LOUIS HANSEN, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: SUFFOLK                           LENGTH:   58 lines

WELFARE RECIPIENTS SCHOOLED IN REFORM SUFFOLK RESIDENTS ARE TOLD THEY MUST SEEK OUT TALENTS, THEN SEEK A JOB

It looked like summer school Wednesday for more than 100 residents in the lunch room of John F. Kennedy Middle School, except their hands were full of squirmy children and welfare reform packets instead of textbooks.

The pupils were Suffolk welfare recipients, learning about changes they face when welfare reform comes to Hampton Roads on Oct. 1.

The message: You can get jobs, and you must.

``There will be more of you brought into the program,'' Suffolk self-sufficiency supervisor Roberta Bunch told the overwelmingly female crowd. ``Everyone has a talent, a skill, an ability.''

The program will affect almost 1,000 welfare recipients in Suffolk, according to the Social Services Department.

New state regulations will limit to two years welfare benefits to families. During that time, adult recipients must actively search for work.

To make the job search and employment easier for single parents, the Suffolk agency will have more money for day care and transportation services, Bunch said.

Welfare recipients may continue to receive aid after they find work, as long as their combined benefits and salary do not exceed the poverty level.

The Suffolk Social Services Department has reorganized in preparation for the changes, Bunch said. Clients now have one caseworker to handle such issues as benefits, child care and medical care.

``Hopefully, there will be more one-to-one contact'' between workers and recipients, she said.

The city will hold two more educational sessions for welfare recipients, and one session open to the public before October.

Former welfare recipient Evonta Whitley of the Hollywood neighborhood told the audience that if she could find a job, anyone could.

Whitley spent 22 years on public assistance, until she landed a job as a cleaner at Commercial Services.

Her eight children are proud of her first job. ``I got tired of sitting around every month waiting for a check,'' she said. ``I love working.''

Welfare clients and others asked specific questions about their cases, delinquent child support payments and the effect that a paycheck will have on their benefits.

The answers were sometimes hard to digest.

Said Marannia Faulk, who takes care of two grandchildren, ``It's very complicating to me.''

Phyllis Jones attended to learn what effect the new rules might have on her. She receives disability payments but does not receive welfare, although several of her neighbors in the Cypress Manor community do.

``You got to live,'' Jones said, ``but you can't live off that forever.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

JOHN H. SHEALLY II/The Virginian-Pilot

Marannia Faulk, who takes care of two grandchildren, said at the

welfare reform meeting at JFK middle school, ``It's very

complicating to me.'' KEYWORDS: WELFARE REFORM SUFFOLK SOCIAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT

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