In 1990, I moved to Phoenix and built a life here with my three children. For 44 years, I was proud to focus my career on advocating for disabled and deaf children, a mission I continue today as a volunteer. Now at 66, I am blessed with 11 wonderful grandchildren, and much of my time is spent making sure my family has the basics they need — food, shelter and safety.
Every month, I face choices no one should have to make. Do I pay my utility bills, buy groceries or cover critical medical needs? These are tough choices for anyone, but I live with multiple sclerosis and other health challenges, making these choices even more difficult. Sometimes, just to stay afloat, I am forced to skip my pain medication or keep my home uncomfortably hot or cold in extreme weather.
No one who works hard every day should have to face these decisions in America, the richest nation on Earth. Even with careful budgeting and regular calls to Arizona Public Service to ask for extensions, it is almost impossible to live comfortably on a fixed income…