Cobb County Tallatoona CAP: 'We Have No More Money!'

MARIETTA, Georgia, August 11: "There is no more money! We have no more money." It could not have been shouted loud enough, because the river of people entering and leaving the Cobb County Tallatoona CAP office was almost constant.

The heart-breaking news is that Cobb County Tallatoona CAP has no more money to fund LIHEAP cooling assistance for the general public. It was gone in less than a single day.

A flier in the office announced appointments starting August 3^rd for the elderly. The starting date for the general public was listed as August 10^th.

Families hoping for a much-anticipated credit toward the power bill were turned away by a frustrated worker. "I'm sorry - we have no more money." No one would listen. Each family approached and insisted that they were told to walk into the office to receive $700 in assistance. The families clearly did not anticipate heavy traffic on the first day the doors opened.

The frustrated worker reported that the funds designated for the general public were burned through the first day that Tallatoona CAP opened their doors to the general public.

A construction worker sat in the waiting room in the Marietta, GA-based office and complained about what the economy has done to the local residential population while many others there agreed. He has requested that his name not be used out of respect to his family.

"It's like a river of piranhas. Everybody is suffering because of the economic melt-down. You've got to be ahead of the pack if you want any help; otherwise, there is nothing left by the time you get there. I called in and got an appointment as early as I could," stated the burly man. He does not have enough work to pay the bills. "If you're five minutes late, you're out of luck."

The comments from the crowd in the office closely matched those of other people standing outside of the building. Many people remarked that the economy has forced them to cut their discretionary spending. "No more eating out." One woman was behind on the water bill. Someone else was forced to choose between paying the utilities and paying the rent. A few others have gone without medical care. "Hard times are here," has been recited several times.

So what was this reporter doing there? I found out that I was a day late and $700 short.

Like everyone else, I learned an important lesson: the early bird gets the worm.

Sources:

Interviews of the General Public

Tallatoona CAP, "Cooling Assistance"

Barnes, A. (Personal Experience)