The phone rang and the story began: “When you called, I was on the line with Youth and Shelter Services. We were talking about a single-mom family with one infant who has used up her lifetime eligibility for federal assistance and now has nothing. She can get food stamps and some medical coverage for children. She doesn’t have the ability to support herself,” the man said.

“She used up all of the private safety net. We helped her to our maximum, so there is not much we can do. And there’s nothing I can do.”

Some may scoff if people talk about poverty and homelessness in Ames. They must not have talked with Vic Moss.

The low-income housing situation in Ames is at crisis levels, according to Moss, director of the Emergency Residence Project in Ames.

“For most low-income families, there is no affordable housing in Ames. There are long waiting lists for the few federally funded units and a lot of families don’t qualify for it,” Moss said.

The Emergency Residence Project serves the Ames community in three capacities: as a provider of emergency short-term shelter, transitional family housing, and homelessness prevention programs.

The shelter served more than 500 people last year and 41 people in longer-term transitional housing. Nearly 900 people were assisted from being evicted from their residence to begin with by the prevention program, according to Moss.

The above story of the single mother and two small children is a story all too familiar to people providing support in Ames to those left behind in the trail of skyrocketing housing costs.

These organizations, in turn, need support. They include the Good Neighbor fund, Habitat for Humanity of Story County, Community Land Trust and others. They rely heavily on contributions from citizens in the community.

In fact, at least half of the Emergency Residence Project’s funding comes from personal financial donations.

According to Story County Habitat for Humanity, a person would have to work 75 hours per month at minimum wage just in order to pay the market rent in Story County. Another option would be to earn at least $9.60 an hour to be able to have a more reasonable work schedule.

According to Moss, to have a basic quality of life that includes child care in Ames, a small family must earn $32,000 per year.

“I think this is a decision that our society needs to make. It’s not acceptable to have young children and families on the street … and that’s what’s happening right here in Ames,” Moss said.

“Even as a high school graduate, where are you going to make the $15 an hour it takes to live in Ames?”

This dilemma in Ames is part of a national trend. The U.S. Census Bureau released their figures on poverty in the United States, the world’s richest and most powerful country.

According to a report issued last week, the national poverty rate rose from 11.7 to 12.1 percent in 2002. There are 1.7 million more poor people in 2002 than there were in 2001.

Critics contend the Census numbers are not an accurate representation.

Many, including Moss, believe the antiquated poverty threshold dating back to the 1960s is in desperate need of an update. This update would include those people who don’t qualify in terms of the Census but desperately need assistance in effect.

Mr. Moss is not reserved about the low income housing predicament in Ames. However, he is equally adamant about the need for solutions as he is about awareness of the problems.

Here are a few suggestions:

(1) Raise your own awareness of poverty in Ames by visiting or volunteering at local organizations like the Emergency Residence Project, Habitat for Humanity or Youth and Shelter Services among others.

Contact the Emergency Residence Project at 225 S. Kellogg Ave. or (515) 232-8075.

(2) Spread the love with your newly acquired understanding. Write letters to local newspapers and talk your friends and family into doing the same.

(3) Challenge city officials to fight for the poor and for affordable housing. Ames City Council hopefuls will be crisscrossing our great town a lot in coming weeks. Make it a huge campaign issue.

Large companies have the luxury of armies of lobbyists in state government.

It’s long past time the public voice became a powerful force defending the poor in our communities.