‘Go for help ask for help when you’re down and out’
Ralph Lee has been a resident of New Brunswick all of his life. He’s had to fight to stay financially afloat and battled alcoholism, but with the government and housing his life has begun to even out.
This profile is part of the series, “The New Jersey 37,” which focuses on residents making up the 37 percent of households in state that cannot afford basic needs such as health care, housing, food, child care, and transportation
Louis Harned: How much do you currently spend on rent and how much do you collect from social security?
Ralph Lee: $244 on rent and I collect $847 from Social Security.
LH: Have you ever had trouble paying rent in the past?
RL: Before I did. Back in the 1980's, I used to pay $250 for rent, then they raised it to $350. And I said “to hell with this” and you know what I did? I went and moved out into the woods for nine years.
LH: Can you tell me what it was like living in a tent for nine years?
RL: I was living in the woods up on River Road. I had a sleeping bag and a comforter but it got cold, believe me it got cold. I used to come down to the soup kitchen seven days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sometimes I was staying under the Raritan Bridge where the junkies were, but I never used. I wasn’t into that, I was a drinker. Cops sometimes would come by and everyone would scramble but I would stay put. I had nothing to run from. They would ask me “When you going to go to an AA meeting?” I would say “None of your business.”
LH: You get food from Elijah’s Promise food bank and receive Social Security for income. Is there any other ways you receive help?
RL: I get Medicare and Medicaid. I’m better off now when I’m old and on the government [benefits] then I was when I was young and working. I don’t have to worry about paying no rent no more. A certain percentage gets taken out to pay for rent, then the rest of the money goes into my pocket. I don’t got no problems with nothing.
LH: What’s one piece of advice you give someone about housing burdens?
Ralph Lee: Go for help ask for help when you’re down and out like I was in the woods. Ask for help because if you don’t ask for help you won’t get nowhere. I was in bad place for nine years of my life, not many people have been as low as I was — believe me. But now look at me. I still don’t have too much but I have a warm place to sleep at night, some money in my pocket and daily chow. I was at rock bottom. Not many other people can say that but I was there. I bounced back because I knew I had too, but also because there was a lot of help along the way. That’s what people have to understand there’s help out there, you just got to be the one to go and get it.
LH: What was the most difficult thing you faced when you were homeless?
RL: I was lonely once in a while. But I got over that quick, I started volunteering down at the soup kitchen five days a week and kept myself busy. I met some really good people and made some good friends. I even have my picture on the wall. I was a rock star.
