And for all you knuckleheads turning this into a self serving political statement, how about you just shut to he!! up! This story is about a family trying to get by. If I have been following this story right, most of the jobs in Elkhart were in the RV industry and as far as I know, we aren't getting too many RVs from overseas. Yes, these job losses are due to the recession. But they are not directly being lost by outsourcing overseas. They are being lost because the economy sucks. And by the way, I am writing this from Germany, where the economy is no better than it is in the US.

I hope that things turn around for them. Perhaps a move to another area, even if for a few years, might help. Has the husband considered different types of employment? Could he do outside sales for an allied business, like an auto parts firm? I've faced a similar issue and my husband moved out of state to work for a year, living in inexpensive single housing.. it kept us from losing our home. There are innovative ways to solve these things.

Sadly, and almost criminally, the US companies (who escape taxes by shifting assets overseas, etc.) seemed unable to grasp the most basic concept, which is 'if you send all our jobs overseas to make cheap copies of what we used to produce, no one in America will be able to buy these things eventually.' Who did the Corporations think was going to buy all of this stuff once we all lost our jobs? Was there not one reasonable person in that Board room who said.. "excuse me, but if we shut down all our factories, who will buy our products?"

And for "living within means". You apparently do not grasp the concept that the demand for these products have gone down because no one has a job (because those jobs were evaporated by the corporations, and sent overseas.) And yes, RVs are made in Mexico now.

Well Trixie, I have been all over the world the past two years and I can tell you that things are no better in most of the world than they are in the states. So if the jobs that have been lost in the past 18 months in the US have been outsourced, I have no idea where they went, maybe to Mars? I hear they have a rocking enconomy there!

I know outsourcing has been a pain in many Americans sides, and wallets. But this latest crisis is worldwide. Do you honestly think the millions of people that have lost their jobs in the US over the past 18 months had their jobs sent overseas? If you do, you are in desperate need of phsycological counseling. France has unemployment of around 18%. In Germany it's about 15%. India has always had a huge amount of unemployed, reaching approximately 20%. Italy is over 10%, England is over 10%. Even Japan is over 10%. It's everywhere, not just the US.

I know it's hard to look over the fence when the sh-t is in your yard, but you have to look at the bigger picture. This was not done by Bush, or the republicans, or the conservatives. It wasn't done by democrats, or liberals. The whole world has played a part in this, from the US, to England, to Russia, to China, everyone has been culpable. And that means the socialists in Europe, the communists in China, the, um, whatever the Russians are today(!), to the US, and that's just the governments. How about the people themselves? Overspending, overcharging, no savings, not paying bills on time, not taking responsibility for their actions, blaming others for their mistakes, and the list goes on. We can also blame organizations, like corporations for greediness, unions for -- greediness, well, you should get the picture.

As the saying goes, Make sure your own house is clean before you point fingers at others!

Geez….so many mean & angry people.. Thank God! I don’t live in Indiana or Germany…

Jennifer,

I wish you well. Perhaps this time in the focus of the media will provide a means for you to succeed in staying near your family and friends. I hope for your sake it does. If nothing else, despite the barbs of ill and sometimes even good intentioned comments, there are now more people who are thinking positive thoughts or prayers for you. That may or may not result in any change, but I know that I appreciate it when I know people care, even from a distance.

I have no other power to help you. The advice I could give is based on simple platitudes that you have heard before and will hear again too many times. So I shall not waste your time. Instead, in your family's honor, I am going to try to do something nice for someone else that I do not know.

An act of kindness given freely, may lead to change in the world. Of course, it may not. But I will know that I have done it as will the recipient. The good feelings that I create in myself and perhaps in that recipient may incite another freely given act of kindness. I hope it does. The good that I do may never create the good that the story of the Samaritan from biblical times has generated. But then, that Samaritan couldn't know the effect that one kindness for a stranger has had on people for thousands of years since. It was done merely because it could be and the world was better because of it.

May your world soon be a better place. Good luck from an occasional good samaritan,

Esker

I recently presented an article to my human resources class: french workers who were told they could keep their jobs...rec'v a one way ticket to India...and of course earn very meager wages and relocate to India, of course.  Much of the "Elkhart Project" illustrates the condition of Northwest Indiana in general.  The RV industry is not the only one.  We do not live in Elkhart, but my husband commuted one hour each way each day to work there.  He ran through over half of his unemployment when that plant closed abruptly.  The company made telecom shelters.  One would think, with all of our cell and communications needs, they could make a go of it - but they didn't.  We were fine on my income until summer - but as a teacher, that was a long, dry stretch.  I feel for everyone who is unemployed.  I am thrilled he found a job at 3/4ths of what he was making.  The psychological effects of being unemployed wore on him and on our entire family.  It is difficult, when you want to work, but can't find a thing. 

On the up side, we have cut back significantly.  Learning to do more with less will have its benefits as we rebuild...or hope to. America has been the land of prosperity for so long...but our school children have terrible drop out rates and Asian kids go to school six days a week, early am until 5 pm.  Some of our workers became very comfortable with sliding by at work.  Did they wake up every day saying "I am going in to create value for my company today".  Some of this, we did to ourselve by becoming complacent.  Some of this, I believe, is a global economic adjustment.

The humantarin side of me wonders why we should have expected to be in the land of plenty forever, when so many others in other lands are so far behind the US.  Maybe they deserve to have more than one car per 60 relatives (mine - abroad - it's true). Maybe if we lived three or four generations all in one apartment (Asia - been there, seen it), cared for our elders in house, elders providing child care in our own homes...our "needs" would be different.  We've been spoiled for a long time, folks.

Last Feb. we were in Disney World FL, I was talked into it, hubby and I, retired. We went to every vendor looking for souvenirs for the grandkids. Not one, not a single item in any of their stores, was USA made. They were mostly China, then India, Indonesia, Venezuela, etc. Not one little key chain or a big bulldozer made in the USA. Nothing USA made. We bought lunch for ourselves instead. I'm glad we have the buying power to finance employment in other countries and raise other countries' standard of living. It looks like the govt. has to take a stand and put some kind of tax on the US companies that outsource. Most large cos. have profited handsomely by not having a US payroll. Their profit is not money made, it's money not put back in the US economy via salaries. Common sense is needed, deregulation is needed. We wish Jennifer and her family the wisdom and strength to override these black days.

Well, Sunshine4 u, I have a Master's degree and haven't found a job for 2 years. I apply to any and have filled out 300 applications each month since my sabbatical began. Don't think a Doctorate would help, don't even want one. What I do see are a lot of scams by employers because they have so much power now. I actually was hired by a company operating in the states just because I'm a native born American minority in the computer tech field. They had to have a certain percentage of us to keep their US based contracts in Healthcare. But it doesn't pay a living wage. Why should they pay me more when most of their employees live in India and live on $500 a year? Hold on to that job you have Jennifer and stay put! Things are no better in Idaho, San Diego, or Florida or anywhere other than Washington DC where the Federal Government is the only one hiring. Learn to list things on ebay and craigslist and then go dumpster diving. Even selling trash is more respectable than "canning spam" for the techies. Your children can't go to bed without being hungry while eating your self respect, but if you can stay at least one day ahead of the food chain, you'll survive this economic tsunami that is not likely to end soon. I am. Be blessed!

sadly, it's not just elkhart that is suffering from lack of adequate jobs, or availability. i also live in an area affected by the collapse of the auto industry. many of the other manufacturing and distribution jobs in this area have moved out of country, shut down completely, or moved to..yes..ohio!

with the amount of people unemployed, the ratio of job seekers to available jobs may as well be 1 million to one. the county i live in alone is 11.5% unemployed, i myself have been one of them since october of last year. i live in a small city with no public transportation and no vehicle.

very recently, my extended state unemployment benefits ran out, and now my family is completely left with no means of support. my 'family' in this area is in as bad of shape or worse off than i am, there is no support system. and as much as i would love to start my own business, as we all know, that takes money to even get started, and with NO credit that's not going to happen.

moving is definitely an option i considered, however i lack the transportation to do so, and hitch hiking with a child is not appealing. (neither is hitch hiking in general!) for me this option is a simple choice, had i the means i would have moved a few years ago when they lay offs first started.

i think you people are being way too harsh on this woman. why should she have to move, to uncertainty and the possibility of being unemployed elsewhere as well? at least she is still working for now, and contributing to rebuilding the economy! keep your chin up J Holderread things will turn around!

p.s. this coming from a complete pessimist ;)

I too am from Indiana. I have witnessed the devistation to the economy firsthand here. I live in the Merrillville area only a few hours from Jennifer, but most of my family lives within a few minutes of the Elkhart area. I have a college degree (even though I work in the building industry) and have been lucky to keep my job. My brother has a college degree and couldn't find a job using it when he relocated back to the area a year ago from Colorado. He moved home for family and financial support when things got difficult there. At 44, the only job he could find was at a Pizza Hut.

Jennifer, I commend your resiliance, your willingness to fight, and for keeping your head up and making the most of a difficult situation. I commend your husband for going back to school to get an education to try and make life better for your family, instead of sitting back and doing nothing until his gov't. paid unemployment runs out like so many others. I understand and empathize with your decision to stay in the building and the town you call home and with the people you call family. I pray God's blessings on you and the community you live in. I have family and friends in the same boat.

The people in Elkhart need the support of all of us that call ourselves "Americans." Instead, so often we choose to judge and criticize instead of reaching down and offering them a hand. So many on here have said that they need to just get an education, move, better themselves. Education is a great thing, but there are no more jobs for the higher educated than there are for the skilled worker - take my brother's example. And frankly, without the skilled worker willing to do the manufacturing jobs and manual labor, how would anything get built? Apparently, most of the "educated" people are above that kind of thing....

Good luck to you and your family Jennifer - God bless and keep you and your community - you will all be in my prayers.

Sunshine -

Maybe you should focus your energy on learning a bit of compassion and understanding. I don't really think Jennifer is taking anything out on you or anyone else on here. I've read your comments and while you do offer some advice, you have also in the next sentence condemned her for not following it. Sure there are more jobs in the city, but if everyone in the rural areas lost their job and moved there, how are they all going to fit, let alone get jobs? Its like asking 10,000 people to move to a city to apply for 1 job. There just aren't that many job opportunities. It's hard to see things in perspective when you have a job and you aren't living it. I did not so long ago. I know the fear and the anxiety. It sucks, but luckily times were better and there were a few more jobs to be had. And as far as getting an education, if you read closely, that is what her husband is doing. Jennifer has a job, he's going to school....they have a family...they both can't go to school at the same time and leave the children at home. And with money being tight, I doubt they can afford to pay someone to watch them. They are trying to better their lives without disrupting them completely. And wouldn't you be offended if every other person that read your story decided to tell you what you were doing wrong, or to make callous comments without really knowing you rather than extend a note of concern or understanding?

I understand having more sympathy for the people in the streets with absolutely nothing, but I am careful to hand out sympathy before I know what put them there. This story was about a town under diress. An small example of what's happening every day in thousands of towns across our nation. Thousands have gone under...even more are in Jennifer's situation. People always give to those that have nothing - maybe we should start reaching out to those that are still drowning - and catch them before its too late.

To all the folks out there who have been following my family's story and sending us well wishes...THANK YOU!!!!! I can not tell you how much it all means to us.

They may have started to pay off. My husband had an interview today that seems to have gone really well. But it is a tough market no matter what you do right now. Continue to keep him in your thoughts as I know you will and I am positive it will pay off!

Again Thank You to MSNBC for giving me this opportunity to tell my story. It has steered me in the direction I have always dreamed of going. Mike Stuckey...you know what I'm talking about. 1 chapter down....several to go!

Unalienable Right: Freedom of speech 0$

Posting on a web blog: 0$

Knowing when to use your rights and when to shut up: priceless

The most important part of freedom of speech is knowing how to use it for the most good.

Jennifer, It is not easy or cheap to move, I live in South Carolina left Elkhart 20 yrs ago moved to Florida then moved here. South Carolina jobs are no better or more available then the ones in Elkhart. There you had major jobs in the RV and van conversion industry, here we had them in mills. I cannot tell you how many people were put out of work when the mills shut down. When we first got here my husband nor I had a job, he got one quickly and I did also but it was because I left information off of my resume. I have a degree in electronics but applied for a job soldering, I new I had to much experience so I just left the college part off my resume. When I had the job and they needed someone with electronics experience I moved up. So all the people that put in applications at Walmart and put down they have master degrees, dont really want the job to badly.

Moving for me was very easy (I hate snow) but it was very costly, I grew up in Mishawaka and there are times that I wish I could have been there, I missed things that I wished I hadnt. But whenever something comes up and I need to go back I do even if it is for a social visit. It is easy to make friends wherever you go but family is something you cannot replace.

First if you ever decide you are going to move take a weekend hop in the car drive somewhere and check it out (even if you have to sleep in the car) Who said you have to move across the country. Get online and do some research compare cities cost of living, schools, jobs etc. For example you can rent a 3br 2 bath house in south carolina for about $600.00 gas is $2.09 a gallon. These are things you want to be aware of. We did that before we moved here.

I fully support you staying or going you will make the right decision when the time comes, as long as you have a good marriage that will get you through alot. Remember also your family will still be there whenever you need them, via phone or in my case a 10 hr, drive or 4 hour flight.

Good luck

jholderread,

As I read your comments and the comments of others, I see the same tone that I discussed in some of my comments on other posts and in my story called "Retraining Spouse".

We in Elkhart for the most part do have hope. I have a job and my wife doesn't. We like you, have to look at our options. We can't just move away either.

Sure, we would like to find a better job or just a job to make ends meet for now. Who doesn't? But some people out there just don't see that. Or, they have a swell job and this doesn't affect them so they are insensitive to our lives and others like us.

We are not alone by no means! She has stated in her posts and in msnbc's stories about folks just like us. But if you follow the whole Project, you will see all of our struggles, our success's and hope and the acknowledgement of others like us.

Through these stories, we are offered hope and chances for survival. Ideas that may get us through. We just don't spout off here and want a pity party! That, we are not looking for! MSNBC has offered a venue for all to see and comment.

Granted, free speech is allowed. Allowed to the point of different opinions. Not for ill harm. Free speech was created, because we could not voice our displeasure at the crowns' unreasonable laws without disciplinary or retaliatory actions.

We in Elkhart, live day to day, week to week with our eyes and ears tuned to hopes of better jobs and better days. Our spouses that work, carry the burden of thoughts of how ends will be met. We hold our breaths when interviews come and go and the prospects of a job go away, only to find out that they were so close on being selected for the job. It's a tough time for all, and those that get the job are just maybe a bit more qualified than our spouse. But they keep trying.

I've said enough and probably bored you by now. Keep your chin up and your head held high and don't give up!

I wish your husband and you the best of luck. I too am retraining in the IT field and I just finished my A+ testing. It is not easy to hear "Just move" all the time when it is not an option. I am glad you have a great support system because I know from experience that sometimes that is all that gets you through the day. Please keep us updated and keep the faith! We can and will survive!

So my family is all better now. Both boys were down with a flu and a cold. But health is back in full swing.

Now the big decision has been made. We are ready and willing to make the move that soo many on here have suggested. We are ready to start fresh in a new location. But if we are going to move away from our roots in the midwest, we want to go as far as we can. I'm talking Oregon or Washington state. I have a friend out there who has been sending me job links so I can get my resume out there. I have applied to several property management firms in hopes of housing being part of the compensation. This way I would be able to get started and then move my husband and son out later on after I get settled. Just thinking of being apart from them makes me queasy. But, we have to do what we feel is right.

My husband may be able to finish school out there and have more opportunities than he would here. And maybe, just maybe, we can become successful and bring that back here. Leaving will not be an easy thing for us to do. Our lives are here. But as most of you said, it's time to make a better life for all of us.

So, if anyone has any great opportunities or leads that I just cant pass up, please feel free to send them my way. I am open for your input and ideas and I promise not to get deffensive regarding them either. Thank you to everyone who has given me the hope and desire to do better back. I have been stuck in a funk for a good while now. And the only funk I enjoy is the musical kind....

Here's to happy looking!

Why is there a push for these unemployed people to go into the IT industry? Entry-level helpdesk and technical support work at a decent wage requires a minimum of a four-year degree, preferably in computer science or information systems. Master of Science degrees in computer science, information systems, and business administration are preferred.

You are certainly not going to be administering servers, writing code, or indentifying security risks for your company without years of experience. The two-year degrees or "retooling" programs are worthless in my opinion. Hiring managers won't accept anything less than a college degree with at least one valid internship, preferably in the IT industry.

It’s a Catch-22 as some would say. “How do I get the experience without a job” and “how do I get a job without the experience?” I just hope people realistically understand how difficult it is to break into the information technology field with little to no experience.