Ypsi Needs Help

More than 60% of the clients of Washtenaw County Department of Social Services live in the Ypsilanti area. These people are forced to travel to the present office in downtown Ann Arbor. Many do not have cars of phones. Greyhound or cab service is expensive. Consequently, they must pay rip-off transportation prices or squash all their kids (many can't afford sitters) into a friend's car (if and when a car is available) only to wait for hours before seeing their case-worker. It would be better if the case-worker moved to Ypsi.

Social Services Employees Union Local 1880-AFSCME wants to set up a branch office in Ypsi to serve this need. Sunday, they leafleted an administrative Open House at the 120 Catherine Street office, despite semiveiled bureaucratic threats.

The Central Elementary School in Ypsilanti is available for office space. However, Alfred Brose, welfare administrator rejected the opportunity as "an Administration Headache." The union feels making the Department more accessible to the poor in the county is a higher goal than saving the Department headaches. The union needs volunteers to help with their campaign to serve the poor. For more information, cali Lin 769-3153