Jobless Rye Brook Resident Goes Back to School

Donna Porchi’s living room has family photos on the walls and a recreational bead making kit on the coffee table. A cool breeze wafts through the screen door of her cozy home.

For 18 months, Donna has been unemployed. She was let go from her job as a Director of Recreation at a skilled nursing facility in Scarsdale in November 2010 after administrative changes. Since then, she has persevered to maintain normalcy for her and her 14 year old daughter, Dominique.

This is Donna’s first experience with unemployment. 

“You get depressed. You go on interview after interview, you send out emails, you go on an interview and they don’t get back to you…it’s really rough,” Donna said.

Donna's unemployment story is all too familiar when compared to stories across the nation. US Census data for the Town of Rye for the years 2006-2010 revealed an unemployment rate of 7.4 percent– just below the national figure of 7.9 percent. About 19.7 percent of unemployed Rye Towners previously worked in the healthcare industry.

About 8 percent of families in the Rye Town area live below the poverty level, but for households headed by single women, that figure is 22.6 percent of the approximately 16,000 households surveyed during the period.

Every six to eight weeks, Donna is required to appear at a State Department of Labor one-stop unemployment center to prove she is actively job searching.

Donna has attended mandatory meetings and multiple workshops that have often resulted in disappointment and a loss of hope.

“I think that they’re overwhelmed. I think that unemployment needs to be restructured because it’s not friendly for us.”

Porchi thought of other reasons her job search may have stalled and how she could change her fortunes.

“I’m finding it hard to find a job with no degree even though I may have fourteen years of experience and no one can help me…if they want to help me, they’re not helping me the proper way.”

Medical billing and coding courses are offered at Westchester Community College. Financial compensation for these training courses can be provided by the unemployment system.

As a professional in the medical field, going back to school to obtain a degree was a solid goal. However, the process can be tedious.

By the time Donna’s application was processed, she had already missed three semesters at Westchester Community College. After much miscommunication, she headed to WCC of her own volition. She was told that her financial aid would not be accepted and she could not attend school unless she paid tuition.

Considering any other academic avenue proved an arduous feat as well. If any program other than what is considered “training” by the unemployment system is pursued, a 599 form must be requested. This form may result in extension of benefits while granting leniency regarding job searching, however compensation for the course may not be offered.

Being a part of the unemployment system has taken its toll on her, but she persists for her 14 year old daughter, Dominique.

“First and foremost, my daughter always came first. She definitely has to go to college and get a degree.”

Dominique will not be the only member of her family to go to college; Donna has been accepted into the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Studies Program at Manhattanville College for the Spring 2012 semester.

Said Porchi, “As an individual, it’s knocked me down but I’ve learned more about myself. I don’t give up.”