Dear Editor:
“I have endeavored in this ghostly little book to raise the ghost of an idea, which shall not put my readers out of humor with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly.”
During the holiday season, many a child will listen to these words for the first time as a mother, father or grandparent reads Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” to them. It is the opening line to the famous tale of Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation from a “scrooge” to a man who appreciates the joys and wonders of the holiday season.
One of the most memorable characters in the book is Tiny Tim, the youngest and most fragile member of the Cratchit family. His father, Bob Cratchit, is Ebenezer Scrooge’s loyal but underpaid employee.
Today, we can’t even imagine the hardships faced by the downtrodden in 19th century London. And life must have been especially difficult for a family with a disabled child. But if Tiny Tim were alive today and living in the United States, there’s a very good chance his parents would be getting a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) check for him that would help the family make ends meet.
SSI pays monthly benefits to poor people who are 65 or older or who are disabled, including children. There are almost 850,000 children who get SSI, averaging about $463 per month.
To get SSI, the child’s parents must be poor. How poor varies from state to state. The size of the family is also a consideration. So, too, are the value of assets the family owns.
If you have a child with a disability, and if you are having trouble making ends meet, contact Social Security to learn the SSI rules in your state. Visit our website at www.ssa.gov or call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you can call our TTY number, 1-800-325-0778.
Social Security Administration
Jersey City