Kean University Grand Challenges Faculty Development Institute Eradicate Social Isolation Case Paper

Select one of the following cases adapted from the Grand Challenges Faculty Development Institute: Eradicate Social Isolation:
Karima:Karima, 27 years old, is a single mother of a 4-year-old boy, Jamal. She shares a small 2-bedroom apartment with her mother and younger brother, age 22. She works part-time as a cashier at a local convenience mart making minimum wage, but because of a lack of childcare, she cannot work more than 20 hours per week. While Karima is able to split the rent of the apartment with her mother and brother, she is having difficulty providing other basic necessities for herself and Jamal, such as food, proper clothing, and hygiene necessities. She would like to attend a community college part-time and study early childhood education to eventually become a teacher, but because of her economic instability, she does not see this as a possibility. She has asked Jamal’s father to pay child support for Jamal to have the basic necessities that he desperately needs, but Jamal’s father also makes minimum wage and has told Karima that he is not able to pay anything at this time. Jamal is currently enrolled in a Head Start program, and his teachers have mentioned his lack of appropriate clothing for the weather conditions, which is a big concern for Karima.
Gerald:Gerald, 42 years old, was referred to this agency for financial assistance. Gerald was previously working full-time, but due to company downsizing, he was let go. He was married at the time, but after losing his job his wife asked for a divorce. The divorce caused both him and his ex-wife to move out of the apartment they were living in. Gerald tried living with a couple of friends, but was not able to find work to help pay the bills, so they asked him to leave. With nowhere to live, Gerald ended up homeless. He has now been homeless for 3 months and was recently able to get accepted into a homeless shelter. Gerald would like to get back on his feet and get a place of his own, but his lack of work and funds is a problem. He has many employable job skills to use and would like to find work as soon as possible.
The Smith Family:Edward and Marianne Smith have been referred to this agency for assistance. They have 5 young children ranging in age from 3 months old to 8 years old. Edward is a full-time student in a bachelor’s program working toward a degree in business. He also works part-time to support his family making $15/hour. Marianne stays at home and cares for the 3 children who are not yet in school. In addition, she is part of an organization that produces nutritional products, which allows her to bring in an additional $300 to $500 per month while still being able to stay at home with her children. Despite their efforts, the Smiths are struggling to meet their family’s needs. Their income is quite below poverty level, especially for a family of 7. They currently live at Edward’s parents’ home, and they would like to be on their own.