Former welfare mother, Cassandra Garrison, went from a longtime renter to homeowner in 2003 because of a $3,000 check from the federal government and good advice from a friend: Buy a home.

Now Garrison, a single mother, is a homeowner and a landlord in Southeast Portland’s Lents neighborhood.

“I never, ever, never thought I’d be able to do that,” says Garrison, public policy director for the Oregon Food Bank. “We struggled for so long.”

In her case, the federal government’s Earned Income Tax Credit, which was created during the Reagan administration, did what it intended. It helped push her out of the hand-to-mouth poverty cycle.

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Former welfare mother, Cassandra Garrison<\/a>, went from a longtime renter to homeowner in 2003 because of a $3,000 check from the federal government and good advice from a friend: Buy a home. <\/p>\n\n\t

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Now Garrison, a single mother, is a homeowner and a landlord in Southeast Portland’s Lents neighborhood. <\/p>\n\n\t

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“I never, ever, never thought I’d be able to do that,” says Garrison, public policy director for the Oregon Food Bank. “We struggled for so long.” <\/p>\n\n\t

<\/p>

In her case, the federal government’s Earned Income Tax Credit, which was created during the Reagan administration, did what it intended. It helped push her out of the hand-to-mouth poverty cycle. <\/p>\n\n