Source: Brattleboro Reformer, 7/30/11, by Josh Stilts BRATTLEBORO — Unemployment isn’t supposed to be a career. Alexandra Jarrin, 50, knows that very well. She also knows she’s living by a thread, holding on only with the support of strangers. She is one of many in the hard-luck group of jobless Americans, “99ers” as many call themselves, because they’ve spent the maximum 99 weeks of unemployment benefits they can claim. “I’m literally living on the kindness of strangers,” she said, sitting on the edge of her bed, tears welling up in her eyes. Everything she owns lines the walls of her 50-square-foot room at the Motel 6. Last year she moved to Brattleboro from Tennessee because of Vermont’s health insurance policy, she said. She’s sent out resumes and cover letters to any job that’s posted, checked Craigslist daily for any job opportunities and still hasn’t been able to find employment. By noon today she will be without a place to call home. She has no money to pay for another night’s stay. It’s been nearly a year since multiple news sources, including the New York Times, Huffington Post and CNN had profiled Jarrin as a symbol of those who haven’t been able to find work. She still hasn’t be able to find a job and no one has offered her one. Jarrin went from a $70,000 salary as director of client services for a communications company to living on the brink of having her car repossessed. She lost her job in March 2008 after her position was outsourced to the Philippines…”
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