Posted on 02/12/2009 11:31:44 PM PST by fight_truth_decay
SOUTHWEST FLORIDA - A woman making national headlines after a tearful moment with President Obama has a new home.
Thursday morning, Chene Thompson handed Henrietta Hughes the keys to her home in Hendry County. Thompson is the wife of State Representative Nick Thompson. Hughes and her son will live at the home rent free.
However, a local organization is coming forward saying Hughes isn't being honest about how much help she's had in the past.
The director of We Care Outreach Ministry, Tanya Johnson, says just last month she offered Henrietta Hughes permanent housing and a place to stay free for three months, but Hughes refused.
"We would have allowed her to stay for the first 90 days, no income. You know free," said Tanya Johnson.
We Care Outreach Ministry is a faith based organization in Fort Myers.
Johnson says she also gave Henrietta and her son Corey, money, food and offered Corey job training courses, but it was refused.
"We have extended a lot of her services to her," Johnson said.
But Henrietta Hughes says these services weren't free and the apartment in East Fort Myers came with a price tag.
Hughes says Tanya Johnson wanted $400 a month immediately.
The disability check Hughes gets is a little more than $800 a month.
Hughes owes money on a loan, has her car insurance payment, a monthly storage bill and says she couldn't afford the rent.
"We're was I going to get $400 a month to give her if I got these expenses," Hughes told WINK News.
WINK News Reporter Nick Spinetto went back to talk to Tanya Johnson and she stands by her story.
Henrietta Hughes says she's never taken advantage of the system and doesn't choose to be homeless. Like other programs she's tried to get help from,she says We Care couldn't meet her needs.
State Representative Nick Thompson and his wife Chene are standing by the Henrietta and her son, Corey. They spoke out against the allegations Henrietta is milking the system, even when confronted with the fact WINK News found out the Hughes' sold property, back in 2005. Henrietta and her son sold the land for $47,000 dollars. But Chene Thompson says that was all the money they had for several years and it's gone.
"They have nothing today. They need help today. They didn't need help in 2005. They need help today. So whether they had $47,000 or $147,000 in 2005, it doesn't matter. They don't have any money today," she said.
The Thompson's say they are sad Henrietta has to defend herself against these allegations and they will continue to help her. They also hope it doesn't deter other people from helping.
I don’t understand it.
I have an aunt who worked multiple jobs her entire adult life. In 1995 she was involved in a terrible auto accident (not her fault), which almost killed her. She spent weeks in ICU, so you can imagine the medical bills. THe person at fault only had $10K insurance! Long story short, after a year of recovering, she was permanently disabled and had to jump through HOOP AFTER HOOP for 2 more years before being able to get disability. She then lived with her elderly mother who had alzheimers and cared for her round the clock for several years.
Your aunt will receive her rewards in heaven.
Where’s her husband and/or the father of her child?
The day you speak of will arrive when the IRS shows up at her door, asking why she didn't file a gift tax return. Uncle Sam wants his cut of the imputed income from the gifting of rent.
Based on the pictures I saw, I doubt there's enough rent to trigger gift taxes. However, Ms. Thompson would be well advised to not take any deductions for that rental property on her taxes.
I wonder what the story is on her son. Is he old enough to work and is he able-bodied? If he’s still a child, where’s the dad?
We can help her with an answer because her budget was shown in the news story (see video)
Ok, so lets review Henrietta's expenses:
$87.00 Tithes
$112.35 Storage
$60.28 Car Insurance
$50.00 Cash Loan
$45.00 VISA
$150.00 Gas (living in car)
----------
$504.63 Total Expenses
She gives $87.00 tithe, so we know she gets a check for $870.00.
The ministry claims they offered her an apartment rent free for three months, $400 a month thereafter. If Henrietta accepts the offer, she moves her items from storage that she can, and sells the rest. I have been through this, its tough, but you do what you have to do. This knocks out the storage cost. She sells the car and uses public transportation until better times, which saves on insurance cost and gas cost. So it looks like this now:
$870.00+ INCOME
$400.00- RENT
$100.00- POWER
$45.00- VISA
$50.00- CASH LOAN
---------
$275.00 BALANCE
Deadbeat son gets a job, priceless.
Having a roof over your head without embarrassing yourself and your country, priceless.
I'm sorry just was thinking about this subject the other day and my response to you (this inner voice I have) and realized I read you wrong..and so went my reply at the time--my fault.
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