Getting Back To The American Dream

CBS Evening News: Former Middle-Class Family Who Fell Into Poverty Now Find Silver Lining

(CBS)  It's been a rough year for Lisa Castellucci.

"I didn't know how bad things had gotten until I could see how good things are now," she said.

Her husband, David, says they were at rock bottom.

"I look back and say 'Thank God!' You know because, I thought we were going to lose our house!" he said. "I thought we were going to lose everything."

They'd already lost their family business when CBS News first met them in March. David had been out of work for months, and they were tens of thousands of dollars in debt, and looking to the government for help, CBS News correspondent Seth Doane reports.

"I mean, it was humbling for me to get food stamps - humbling. I thought only really poor people needed food stamps. And then I started realizing, 'well, I'm a really poor person,'" he said.

They learned to rely on the kindness of strangers. There are nights they would have gone hungry without donated groceries from the Cape Ann Food Pantry.

But David finally landed a job -- as a photocopy repairman. And coupled with frugal living, it has allowed him to pay off all their debt.

"I'm enjoying it and I'm working hard and I'm paying my bills. To me, that's the American dream," he said.


Now that the Castelluccis are finally able to feed themselves, they want to give something back, making cookies for the same food pantry they used to go to for help.

Whey are they doing it?

"Because there are people out there what are even poorer than us … and we're doing like to give back to the food pantry," said David and Lisa's 8-year-old son, Isaiah.

Demand is up at the pantry 20 percent in the last three months - and any help is welcome.

While there will not be much under the tree this year, the Castelluccis know what matters most.

"Everything passes away after a while: every toy breaks, everything goes out of style," Lisa said. "But our family, we're not going to go out of style … hopefully we'll always have each other."

It was a lesson this Christmas learned the hard way.

[justfacts2]

Maybe the family should invest in birth control. If they didn''t have so many kids to support, maybe they wouldn''t be in so much debt. And why doesn''t the mother get her butt to work? She could work nights while her husband works days.

[evian_ycnan]

1) They''d already lost their family business when CBS News first met them in March. David had been out of work for months, and they were tens of thousands of dollars in debt, and looking to the government for help, CBS News correspondent Seth Doane reports.

2) But David finally landed a job -- as a photocopy repairman. And coupled with frugal living, it has allowed him to pay off all their debt.

From 10s of thousands in debt to none in 9 months on a copy repairman`s salary? Something stinks and the IRS or DEA should sniff around. Copy powder is black, isn`t it?

[mytoosense]

What a heart warming story, Everyone in America (except the rich) should have the opportunity to experience what the Castellucci family has experienced. Thank you President Bush for doing your best to ensure that as many American families as possible can have the opportunity to grow closer together through unemployment, cold, hunger, homelessness but never hopelessness!!!

Everybody Sing!!!!

Always look at the Bright side of Life,
Whistle, Whistle, Whistle...

[nikosk11]

) They''''d already lost their family business when CBS News first met them in March. David had been out of work for months, and they were tens of thousands of dollars in debt, and looking to the government for help, CBS News correspondent Seth Doane reports.

2) But David finally landed a job -- as a photocopy repairman. And coupled with frugal living, it has allowed him to pay off all their debt.

From 10s of thousands in debt to none in 9 months on a copy repairman`s salary? Something stinks and the IRS or DEA should sniff around. Copy powder is black, isn`t it?
Posted by Evian_Ycnan at 05:57 AM : Dec 23, 2008

Maybe the family should invest in birth control. If they didn''''t have so many kids to support, maybe they wouldn''''t be in so much debt. And why doesn''''t the mother get her butt to work? She could work nights while her husband works days.
Posted by justfacts2 at 08:15 PM : Dec 22, 2008

Are you people members of the human race?
I bet you are Repukes too. It is people like you who make America - MY AMERICA - a thorn in the world''s eye. Shame on you.

[yearight4]

Yea right!!! Working since March as a copy repairman and paying off 10''s of thousands of debt??? You said you paid off all of your debt. Tens of thousands??? My husband is a copy repairman, has been for 4 years and we are still in debt and I work full time too. Come on, this story is hard to believe. Copy repairmen make maybe 40''s lower 50''s depending on the region in USA and with extensive product training. The training itself takes years due to ongoing product updates. This story only serves to tick me off. Get Real! Tell us the truth. I would believe it more if you said that you won the lottery or got an inheritance but paying off all your debt on $20.00 dollars an hour. Nope. Don''t believe it. What''s your secret?

[mrmeatspin]

1) They''''d already lost their family business when CBS News first met them in March. David had been out of work for months, and they were tens of thousands of dollars in debt, and looking to the government for help, CBS News correspondent Seth Doane reports.

2) But David finally landed a job -- as a photocopy repairman. And coupled with frugal living, it has allowed him to pay off all their debt.

From 10s of thousands in debt to none in 9 months on a copy repairman`s salary? Something stinks and the IRS or DEA should sniff around. Copy powder is black, isn`t it?




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Posted by Evian_Ycnan at 05:57 AM : Dec 23, 2008
+ report abuse

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it can be done.

[mrmeatspin]

Are you people members of the human race?
I bet you are Repukes too. It is people like you who make America - MY AMERICA - a thorn in the world''''s eye. Shame on you.




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Posted by nikosk11 at 01:11 PM : Dec 23, 2008
+ report abuse


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spare me your liberal drama..