Poverty in Arkansas ranges from 18 year olds to the elderly, and Dana Ralpho feels the burden of supporting her family at only 18 years old.
“I’m considered a part time worker even though I basically have full time hours,” she said. “I work to support my family when I’m not at school.”
“My father is disabled so we’ve all had to work a lot longer hours,” Ralpho said. “My older sisters work at Walmart and Sam’s club to help out while my mother works at Mexican Original in Springdale.”
Ralpho is enlisted in the Navy and will be deployed at the end of June after graduating from Fayetteville High School.
“Joining the Navy will help take a financial burden off of my family, and I won’t have to worry about them as much when I’m gone compared to if I went to a University,” she said.
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — At 18 years old, Dana Ralpho feels the burden of supporting her family.
“I’m considered a part time worker even though I basically have full time hours,” she said. “I work to support my family when I’m not at school.”
Ralpho has been working at Wendy’s for two years and now makes $9 an hour. She is enlisted in the Navy and will be deployed at the end of June after graduating from Fayetteville High School.
“Joining the Navy will help take a financial burden off of my family, and I won’t have to worry about them as much when I’m gone compared to if I went to a university,” she said.
“My father is disabled so we’ve all had to work a lot longer hours,” Ralpho said. “My older sisters work at the call center at the Sam’s club in Springdale to help out while my mother works at Mexican Original in Fayetteville.”