Wilmington, OH featured on 60 minutes...

[fkj2]

in year three of the Great Recession.

Heartbreaking.

I don't know if the segments are available online, but if they are, it's worth watching. One of the women laid off from DHL--and who works for the food line, as well as eating and feeding her children there--said her kids asked if they had any toys that they could donate to those at the homeless shelter. Kids who have next to nothing want to share with kids who have less.

Another lady, a widow, said her husband, who held fast to the old ways of unemployment, finally got a job after 6 years. Unfortunately, he had a heart attack and left her the single parent of a 13 y/o daughter. They get by on 1/4 of what she previously earned before she lost her job. She bakes, gets unemployment, and works in a rural store only to be paid in hay. Yes, she takes hay as payment because she's struggling to hold onto the farm and horses they had before her husband died. (There's no market for horses; she'd never be able to sell them.) She did have two older, sick ones euthanized because she couldn't afford the cost of treating them.

The stimulus money the town has/will be receiving may provide for 150-200 (or so) "construction" jobs; this after losing 10,000 when DHL closed.

Oh my gosh. These folks need a huge group hug.

 

[peyjax]

in year three of the Great Recession.

Heartbreaking.

I don't know if the segments are available online, but if they are, it's worth watching. One of the women laid off from DHL--and who works for the food line, as well as eating and feeding her children there--said her kids asked if they had any toys that they could donate to those at the homeless shelter. Kids who have next to nothing want to share with kids who have less.

Another lady, a widow, said her husband, who held fast to the old ways of unemployment, finally got a job after 6 years. Unfortunately, he had a heart attack and left her the single parent of a 13 y/o daughter. They get by on 1/4 of what she previously earned before she lost her job. She bakes, gets unemployment, and works in a rural store only to be paid in hay. Yes, she takes hay as payment because she's struggling to hold onto the farm and horses they had before her husband died. (There's no market for horses; she'd never be able to sell them.) She did have two older, sick ones euthanized because she couldn't afford the cost of treating them.

The stimulus money the town has/will be receiving may provide for 150-200 (or so) "construction" jobs; this after losing 10,000 when DHL closed.

Oh my gosh. These folks need a huge group hug.

This story is sad however I am a tad confused about something you might be able to clear up.

I grew up near one of the original DHLhubs and my DBIL used to work for them. When they moved to Wilmington he left. A few others I know just made the long commute. Exactly how long has DHL been in Wilimington?? I know that many did not go there until the big hub transfer which was in 2004ish. They pulled out over a year ago so they were not there for very long. Did the whole city change everything over dhl hub being there? Wilmington was always a cute small town, it seems strange that everything changed because one large company was there for only a few years?? I did not watch the special so was curious what they said about what it was like before DHL.

 

[uk_wildcat]

It was my understanding that Airborne Express was bought out by DHL, and that is when they took over in Wilmington. I would assume that some of those jobs were around when Airborne Express was there and then more were added when it became a DHL hub.
I only live about 50 minutes from Wilmington and it is on the news here frequently. It has been really hard hit. Rachael Ray came and helped out with providing Thanksgiving meals for the local community.

 

[fkj2]

It seems DHL bought AirBorne (sp?), which had a longer presence there.

 

[Jenny-momof3]

My aunt is struggling severely due to DHL leaving. She worked for airborne express for years and years prior to it becoming DHL. Now it's all she can do to put food on her table.