Shortly after losing her job, Alissa was diagnosed with arthritis. As a lone parent of two young children, she is struggling to stretch the household income. She says, “Our house is so cold and I don’t have the money to heat it. It’s a choice I have to make all the time. If I put the heating on, we can’t have hot water for a bath. If we are paying more for gas and electric, that’s less for food.” Alissa often skips meals so that her children can eat enough.