Out of unemployment benefits

[tonysam]

Name: Rebecca Miranda, 32
Location: Beaumont, Calif.
Unemployed since: April 2008
Benefits ended: April 2010

Since Rebecca Miranda received her last unemployment check on April 1, the single mother sold her car and applied for food stamps in order to provide for her 2-year-old daughter.

An employment recruiter, Miranda has not been able to find work since losing her job two years ago. Everywhere she applies tells her she's overqualified or underqualified.

The $752 she received every other week in unemployment benefits paid for her share of a house she rents with her sister, food and clothing for Katelynn.

"Everything went to keeping us alive," said Miranda, whose longest previous stretch of unemployment was three months.

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