WEST TOLEDO (WTOL) - As part of our families coping series, we introduce the Ruiz family from west Toledo.
Jonathan Walsh recently sat down with this family of six. The mortgage hasn't been paid in a while. Bills are piling up. Neither parent is working.
Mom, dad and four young children live in a very modest house with much more than modest challenges.
The Ruiz family home is a calm, welcoming home, but their personal lives are not so calm. "I'm worried things won't get any better, " said Jeanne Ruiz, "If we're not able to find work... It's been five months, and not one person has called us to set up an interview."
Jeanne is 41 and Abelino is 45. He lost his factory job from Riker Products last October. They have four kids: AJ is 11, Jenna is 8, Adriana is 6 and Angela is 5.
"Having four children and their needs, it's hard making a $1300 mortgage payment," Jeanne tells us. In fact, they say they have only made one mortgage payment in the last year, especially after their adjustable rate skyrocketed. Their water bill has been neglected to the tune of $1100.
Jeanne and Abelino have been looking for work on monster.com. "I also look on Craigslist and I check The Blade every Sunday. I have sent my resume and Abelino's resume out, but unfortunately we haven't heard anything."
Abelino says, "I'm awake at night trying to think, 'Ok, what am I going to do tomorrow? What's my angle? Who am I going to apply to?'" He adds, "Every week, you see you're competing against 200-300 more people."
He gets $1000 a month in unemployment for a family of 6. Yet, despite the obstacles they face, Jeanne and Abelino are staying strong in their marriage and their determination. "When most people pull apart," Abelino says, "I think it pulls us more together. We can do this."
