>> yes, very interesting journey. >> reporter: she's on her way to volunteer with the philadelphia unemployment project, helping people without jobs look for the opportunity. she knows it can be hard to find. >> doors are closing. >> this is the first time i am on unemployment. it's scary, confusing. yeah. hold on one moment. you know, i never thought i would be in this position. >> reporter: she says she worked for nearly three decades before a slowing economy cost her on office manager job and part time cleaning job. she has loorkd for work since last march with only $730 of federal unemployment insurance every two weeks to barely cover a box full of bills. >> my mortgage is $700. my car note is $372. >> reporter: washington's forced spending cuts that went into effect last week means tracy's checks will shrink too. it could cost 3.8 million jobless americans around 10% of their benefits. >> that's now $200 less income