Robert Federico’s situation was bleak — dire, even, by his telling. In March, the 52-year-old lost his job at a New York design firm, where he oversaw commercial interior-design projects. Federico, an architect by training, immediately filed for unemployment benefits. But four months later, he hadn’t received a dollar. Unable to find a new job in a crumbling economy, his income was at a standstill. He cut living expenses to the bare minimum. He gave up his car when the lease became unaffordable. Credit card bills went unpaid. He depleted thousands in emergency savings. Meanwhile, countless messages and calls to the ... (full story)