This is the story of four women struggling against great odds to raise themselves and their families out of poverty in New York City. It is also an in-depth look at the human impact of the 1996 Personal Responsibility Act and its five-year limit on public assistance.. Has welfare reform been successful? Are former public assistance recipients better off once they no longer receive public assistance? Shot over a two-year period, "Take It From Me" lets the film's participants speak for themselves. Premiered on PBS' POV series in 2001.. "Take It From Me illuminates the complexity of poverty and the erroneous simplicity of much government policy... a powerful, heartfelt documentary." - Julie Salamon, The New York Times. "Take It From Me goes behind the numbers... Here are scenes with more emotional impact than a dozen government reports." - Terry Kelleher, People Magazine