Dear DU-ers: I still need your support to avoid becoming homeless.

[ColesCountyDem]

Last edited Fri Nov 21, 2014, 10:20 AM - Edit history (1)

Thanks to your generous support this past August, I was able to avoid eviction, etc., for which I thank you! My fund raising goal was intended to meet my living expenses until February or March, when my attorney and I both expect my disability application to be approved. Although I fell short ( 64% ) of the amount I had hoped to raise, I thought that careful management of the funds I did raise might get me through the winter. Unfortunately, that will not happen, for two reasons...

In late September, two things happened that made my efforts to 'hang in there' until my disability was approved untenable: my landlord's son lost his job and needed a place to live, so I was give a 30-day notice to find another place to live; I was able to find another place, but the rent is $150 more per-month-- $550 vs. $400-- and I also had to pay first and last month's rent, plus deposit, and added $1250 un-budgeted rent expense, plus deposits for water and electricity and pay moving expenses. 2.) At the same time, I was diagnosed with Diabetes Type II and Stage II congestive heart failure. While I do have 'expanded Medicaid' (thank you, President Obama and Gov. Quinn!), Illinois limits its Medicaid recipients to four prescriptions per-month, and with my CHF, I now take 7 medications daily. I am required to pay for the 3 least-expensive ones out of pocket, a total of almost $200 per-month.

My bank account is currently overdrawn slightly, because my bank kindly paid the check I wrote for my medicine last week, and did so without charging me an overdraft fee ( I called and explained my situation before I wrote the check ).

In 10 days, I will need to pay rent, electric, telephone, water and trash bills, and my only income will be 'general assistance' of $125 from my township. I'm in no need of food, because my SNAP ( Link ) benefits are adequate to meet that need, but I'm flat busted broke for cash to pay my living expenses and out-of-pocket prescription payments.

Anything that you can spare will be GREATLY appreciated, DU-ers, and I thank you all for your past and future generosity!

Love,

CCD

GoFundMe: http://www.gofundme.com/cip3vw

PayPal : [e-mail]

[Cha]

1. Best Wishes for getting $$$ to

pay your rent and for your medication, CCD!

Sorry, I give you anything but moral support.

[ColesCountyDem]

2. Thank you!

The love and support I've received here at DU has enabled me to get through the worst several months of my life.

[Cha]

3. I'll bet it has.. nothing like the support of friends when we need a little help.. and as Bob Marley

said..

[Omaha Steve]

4. Here is the link

Should be edited into the OP soon.

http://www.gofundme.com/cip3vw

[Omaha Steve]

34. Kick

[roody]

5. Does gofundme take paypal?

[Omaha Steve]

6. No on PayPal

Yes on WePay and Stripe. I don't know if there is a service on on the donors end or not.

You could use a gift card Visa/MC/Discover you can buy almost anyplace.

[ColesCountyDem]

8. I edited to add my PayPal and GofundMe links.

I had a 'senior moment', when I posted the OP.

[Marrah_G]

7. Kicking

[ColesCountyDem]

12. Thank you! n/t

[ColesCountyDem]

9. I edited the OP to add the links.

The older you get, the more 'senior moments' you have, and often at the most peculiar times.

[ColesCountyDem]

10. Kick for visibility.

Thank you!

[roody]

11. k

[ColesCountyDem]

15. Thank you! n/t

[greatlaurel]

13. K and R for visibility

Good luck and hang on.

We are still digging ourselves out of unexpected medical debt from last year. It is shocking how quickly a person can loose everything.

The lack of a safety net in the US is shocking. Most people do not realize how bad it is until they or a loved one ends up in trouble. It is like we are back in the 1890's again.

[ColesCountyDem]

14. Thank you, and you're right-- it is shocking.

The saying that most people are one paycheck away from disaster is more true today than it ever was. Our social safety net has been shredded!

[Omaha Steve]

16. Kick

[ColesCountyDem]

19. Thank you!

[Violet_Crumble]

17. Kick n/t

[ColesCountyDem]

20. Thank you!

[ohheckyeah]

18. I wish I could help but I had a stroke at the

end of July and haven't worked since.

I can give this a kick.

[ColesCountyDem]

21. Thank you!

[riderinthestorm]

22. K&R nt

[ColesCountyDem]

23. Thank you!

[ColesCountyDem]

24. Good morning!

[redwitch]

25. bookmarking for next week.

Hang in!

[ColesCountyDem]

26. I'll try!

Thank you!

[mnhtnbb]

27. Hope this little bit helps.

Hang in there!

[ColesCountyDem]

29. Every bit helps.

Thank you, and I will.

[Kalidurga]

28. I wish I could help,

all I can do is give this a bump. I have an ivisibility so my chances of getting SSI are slim to none.

PS our safety net isn't shredded it never existed. We had some great illusions of a safety net though, that's gone so there is that.

[ColesCountyDem]

30. My DHS caseworker said essentially the same thing.

She said the social safety net never was adequate, particularly for single adults who weren't disabled, and it's worse now. If you have dependents, the remnants still exist, but if you're single, you're pretty much on your own.

[LeftishBrit]

31. k&r

[ColesCountyDem]

32. Thank you for the exposure!

[ColesCountyDem]

33. Thank you for all of your help, so far! Still have a ways to go.

[Omaha Steve]

35. Kick

[ColesCountyDem]

36. Thank you, OS!

[Omaha Steve]

39. I did this kick last night on my cell phone

Pain in the rear. I was killing time before the Bill Maher show live on stage in Omaha.

[ColesCountyDem]

41. Bill Maher live?

I'm jealous. LOL!

[ColesCountyDem]

37. Keeping it kicked for exposure.

Thank you!

[ColesCountyDem]

38. Please help.

Thank you!

[roody]

40. K

[ColesCountyDem]

43. Thank you!

[ColesCountyDem]

42. Just for clarity, all but $670 of this was raised 4 months ago

I had someone ask, and they suggested that it might help to clarify that.

[ColesCountyDem]

44. Kicking with fingers crossed. n/t

[ColesCountyDem]

45. Please help.

Thank you!

[Omaha Steve]

46. Marta and I will be sending something once I get my pay stub later this week

I get it a few days before my check is deposited.

OS

[ColesCountyDem]

47. Thank you both!

[ColesCountyDem]

48. Please help.

Thank you!

[TransitJohn]

49. Are you really doing this again? Isn't this the fourth time?

I don't think that that is very cool, man.

[ColesCountyDem]

50. It's only the second time.

I can't afford to be cool, because at this point, 'cool' is going to mean homeless in the winter.

[TransitJohn]

51. I got a hide for saying it wasn't cool last time, and that was at least the second time

as backed up by others in that thread. I don't think your begging is a respectful use of this forum.

[ColesCountyDem]

52. You can search my posts.

This is only the second thread I've posted on this. The first was the first week of August. As to the other, you're entitled to your opinion.

[daredtowork]

54. There Have Been Some Similar Posts - You Might Be Confusing Them

I understand where you are coming from: defenses just go up whenever you hear "begging". It happens on the street, it happens on the Internet. You automatically assume there should be some "screening system" out there to vet the real needs of people.

But there is no "screening system". If you are in a position to or are inclined to help people, all you can do is seek the best information about the situation you can and be wary that there are scammers out there. Then make your own decision. You have no business making that decision for other people - and you definitely have no business derailing aid that could avert someone from homelessness.

One thing everyone should be aware of is the process to get SSI/SSDI can take YEARS. It is especially difficult for people who weren't in manually labor jobs and for people with complex medical conditions that don't fit neatly into bureaucratic boxes. Ever since the economic meltdown of 2008, there has been an enormous backlog in these applications as well: not just because unemployed people were falling back on SSI/SSDI as a "safety net", but because the stress of longterm unemployment and going through traumatic experiences like homelessness were exacerbating underlying medical conditions and causing downward spirals into disability. Society created these stresses but then didn't create a safety net for the people exposed to them.

Once people apply for SSI/SSDI, they can't work because that would prove they "can" work - and they won't get SSI/SSDI. But then how do they pay for rent and basic necessities? At this point they can only fall back on "welfare". The problem here is that welfare is usually so minimal that it's not enough to preserve people from homelessness. But people waiting for SSI/SSDI will usually try to avoid homelessness as long as possible, because if they can just make it until they get SSI/SSDI they will have continuity in the place they have lived for how ever many years instead of having to give up all their possessions and having to go through the chaos and stress of homelessness (on top of the medical problems they are already suffering) just because they are trying to apply for SSI/SSDI.

This is a major screw up of both Welfare Reform and the SSI/SSDI system. Countless people have gone through this. I'm going through this right now. The only reason I'm not here begging on the Internet is I have my own "workarounds" going, which include an extremely understanding landlord, a housemate that has taken over the utility bills for the time being, and juggling all sorts of trades. I suspect most people in this situation are forced to give up their homes and their autonomy and move in with family.

I can't vouch for this particular person or case. I encourage people of means to give generously to people waiting for SSI/SSDI, but also give smart and get to know who you are donating to. But please don't issue stern "NO BEGGING ON THE SIDEWALK" orders without making an effort to understand that society has created a situation that drives people to that. It's really none of your business anyway.

[ColesCountyDem]

56. Thank you for your thoughtful explanation!

What you wrote is absolutely true. People who have not themselves experienced a situation such as yours or mine, or had someone close to them experience it, often cannot understand. I thank you for explaining it so well.

I'm happy that you have found some workarounds, while you wait. I have stretched the funds that were kindly donated earlier as far as I possibly can, and I literally have no family left to whom I can turn for help, since my son's death back in June.

Thank you!

[TransitJohn]

60. You're over analyzing my position.

OP is a straight up TOS violation of GD. Unless we all think this dude's life is current events.

[ColesCountyDem]

62. No, it isn't.

Skinner has already ruled on the topic in the ATA forum, and this is a perfectly acceptable OP. If you don't want to give, don't give, but quit trashing the thread AND slandering me.

Thank you.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12596804

[roody]

61. Then don't give and trash the thread.

[ColesCountyDem]

68. Thank you!

[TransitJohn]

70. No. I'm alllowed to post on any thread I'd like here eom

n/t

[ColesCountyDem]

53. I'm truly desperate, folks!

If I had family or other resources, I would use them, but I don't. I have no job, no family, and no possibility of getting disability before February or March. Please help.

Thank you!

[ColesCountyDem]

55. Kick. n/t

[irisblue]

57. kick

[ColesCountyDem]

58. Kicking with fingers crossed. n/t

[akbacchus_BC]

59. Hi CCD: I do not have a paypal account. I would love to help

you by sending you funds through Canada Post as I am in Canada. I only need your real name and a phone number and if you are ok with that, I will send you what I can afford and give you the reference number. Within 15 minutes, you can get the funds. If you do not want to give out your name on here, you can send me a private message, I would love to help out. I still have Marrah-G on my radar but the same applies to her if she wants to send me a private message.

Hope to hear from you.

Hang in there and I hope Thanksgiving was kind to you.

Best regards,

[ColesCountyDem]

64. Just e-mailed you the information.

Thank you!

[TorchTheWitch]

63. I may be in the same boat in a couple of weeks

But I'd share my cardboard box with you.

Best of luck to you digging out of the hole.

[ColesCountyDem]

65. I'd accept your offer.

My attorney says that the circumstances in which we find ourselves is far more common than a substantial majority of people understand, and she also says that a majority of people don't realize that for single people without dependents, the 'social safety net' is essentially non-existent.

Would you mind this little guy sharing your box, too? He's my world now:

[TorchTheWitch]

66. we're going to need a much larger box

You, me, your little guy and my great hairy beast... maybe we could duct tape two big boxes together if you, me and your little guy can all cram into one corner.

I must warn you, the great hairy one is a pervert... I hope you're little guy likes doggie tongue kissing. He sucks at hunting though he's a hunting breed, but he's amazing at finding which trashcan has the best yummy bits, so we aren't likely to lack meals though he has dibs on all the cigarette butts (doggie chewing gum).

I think we're going to need three big boxes duct taped together just for all the doggie toys!



It's always infuriated me that single people don't get a damn bit of help... unless you're a drug addict or an alcoholic. Do I seriously have to start doing crack and chugging booze just to get some government help until I can get a damn job????

I know exactly what you mean about your doggie being your whole world especially now. I fret about him a hell of a lot more concerning the desperate situation than I do about me.

[ColesCountyDem]

67. Gilbert also likes swapping spit!

We would need another box or two, but Gilbert assumes that everyone ( human or animal ) is his new best friend, so I suspect we'd all get along famously!

[ColesCountyDem]

69. Keeping it kicked for exposure. n/t

[Omaha Steve]

71. Marta & I are kicking in again

[ColesCountyDem]

72. Thank you guys so much!

[ColesCountyDem]

73. Please help me reach goal, folks.

Thank you!

[napkinz]

74. kick

nt

[ColesCountyDem]

75. Thank you! I'm still a bit less than $1700 short of my goal, but hope to reach it soon.

[Mojo Electro]

76. This Friday I'll throw you a few bucks.

I've been where you're at.

Hang in there, It'll get better.



edit: bookmarked

[ColesCountyDem]

77. Thank you so very much! It's scary, isn't it?