PLEASE MEET AUNTIE:
Falling into homelessness is a unique journey. Every person has their own details of when, how, and why. If we stop to listen we find a truth shared by all, that nobody chose their homelessness. In fact, quite the opposite. At every decision, they chose what they thought best for them among the available options.
Auntie lives with chronic pain. Doctors inserted a pain-pump in her abdomen as a method of giving medication directly to her spinal cord. It worked until she got behind in payments and the doses of medication were cutoff. To address the pain, she turned to heroin. That was several years ago.
When I first met Auntie and her sweet dog Mr. B she was sitting on the tailgate of an RV wincing with pain because the man she was sharing space with beat her up. She thought maybe he had broken her wrist. I drove her to Virginia Mason to have it looked at. While it was not broken, they kept her for three days due to her vitals being in such bad shape. She was released and went back to the railroad tracks in SODO.
If you asked me what Auntie's chances of making it were at that time I would have said not very good, not good at all. In fact beginning of April I was told by folks on the street that Auntie had died, died with a needle in her arm. I was heart broken. I wrote her obituary and posted it on this page. After an outpouring of LOVE for Auntie was shared by so many in this community, I received a phone call from Auntie, telling me she was still very much alive!
She told me she had been at Sophia Way and that they were helping her move forward in a beautiful positive way. They were also looking to find housing for her, wowWOW!!
Keep in mind that housing wait-lists are running between 2-3 years. Which is a whole other conversation of frustration. However Katie, who is Auntie's case-manager, is asking us for help to make housing happen over night, housing for a year which will give time to then figure something permanent.
Here is the PLAN: Katie will find a year-lease for Auntie at $1,000 a month. Auntie pays $450 with $550 being paid by donations. $550x12=$6,600.00. This community, on a previous post has already raised $2,350.10 for Auntie, leaving $4,249.90 needing to be raised.
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If you asked me again, what Auntie's chances of making it were now, I would say very good, like really really good!
Katie said, "My hope is to get her set up with resources and programs that will sustain her so that she will never be homeless again." She went on to share that Auntie has been taking great care of herself. Going to doctor's appointments. Taking her medicine. Her left eye has gone blind and she is seeing her doctor regularly to get help. She's also only smoking a couple cigarettes a day, trying her best to quit. On top of all that, she's been saving money. For all of you that have worried about her dog, Mr. B has seen the vet and is doing great!
Here is the icing on the cake, Auntie has been sober since 12/25/2019. She attends recovery meetings and working on her bright beautiful future!!!
Let's raise the $4,249.90 and get Auntie inside for a year and make good on Katie's HOPE of never letting Auntie be homeless again. ALL LOVE!
Seattle neighborhoods | Rex
A QUIET THOUGHT - If you're moved by the goodness of this community, please visit http://www.facinghomelessness.org/
and click on the 'donate' button and consider a "monthly recurring" donation of just $5 in support of the work. THANK YOU!
