PLEASE MEET TREVOR
"So much time has passed. I tell people falling into homelessness to watch out, that suddenly you'll look back and years have gone. I've been homeless now for over 12 years."
Trevor is a gentle soft spoken man. His smile and calm way hide an ocean of suffering. His life is sleeping in doorways and parks, finding cover where he can, living with nothing. He wants to get into housing.
Emotionally he's tired, physically he's exhausted. Ulcers cover his legs. Beyond the pain, which he describes as someone constantly putting a cigarette out on his legs, there is a deep sadness in the way he feels he's treated. He talks about the humiliation of homelessness.
On Methadone for over a year, Trevor shares there is no pleasure in it. He stays on it so he can endure the chronic pain.
To make matters worse, Trevor has body-lice. He needs to use the shampoo treatment and get new clothes - pants 34Wx36L, shirts L, warm coat XL, shoes 15, underpants, socks, and sleeping bag.
Please dropOFF or shipTO: Facing Homelessness c/o Trevor 4001 9th Ave NE, Seattle WA 98105. THANKS so much.
We'd also like to raise $300.00 for 3-nights hotel stay so Trevor can use the lice treatment, shower, and find some peace and quiet.
UPDATE: We've pulled the Paypal link because our goal of raising $300 has been reached with $1,264.89 donated, wowWOW!!! I told Trevor this morning and he was overcome with gratitude, shocked by the extreme kindness. A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone!!! Funds will be used to purchase hotel stay and needed treatment shampoo. No funds go directly to Trevor and as is always the case, no funds go to Facing Homelessness. If there are left over funds for any reason they will go to someone in a like condition. LOVE.
Just as Trevor was leaving he said, "Hey, Dzy wanted to say hello." I smiled, I told him I love Dzy, that he's such a good man. Trevor nodded, "Relationships are so important to us living homeless."
Wallingford neighborhood | 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!
#JustSayHello #FacingHomelessnes #Kindness Crosscut
realCHANGE
PLEASE MEET LISA:
"Ever since my dad died at the end of May I've been behind on bills. I thought I was finally catching up, but again not. I've also been cut out of social security and food stamps. When I appealed for food stamps they were going to give me $16 for a whole month. Living in Seattle that goes really quick."
As Lisa shares my heart sinks. I've known her for years, known how hard she tries, known the courage she brings daily to her journey. A past Real Change Vendor of the Year, Lisa's six year anniversary of selling the paper is coming up on November 8th. It's been a way for her to survive AND create community. She shows up at 4th & Union, rain or shine for her customers, greeting everyone with a smile of kindness.
Lisa goes on, saying, "This point in my life I still like to learn new things. I found out my family members have a long line of electricians but there hasn’t been a female. I am waiting to hear back on an apprenticeship program to become one!"
On October 23rd Lisa turns 33 years old. She's $250 behind on her rent, hoping we can surprise her by paying off that burden, I know it would relieve so much stress for her.
UPDATE: The Paypal link has been pulled in that our goal of raising $250 has been reached with $2,184.38 donated, wowWOW!! I know this will allow Lisa to focus on her dream of becoming an electrician! She is going to be blown away by the kindness and support! No funds, as in cash, go directly to Lisa. All funds will be paid directly to her landlord. Also, as is always the case, no funds whatsoever go to Facing Homelessness. So happy for you Lisa Sawyer, this community clearly loveLOVES you!!!
You are BEAUTIFUL Lisa through and through, sending a community size LOVE to you and to all your co-workers at Real Change!!!
South Park neighborhood | 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!
#JustSayHello #Kindness #FacingHomelessness Real Change News RealChange VendorProgram #RealChangeNews
heartBROKE
PLEASE MEET JEANIE:
While visiting Dee, who lives in an RV with Devin in the SODO neighborhood, I learned their friend Jeanie was having a really difficult time. We walked two blocks to the U-Haul she was living in, she was sitting in the front seat staring ahead.
When I came up to her my first thought was how kind her face was. I asked, "How are you doing?" She looked at me and started to cry, she said, "Not very good."
For an hour she cried, telling about the mess she's in. For 12 years she took care of her mother, then 10 months ago her mom died and everything went downhill. She rented a car to get a job with Lyft to pay for a room in a house and also pay off her mom's burial expenses. All was going well until a car crashed into her, wrecking the rental. At first the guy was nice, apologizing, next minute he took off, before Jeanie could get information. She lost her job, then her room, that was in June.
Up until two weeks ago she was sharing space in an RV, learning to live homeless. She was a wreck, missing her mom, trying to adapt, when the guy kicked her out. She rented a U-Haul on September 15th to move her stuff into storage, planning on returning the vehicle the next day.
Jeanie is disabled, has had 25 knee operations, she moves slow with a cane. While unloading the truck two men came up from behind and knocked her down, hit her again and then stole her purse and money. At first they tried to drag her into the bushes but she screamed and fought back, eventually getting into the back of the U-Haul, where she stayed for two days, fearful of coming out.
Every day that passed Jeanie became more stressed, freaked out that she could not pay U-Haul the rental fee. She wrote a four page letter to them, explaining what happened, hoping it would make a difference. I read it and was overwhelmed.
I told her this community would try to raise the funds to pay the nearly $1,000 owed. I was going to make that post asking all of you to help. But between meeting Jeanie yesterday and now, the police and U-Haul showed up, put everything of hers on the street and took off. I asked the U-Haul person if they could wait one more day, that we would raise the funds owed. He said no chance of that happening.
Tonight Jeanie and all of her belongings are outside. I want to scream. Not at U-Haul. Not at the police. But at who?
Let's raise $750 for a week of hotel stay for Jeanie, giving her some peace of mind just for a bit to help figure things out.
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr…
LOVE to you Jeanie, you are a beautiful strong woman!
SODO neighborhood | 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!
#JustSayHello #FacingHomelessness #Kindness