rentTRAP

PLEASE MEET TERRY:

How do we define homelessness?

Is it the tents you see in the in-between spaces? The man with a beard at the freeway off-ramp flying a sign, or the woman sitting in an alley with a blanket wrapped around her?

Yes. And more. LOTS MORE. Homelessness includes the 'un-sheltered" and "sheltered", the 'seen' and 'un-seen'.

Un-sheltered: An individual or family whose primary residence is a public/private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.

Sheltered: An individual or family living in a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living arrangement.

But there is more. LOTS MORE. There's a frightening number of people struggling with rent, an increasing population in a vulnerable process of negotiating how not to be evicted. The stress of living day to day with this is also homelessness.

Terry is 43 yrs old, graduated from Garfield High School. He loves everybody, smiles easily. He loves bowling too! Basically Terry is as nice as the day is long!

He currently works at the Dollar Store, makes up to $1,300 a month when healthy. That's the problem. He has a host of health issues, right now it is his kidneys. He just had a biopsy done, awaiting the results.

Terry rents a 10x12 room, pays $650 a month. Months back he was in a room with no window but the doctor wrote a note, saying he needed one due to his asthma. The landlord moved him to a room with a window.

Terry is behind in his rent, several months. He is stressed out to the maximum. Hoping we can help him cover one month.

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=4H6D4BYWCQ9QU&source=url

TRUTH: It's not right that so many among us are spending their life energy just trying to find stable housing.

White Center 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!
#kindness #JustSayHello #FacingHomelessness

selflessMOM

PLEASE MEET OURAYA:

When Ouraya, her husband, and daughter arrived in Seattle this last June from Selma, Alabama they thought they were coming to what was promised help, that didn't happen. They lived four months in their car until it was broken into and everything stolen, including all of their identification.

Ouraya was able to get a job as a Medical Receptionist at a small clinic where she works full-time. I asked how she got a job without ID, she said, "I'm a good person, I guess my personality." She's also a hard worker, going to school on-line at night, studying to be a medical coder.

Now the three of them and Ouraya's brother-in-law and mother-in-law all live in a hotel. Between Ouraya's wages and her mother-in-law's income, who works at Walmart, they barely make it month to month.

They are hoping to get into an apartment but first, last, and damage deposit is just beyond their reach. Let's raise $1,600 for a month's rent and help them move forward. It would be a game-changer for them!

UPDATE: The Paypal link has been pulled in that our goal of raising $3,200, two months rent, has been reached with $4,256.34 donated, wowWOW!!! I already know this is a life-changer moment for this family! So much gratitude!!! All the funds will be paid directly to the new landlord. No funds go to Ouraya or family directly and, as is always the case, no funds at all go to Facing Homelessness. THANKS SO VERY MUCH!!!

I asked Ouraya what she loves most about herself. She told me most of her life she's been picked on, that she had to find a best friend to survive. She said, "I learned to really like myself. I'm my best friend."

I asked Ouraya what she loves most about her daughter. She instantly said she loves how happy her daughter is. Then she paused and began to cry, saying "She just doesn't know how hard things are, how I do all my crying early in the morning before she gets up."

Auburn 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

motherFIRST

PLEASE MEET FALE:

Fale greeted me outside her home in High Point. She was standing next to her boyfriend Terry. Before we could really say hello, her daughter, a junior in High School, came out the front door, hugged her, said I love you, and was off just like that. I was invited to come inside.

As Terry reached for the front door it suddenly opened and a young man in a hurry ran out, said thank you and something about not wanting to be late for school. Fale looked at me and said, "My home is kind of a safe place for lots of kids to spend the night when they need to."

It's hard to explain how beautiful both Fale & Terry are, they have a calmness and openness that is easily and instantly felt. All the more remarkable considering the circumstances.

Fale came to Seattle 19 yrs ago with her children, leaving an abusive husband in American Samoa. She found her sobriety here 13 yrs ago and for the past 12 yrs has been living in her home. She also had been working at the Seattle Indian Health Board until she experienced a work related traumatic event. She was let go while waiting for her L&I case to be approved. Eventually she was able to receive benefits and the care needed. Rather than sit-back, Fale went-back to school. She's two-quarters away from completing her Chemical Dependency degree at Highline College!

All looked good. Then the perfect storm hit. For reasons unclear, and being looked into by her attorney, her L&I benefits stopped. At the very same time her Section 8 funds stopped. The renewal form had been sent to the wrong address and was never processed. In the confusion, she fell 3-months behind in rent, at $1,600.00 per month. Seattle Housing Authority is requiring her to pay $1,600.00 immediately. At this point, I began to tear up. Fale said, "Oh, don't you start, you'll have me going."

Let's raise two months rent for Fale. I know this woman will create ten-fold return for her family and community!!

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=NZ6XNN5KJBZ74&source=url

I asked Fale what she likes about herself. She said, "I am a mother first. I am beautiful and strong. I am a hardworking woman of God. I fight for what I believe in no matter what comes in my way. I am not afraid of failing."

West Seattle 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!

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