05/12/2015
a message from one of our newest unsheltered neighbors .....
*name changed for privacy, story shared with permission. You may contact her through craigslist.(link below). In her own words, Sheila* writes:
I became homeless like a freight train without brakes, slamming into my life, determined to destroy everything in its path.
I had a great job and an okay place to live, until I lost my job and my roommate, an elderly woman began to suffer from dementia. I am everywoman and everyman living my life as best I can when these 2 forces collided. I now realize this could happen to any person, at any time, for any reason. No one is immune.
But what's truly awful is that much of society assumes you're a drug addict, mentally ill, or lazy and just love to be free, living a life where there are no responsibilities and no one can tell you what to do. Nothing could be further from the truth.
So many people who find themselves homeless, in the most traumatic, damaging situation you can imagine is because, like myself they experienced the perfect storm of circumstance and it knocked them to the ground. They had neither family nor resources to help them get out of it before it became critical, and like me they find themselves in a terrifying, nightmarish situation. But I understand there are varying degrees of how people might react to finding themselves where I am. Because I have no frame of reference for anything even remotely resembling this situation in my life, I am more terrified than anyone could imagine. I am not certain how much of this is possible to take.
Shelters, which I would be more than happy to go to while I am searching for housing and employment are all full. I am on every waiting list imaginable, of the shelters that I do qualify for, I find myself in an even worst situation, because I am neither drug-addicted, mentally ill, a victim of domestic violence, a veteran, pregnant, or a mother with young children, I don't fall into any common category that they normally help so the number of shelters that could help me are few and all full.
I always knew that having a family that cares about you in this world is the most precious gift you can possess. But this experience has taught me in the deepest sense possible that without it, the world can become colder and lonelier than you can imagine. To anyone who might be reading my post who is blessed enough to have that in your lives I hope you never take it for granted, and that no matter how annoying and weird a family might be, they are your family, and no one will ever care about you as they do.
Speaking of unconditional love, I have in my life the most wonderful friend that anyone could ever hope for. His name is Tiny and he is my 16 year old Jack Russell Terrier. Tiny is an extraordinary dog for so many reasons. Tiny worked as a therapy dog at a children's hospital for 8 years. His work in the oncology unit helping children through the most painful, frightening and difficult times of their lives has shown me the powerful love that animals can provide, selflessly and willingly to us whenever we need them. Tiny does this for me everyday and I love him more than life itself. To see him go through this at his age is incredibly painful for me.
I am writing this post to ask anyone who might be able to help us to please do so as quickly as possible. I am looking for anything either short-term (as little as a few nights) or long-term so, that Tiny and I can avoid being out in the cold and have a place to be even on a very temporary basis. I have done a tremendous amount of work not only interviewing for employment, but working with various county agencies in securing housing that I do qualify for. As I have been told by professionals working in this area, I have done everything right, and done and followed every lead and suggestion given. The result of this has been a real possibility of long-term housing in the very near future. But even if that is not achieved, my professional life is also coming together and I feel a job is imminent in the coming month. I am a woman who has mostly worked in sales and marketing, project administration, child and pet care, and as a personal assistant. I am able to pay rent nightly, weekly or monthly, but the amount is limited at this time due to my circumstance. I would be willing and able to do various tasks for your household in partial or whole payment rent, long or short term of the rent.
I am so grateful to you for reading my post. I know it's long and I can't tell you how much I appreciate that you have. I guess the easiest way to put it is this: I am a good person (not perfect), who is reaching out to someone who might be able to help another human being, because they still believe it's possible to change the world by caring for each other. Someone who really believes in 2nd chances and could know that you are making a profound change in my life for the better, I can not express how grateful I would be.
I wish everyone a joyous life that's filled with those things that money can never buy.
Best wishes,
Sheila* & Tiny
http://monterey.craigslist.org/sha/4969759077.html
