Family reunification w/disabilities
Donation protected
My name is Drew Blake-Newton(currently legally Bethany Newton). My mom's name is Cari Blake, my husband's name is Gareth Newton-Blake. We have a cat and a ferret. Gareth(previously known as Justin) and I are homeless in Massachusetts. My mom is currently living with her husband and caregiver. Who is not the greatest at helping her. So my mom and him are getting a divorce. Gareth and I have been homeless nearly 2 years since I got sick. Housing has been impossible here in Massachusetts, and for obvious reasons we can't move in with my mom and step father. Without housing I cannot get my health in check. Full bio Here. So Gareth and I are getting an apartment with my mom in Michigan. We already picked it out. My mom is in a really bad situation. She is bedridden, and sometimes only eats once a day due to my step father's neglect. She is constantly left in soiled diapers, and he callously leaves her behind to hang out at karaoke bars with his son, leaving my mom completely alone. She needs to get out of there, and can't without us. I, Drew, am a transgender male in desperate need of a hysterectomy (I have severe Polycystic ovarian syndrome due to over production of estrogen that causes frequent heavy bleeding that requires heavy medication and blood transfusions.) I cannot be approved for the surgery I need to survive without housing, as there are no programs that medicaid will cover that will temporarily house me for the time needed to recover. This is a desperate situation. This is an emergency.
We set our move in date for November to give us plenty of time to come up with donations to help with the following, and time to get/do the following
1. Legally change names. I am transgender. My legal name is a PTSD trigger because of the abuse of my ex husband. I am also changing my gender marker from female to male. This takes time. We are doing it on the east coast because Michigan isn't very LGBTQ friendly. Gareth is changing his name later on in Michigan to avoid it dragging my process out longer.
2. Moving costs to get us and our ESAs from Massachusetts to Michigan .My husband and I recently found out that we cannot have a ferret on board a plane in cabin. He is my husband's ESA (with paperwork and recent vaccines), and our baby and we would not trust a pet flight service or cargo hold. We called 6 airlines INCLUDING Delta and Alaska. None will take Peekaboo. Some will allow him in "pet cargo" areas. But we just cannot risk it and sit for 2 1/2 -4 hours terrified at every lurch and Gareth needs him because of his panic attacks. We cannot drive, and legally we cannot have ANY animal on a bus or train more than 7 hours a day. So we'd have to make it a 3 day journey with hotels at layovers. Our friend who we will be staying with when we arrive in Michigan while we get our apartment ready is willing to make the full trip. They are going go drive 14 miles to us(we will be staying in salem, MA for a week before we leave), we are getting a hotel, and then driving to Pennsylvania and we will have another hotel, and then make the rest of the drive. We are meeting them on November 7th and then we will be in Michigan on the 9th. We have $130ish we can give to our friend. Unfortunately we cannot do more because we are currently homeless and are making this trek to get into our new apartment with my amazing mom. We need to be in Michigan no later than the 10th of November. Through booking.com I can book now, pay later. In order to get handicapped accessible and pet friendly rooms, they are a little more expensive. Because even though they are both ESAs, hotels can discriminate if they don't allow pets. The ADA(American's with Disabilities ACT only recognizes service dogs and miniature horses in non pet friendly hotels)
3. Security deposit, holding fee, application fees ($500 deposit, $25 application fee per person, $100 holding fee)
4. Furniture
5. Dishes and cookware
6. New clothing that is not nearly destroyed from being homeless.
Here are alternative ways to donate
If you can help. That would be amazing. Below is our chosen apartment
We set our move in date for November to give us plenty of time to come up with donations to help with the following, and time to get/do the following
1. Legally change names. I am transgender. My legal name is a PTSD trigger because of the abuse of my ex husband. I am also changing my gender marker from female to male. This takes time. We are doing it on the east coast because Michigan isn't very LGBTQ friendly. Gareth is changing his name later on in Michigan to avoid it dragging my process out longer.
2. Moving costs to get us and our ESAs from Massachusetts to Michigan .My husband and I recently found out that we cannot have a ferret on board a plane in cabin. He is my husband's ESA (with paperwork and recent vaccines), and our baby and we would not trust a pet flight service or cargo hold. We called 6 airlines INCLUDING Delta and Alaska. None will take Peekaboo. Some will allow him in "pet cargo" areas. But we just cannot risk it and sit for 2 1/2 -4 hours terrified at every lurch and Gareth needs him because of his panic attacks. We cannot drive, and legally we cannot have ANY animal on a bus or train more than 7 hours a day. So we'd have to make it a 3 day journey with hotels at layovers. Our friend who we will be staying with when we arrive in Michigan while we get our apartment ready is willing to make the full trip. They are going go drive 14 miles to us(we will be staying in salem, MA for a week before we leave), we are getting a hotel, and then driving to Pennsylvania and we will have another hotel, and then make the rest of the drive. We are meeting them on November 7th and then we will be in Michigan on the 9th. We have $130ish we can give to our friend. Unfortunately we cannot do more because we are currently homeless and are making this trek to get into our new apartment with my amazing mom. We need to be in Michigan no later than the 10th of November. Through booking.com I can book now, pay later. In order to get handicapped accessible and pet friendly rooms, they are a little more expensive. Because even though they are both ESAs, hotels can discriminate if they don't allow pets. The ADA(American's with Disabilities ACT only recognizes service dogs and miniature horses in non pet friendly hotels)
3. Security deposit, holding fee, application fees ($500 deposit, $25 application fee per person, $100 holding fee)
4. Furniture
5. Dishes and cookware
6. New clothing that is not nearly destroyed from being homeless.
Here are alternative ways to donate
If you can help. That would be amazing. Below is our chosen apartment
Organizer
AJ Blake-Newton
Organizer
Somerville, MA