2 Yrs Living In Our Car. Help Us Out.

Greetings:

First of all, let me say that it is very hard to ask for help because people are not often humane or kind when doing so, and also in the past, I have often been the source of help not the recipient. That being said, we are in great need, and so I ask.

In short, my spouse and I have been living in our car for the past 2 years. Yes, literally living in our car not couch surfing or house sitting. How could this happen to well educated, hard working professionals? Well, way easier than one might ever imagine.

The first thing many think is that we were fiscally irresponsible, not so; or that we use drugs, not so either. In fact, we don't even drink socially. We did all of the so called "right things," saved in general, created a rainy day fund, invested, put away for retirement, and were never extravagant. We did all of those things we all do, or at least try to do that would ensure financial security and stability. However in spite of our best efforts, it can all come crashing down when you are without work for an extended period; that is basically what happened to us.

My spouse is a high school history teacher. She has a Masters Degree in Education and is credentialed in two subjects. She is also conscientious and has worked hard her entire life. Unfortunately timing is everything. She got laid off at a time that education was no longer readily hiring, and since then has not been able to procure long term full-time employment.
I am a psychologist by profession. I hold two Masters Degree's and have been quite competent in my field. However, I suffer from a grave health issue which has left me disabled for some time; therefore, I have not been able to work a traditional 9-5 and my spouse has been our major source of income.

When my spouse first got laid off, she continued working any job she could to make ends meet. At age 59, finding work is certainly more challenging than younger. As time passed, and no full-time work manifested, we eventually exhausted all of our resources, unemployment ran out, then savings, rainy day funds and retirement. When that went we sold things.

Finally the day of reckoning hit and we were literally and completely broke. On Feb 6, 2012 we went to our car and have been there ever since. Since then, we have both worked short-term professional jobs as well as gigs, but have yet to sustain enough money for any given length of time to get out of the car. We have traveled by car to the tip of the east coast and back to find work, but nothing.

I won't go into great detail, but it has been a very long, horrific, sad, and scary experience which has compromised our health to say the least. It has also been an adventure and eye opening experience, but one we certainly would have preferred to bypass.

We sleep in parking lots. We bathe in "green box" coffee house bathrooms, or the gym when affordable. We sleep sitting up which causes health issues such as severe swelling, potential blood clots, and of course makes it hard to walk and function. Since living in the car is technically illegal, we move around a lot at night and often get very little sleep.

Sadly, we do not have family to turn to that could lend us money, or offer a temporary room, or even a hand up in any way. Our families are not pleased that we are a gay couple, and well we don't think we'll be changing that about us or them, so we have been on our own. As for friends, well all I can say is friends will show you their true intention in hard times, and needless to say we certainly have seen our share of disappointments. It is extremely difficult beyond words to know you are "out there" and really there is no one. This experience kind of makes that saying "being up a creek without a paddle" sound not so bad. So that is the long of the short.

Recently, my spouse finally got hired and signed a full-time teaching contract. She is working and will have steady income. But of course, when it rains it pours, right. So now based on how payroll runs, she will not see her first pay check until March 31, start date was Jan 28. Payroll holds back a month, so the end of January gets paid Feb 28, and one full month of February does not get paid until March 31. So I am sure you can imagine how hard it is to be so close to the end of hardship, only to find out you have to wait another 2 months before you can get out of the car.

Working from the car is a special kind of cocktail, near impossible but we are doing it. We have nowhere to sleep and nowhere to bathe. We are broke and barely keeping gas and food going. Public assistance is limited to none unless you have children or are elderly.

We are asking that you fund us, so that we can keep surviving from the car until that first pay check comes at the end of March. We will spend the money on gas in order to run the car engine to stay warm at night, as well as on transportation-our mobile home if you will. We will also spend the money on food because although we get $104.00 in food stamps, it runs out quick because prepared foods are expensive, and there is nowhere to cook or even microwave except for gas stations, but they are not always open to you microwaving food not purchased there. If we are able to raise enough funds, then we will use the balance to rent a place to live, deposit and first, ASAP.

This is a donation site, but if there is anyone reading this who has resources to grant us a loan that would be appreciated, and of course March 31 will yield a full paycheck that would enable repayment. We welcome any resources, donations, gas cards, food cards, loans etc. Please give as you can, no such thing as too little.

Thank you in advance for your help. Your kindness and generosity will be greatly appreciated, and without doubt paid forward.