Help Elizabeth Jones #ForElizabeth

Here is Elizabeth's  heartbreaking story...

My name is Wendy White.  I need your help raising funds for Elizabeth Jones.  Elizabeth  was evicted from her home of 20 years and everything she owned was tossed to the curb.   According to Elizabeth, a local entity was able to pay the past due property tax to claim the deed to her home for about $2,000, a fraction of its value.  Elizabeth alleges that court procedures were not followed correctly by the opposing party and the judge presiding over her case.  She is desperate for our help.

While helping Elizabeth struggle to gather her belongings, I watched  the Director of City Planning and the City Attorney show up to site her for another Nuisance abatement because all of her belongings were tossed beyond the boundaries of her property.

Yes, I said another... She was sited the day before,  shortly after her things were tossed without regard. She will be facing a 300.00 fine.  She will have to appear in Court in June because she is now technically out on Bond.

Elizabeth was also threatened with a Trespassing Order as she struggled to grab what she could from heaps of items.

While volunteers helped Elizabeth with sorting through what we could salvage from the mud, two men decided to steal her motorcycle from the backyard.  She planned to sell the motorcycle to help get back on her feet.

Many volunteers showed up in the historic rain we had this weekend to help salvage what we could but we were too late.  She has lost all of her clothes, family heirlooms along with  everything down to her drivers license and credit cards.  

We had update "link" issue happening with the update feature on this site so any updates will posted at the bottom of this story.  Thanks four your patience.


All photos are copyrighted by Steve Bohnstedt and may not be used without his written consent.

This is Elizabeth tearfully hugging a volunteer, as she sees nearly 10 people with 4 trucks pull up all at once to help gather and load up her possessions Sunday, April 30, 2017. It was like the calvary arrived. We all worked through the rain again Sunday to load trucks and transfer Elizabeth's property to storage facilities.


Everything she owned was piled in heaps strewn across several properties adjacent to hers.  EVERYTHING was pounded with torrential rain and in the mud.


A worker who was involved in putting Elizabeth's belongings out on the sidewalk and city right of way says an attorney representing the "new owners," present at the time of eviction, Friday, April 28, 2017, told him to do so. According to this worker, the attorney gave instructions not to leave it on the private property, but place it on city property.  That action upset many neighbors, and generated nuisance complaints. Elizabeth is still seeking a place to stay, yet she's stretched thin with everything going on to figure that out at the moment.


 A friend of Elizabeth, Richie, carries boxes after boxes to an awaiting U-Haul truck. Richie is one heck of a strong man. He worked along side Elizabeth for nearly 24 hours straight without rest. He could lift anything.


This is Dana Caley in the foreground. Many wonderful people showed up to do difficult work in the cold rain Saturday.


Monday morning, May 1, 2017. Elizabeth rests on her water-soaked piano which was ruined when workers moved it out side in the pouring rain. Elizabeth said she bought the piano for $300, paid $270 to get it tuned. She bought it when she was 34 to take piano lessons.


One of our volunteers, Clif, found a crucifix belonging to Elizabeth, in the mud. He cleaned it up and placed it on the wall of one of the storage units he helped pay for to save Elizabeth's belongings.


Elizabeth's family photographs, cherished memories, were left soaked in the rain after she was evicted Friday, April 28, 2017, when workers removed her belongings into the rain despite her pleas to stop. Volunteers found dozens of her personal journals drenched in rain water along with many valuable items.


Berrian Elementary School children walk by Elizabeth at her former home 912 Adams, St., after presenting her with a "May Day basket" of handmade notes, treats and a flower Monday morning, May 1, 2017. "Watch, they do this for me and the neighbors every year," Elizabeth said.

We are asking that anyone that can donate to Elizabeth please help!!  She is in dire need of housing and funds as she has lost absolutely everything.   Elizabeth has four cats that will need vetting and fostering as she struggles to find a new home.

Im asking that you donate to help Elizabeth rebuild her life, as she is in desperate need of help.

Update 5/3/2017 -- I have managed to retrieve Elizabeth's Court Documents for her cases in the Circuit Court regarding her home. There are more questions than answers as one would imagine.

Elizabeth needs legal representation to ensure she gets the proper outcome of this tragic situation.

I'm begging from the bottom of my heart that we receive more donations to help secure her some legal representation so Elizabeth can get the justice.

Update 5/5/17 -- Elizabeth has consulted with an attorney.  There is a way for her to get her residence back but she will need to fight them in court.  Then she can eventually go after them for civil damages. This is going to require more funds.  If anyone can please donate to Elizabeth's cause please do so.  Share her story with as many people as you can.  This is an injustice and we need to support her in this difficult time.

Please donate and/or share this post with as many people as you can.