Blinded in Broward jail

While in Broward jails unable to afford a couple hundred dollar bond, I was blinded by guards when the guards maced me and did not allow me to rinse my eyes for 3 days. I experienced a significant loss in vision which slowly got worse with no access to medical care. I was released from jail due to COVID,  with no resources, phone, etc and was barely able to see. I now have no vision.

I lost my apartment while in jail and was stuck on the streets newly blind with no phone, money, or anything else. I ended up in a hotel thanks to vouchers the city of Fort Lauderdale gave to homeless folks at the startof the pandemic. City case workers were supposed to help me and others staying at the hotel. Instead, the “case workers” who appear to have just been real estate agents, told me that the Broward building for blind services (Lighthouse) looked closed and did nothing further to help. Lighthouse is not closed, it just has many services occurring remotely due to the pandemic.  The city just did not care enough to help and the hotel program eventually ended with my situation  not much better than before. 

Due to being newly blind and having little aid, it took months & months to apply for life training skills for the newly blind, disability, & Medicaid. It doesn’t look like I will be receiving any of those things before February, disability & Medicaid may take even longer. I need money to get by until then. I am currently living with my partner who is typing this out for me as I speak, but she is struggling covering our combined bills. I also still need things like clothes, shoes, laundry, , medical care, etc. Anything you can give will help me meet some of my basic needs until whenever the state bothers to give me disability & Medicaid. Thank you!