Help Christopher to Not Be Homeless in NYC!

I’m Christopher, and I’m a 27 year old black trans masc in New York City. I’ve struggled to maintain work with a myriad of undiagnosed and diagnosed disabilities for years, and I’ve pushed myself as far I can for as long as I have.

I injured my knee at the end of July so I’ve been unable to work. I’ve applied for short term disability, Snap, and cash assistance. I’ve been out of work just over a month now, with a minimum of 8 weeks of physical therapy ahead of me, with no income and the reality of my situation is that if I don’t make rent this month, and continually make rent, I will be homeless in October. Short term disability will hopefully kick in before the second week of October but I would be out of time by then. I’m applying for long term disability but we all know that will take an even longer time and I do not have time.

I have moderate to severe chronic pain caused by fibromyalgia and sciatica that I’ve only, in the last year, started accommodating with crutches, canes, and joint braces. I remember, vaguely, receiving the diagnosis at 20 years old and waving it away. What is a little pain in the face of youth? Besides ADHD, autism, depression and anxiety (the peak mix that so many of us know), I have a dissociative disorder. It feels difficult to explain, not because I think you wouldn’t understand it, but because I do not know enough about it myself to give you a clear explanation. It is called Dissociative Identity Disorder, and some of you may know it formerly as multiple personality disorder. Lastly (this feels like a long list), I have schizoaffective disorder, which in my case causes visual, auditory, and tactile hallucinations as well as my spatial awareness. It’s difficult to maintain a job with any of this - obviously this is not useful to the job market.

So I turn to community. For the first time in my life I know I am not alone and I know that help is out there if I have the courage to ask. I need $1,345 a month for my room. I’ve cut all unnecessary spending and subscriptions; I go to food pantries and walk instead of the taking the subway. I know rent is high, but this is New York City and rent just went up; we didn’t really have a choice. Every dollar made is going towards rent, and if I don’t make it for rent then any funds will go towards my journey of homelessness in the city.