Help Billie escape poverty

Hi, I’m Billie, a disabled trans man living in St. John’s! I have autism and EDS (Ehlers Danlos Syndrome) and have needed to stop my education and stop working. I’ve been on income support for 3 years. CSSD gives me $1130 per month to live on, and with rent being $900, that leaves me with just $230 a month for my bills, groceries, transport, etc. I’ve had to rely on credit or the generosity of others to get by, and I would love to be self sufficient.

However, my disability makes it extremely hard to find a job. EDS affects my connective tissue, which affects every part of my body. It causes me to be in a constant state of pain and dizziness. EDS comes with comorbidities like POTS, MCAS, dysautonomia, frequent dislocations and blood vessel tears. I’ve lost some mobility to one side of my body. On bad days I use a cane to move around. My autism causes me to become drained mentally and physically very quickly when put in overstimulating social situations. I need to work a job where I can choose the hours & environment, I can be seated, and I won’t exhaust myself physically and mentally. Doing art has always been my passion, but these days my digital art commissions are hard to sell for a price worth the time and effort, usually paying less than minimum wage.

Luckily, I’ve been offered a tattoo apprenticeship with a local artist. Being a tattoo artist would allow me to work a job that I love and am passionate about while not breaking my body. It could help me finally get off of income support and no longer have to stress about just getting by. Of course, an apprenticeship can be costly, and I simply don’t have the means to pay for it. The apprenticeship is $2000, which will be my goal. If by chance I raise more than the goal, the remainder will go towards paying off my outstanding bills and credit card. Every little bit makes a huge difference for me to be able to get back on my feet. Thank you. ❤️