Bette Harrison needs help now!
Donation protected
Bette Harrison, my friend of 30-plus years, is in dire circumstances. A lot of people know Bette, but practically nobody knows how she has been living the last seven years. At 72, the former writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution is now facing eviction. She has no family to help her.
In 2007 Bette’s’ husband Mike was diagnosed with renal failure. Unable to work, the couple’s income crashed and they were evicted from their apartment. They landed in a residential hotel, Crestwood Suites, in Marietta. After 18 months in three hospitals, Mike died in 2011, leaving no money behind.
Over the last four years Bette has continued to live in the hotel, collecting Social Security and a small pension. Her weekly rent has risen so much that she can barely afford food. She cannot afford the Medicare co-payments for doctor’s visits, some essential medications, and diagnostic tests she badly needs for her ailing knee. Her computer, a writer’s necessary tool, died recently and she can’t afford to replace that either.
She has no car and thus has practically no social contact. What she does have is two cats, Katie and Fang (pictured above). Most people know how valuable their pet is when no other comfort is available. Now, the new owner of Bette's residence, In-Town Suites, has decided to make the facility “pet-free.” If Bette doesn’t get rid of Katie and Fang by Nov. 13, she will be evicted. And that means she will have nowhere to go.
I know it is hard to believe such things happen to people as smart as Bette. Besides working at the AJC, she wrote for many other publications, including the Washington Post, TV Guide, USA Today, Creative Loafing, Savvy, and Cosmopolitan. Her husband Mike was an attorney and director of the Cobb County Legal Aid office. He sat on the boards of WellStar Kennestone Hospital, the Salvation Army of Cobb County, RSVP (a seniors volunteer group), and the Kiwanis Club of East Cobb County. They were both members of Temple Kol Emeth and Temple Sinai. In other words, they led a life of helping others.
The likely eviction is the last straw in Bette’s deteriorating situation. She knows that even without her cats, her living situation is no longer sustainable. Thus she is trying to raise $10,000 to help her afford the cost of moving to a less expensive place, get a safe used car, and a computer, so she can get back to work as a writer. Please help her out with any donation you can, and share this on your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Thanks.
Cliff Bostock
In 2007 Bette’s’ husband Mike was diagnosed with renal failure. Unable to work, the couple’s income crashed and they were evicted from their apartment. They landed in a residential hotel, Crestwood Suites, in Marietta. After 18 months in three hospitals, Mike died in 2011, leaving no money behind.
Over the last four years Bette has continued to live in the hotel, collecting Social Security and a small pension. Her weekly rent has risen so much that she can barely afford food. She cannot afford the Medicare co-payments for doctor’s visits, some essential medications, and diagnostic tests she badly needs for her ailing knee. Her computer, a writer’s necessary tool, died recently and she can’t afford to replace that either.
She has no car and thus has practically no social contact. What she does have is two cats, Katie and Fang (pictured above). Most people know how valuable their pet is when no other comfort is available. Now, the new owner of Bette's residence, In-Town Suites, has decided to make the facility “pet-free.” If Bette doesn’t get rid of Katie and Fang by Nov. 13, she will be evicted. And that means she will have nowhere to go.
I know it is hard to believe such things happen to people as smart as Bette. Besides working at the AJC, she wrote for many other publications, including the Washington Post, TV Guide, USA Today, Creative Loafing, Savvy, and Cosmopolitan. Her husband Mike was an attorney and director of the Cobb County Legal Aid office. He sat on the boards of WellStar Kennestone Hospital, the Salvation Army of Cobb County, RSVP (a seniors volunteer group), and the Kiwanis Club of East Cobb County. They were both members of Temple Kol Emeth and Temple Sinai. In other words, they led a life of helping others.
The likely eviction is the last straw in Bette’s deteriorating situation. She knows that even without her cats, her living situation is no longer sustainable. Thus she is trying to raise $10,000 to help her afford the cost of moving to a less expensive place, get a safe used car, and a computer, so she can get back to work as a writer. Please help her out with any donation you can, and share this on your Facebook and Twitter accounts. Thanks.
Cliff Bostock
Organizer and beneficiary
Cliff Bostock
Organizer
Atlanta, GA
Bette Harrison
Beneficiary