Update (12/8):

" Dear friends

I want to thank you all for your kindness and generosity. You are making a big difference in my life. I am warm and safe and continuing to work on finding work and permanent housing.

None of this would be possible without your interest and caring.

I'll keep you updated on progress and you should know you are always on my mind and in my heart.

With gratitude and love, Mary"

Update (12/6): Mary wanted to share this message with all of the donors.

"Because of you, dear Vanessa, and the generous, caring donors you reached out to, I feel so much better. You and they have given me a way to access shelter, put gas in my car, look outside a small area for opportunities to work and live..."

Update: Enough money has been raised for Mary to stay in a motel for a few weeks, and she is in contact with services to assist her in finding a place to live. Thank you, everybody!

Hi, my name is Vanessa, and I am a student at College of Marin. When I stumbled upon Mary's story, I was looking to help our homeless community. Mary is a retired doctor who lives with her 21-year-old cat, Honey Bunny. Unfortunately, she has no living family, can no longer afford her apartment and will be evicted tomorrow afternoon. She--a healthy, well-educated individual--is the prime example of bad things happening to good people.

I am looking to raise money for Mary's temporary housing. As of now, she has nowhere to stay and will be homeless in less than 24 hours, but it's never too late to help. Mary may be a stranger, but she is a part of our community and needs our help. Please remember that this could be your mother or grandmother. Anything helps in this time of desperation, even a dollar. Thank you.