Disabled Friend & Kitties Facing Homelessness
Donation protected
Julie Hart, my BFF from Austin, Texas, is the sort of person who's always helped others in whatever way she could. However, now it's Julie who needs help. She and her kitties are facing homelessness. A significant portion of Julie's income was court-ordered spousal maintenance (alimony) awarded to her in her divorce because she's disabled. Last year, well before the pandemic hit, Julie's ex-husband decided he didn't feel like paying any longer.
Julie also receives Social Security disability, but that by itself isn't enough to pay rent, let alone food, utilities, medical, and life's other expenses. Though you'd think there'd be programs to help keep a disabled person in her home, there really aren't. What programs do exist are mostly for women with children. And the waitlist for Section 8 housing is years long. So Julie was evicted from her apartment.
Julie was able to live with a friend for awhile, but the friend fell on hard times too. So Julie had to move into an extended stay hotel. A generous gift from a Good Samaritan, donations from family, and her own small savings have carried her this far, but the money's gone, so she'll have to leave very soon. To further add to her difficulties, increased federal funding of SNAP (food stamps) ended in October. Julie's grocery money went from $194 to $16 a month. Also, she's recovering from COVID's “long tail.”
A pro bono lawyer has taken Julie's case against her ex-husband, but it will take some time for that to come to resolution. Once she wins, she should receive back pay, her share of the marital assets, and spousal maintenance (alimony) from then forward. That would be enough to get Julie into an apartment. In the meantime, she and her kitties need somewhere to live.
I'm trying to raise $5000 for three more months at the extended stay plus a little extra for food, medical, gas, and pet expenses. Please, if you're able to help out with a donation, it would be much appreciated. No donation amount is too small. If you'd be willing to share this campaign on social media, that too would be *very* helpful. It would mean a lot to Julie and it would mean a lot to me. Thanks for reading.
Julie's cats, Spot and Rosie, are a bonded pair that she's had since they were two weeks old. They're both certified Emotional Support Animals. Spot has to eat prescription cat food because of a medical condition. Spot also cowers and refuses to eat when kenneled. Julie's cats need to stay with her.
Julie also receives Social Security disability, but that by itself isn't enough to pay rent, let alone food, utilities, medical, and life's other expenses. Though you'd think there'd be programs to help keep a disabled person in her home, there really aren't. What programs do exist are mostly for women with children. And the waitlist for Section 8 housing is years long. So Julie was evicted from her apartment.
Julie was able to live with a friend for awhile, but the friend fell on hard times too. So Julie had to move into an extended stay hotel. A generous gift from a Good Samaritan, donations from family, and her own small savings have carried her this far, but the money's gone, so she'll have to leave very soon. To further add to her difficulties, increased federal funding of SNAP (food stamps) ended in October. Julie's grocery money went from $194 to $16 a month. Also, she's recovering from COVID's “long tail.”
A pro bono lawyer has taken Julie's case against her ex-husband, but it will take some time for that to come to resolution. Once she wins, she should receive back pay, her share of the marital assets, and spousal maintenance (alimony) from then forward. That would be enough to get Julie into an apartment. In the meantime, she and her kitties need somewhere to live.
I'm trying to raise $5000 for three more months at the extended stay plus a little extra for food, medical, gas, and pet expenses. Please, if you're able to help out with a donation, it would be much appreciated. No donation amount is too small. If you'd be willing to share this campaign on social media, that too would be *very* helpful. It would mean a lot to Julie and it would mean a lot to me. Thanks for reading.
Julie's cats, Spot and Rosie, are a bonded pair that she's had since they were two weeks old. They're both certified Emotional Support Animals. Spot has to eat prescription cat food because of a medical condition. Spot also cowers and refuses to eat when kenneled. Julie's cats need to stay with her.
Organizer and beneficiary
Andrea Leigh
Organizer
Vincentown, NJ
Julie Hart
Beneficiary
