Donate to help my friend not be homeless

Hi, my name is Catherine and I'm doing this fundraiser for a good and honest friend in my life that's going through a difficult situation. Here are their words :

Hi all. I absolutely loathe asking for help, but here I am.

If you don't know me, I'm TC, a digital content creator, seamstress, and all around nerd.

I was also a long time care-giver for my grandparents. For years I tirelessly cared for my grandma until her last breath, and also my grandpa, until familial dynamics changed.

I come from an abusive family and though my grandparents are not the abusive parties, my decision to care for them meant that the family abuse continued into my adult life. The abuser also abused my grandparents and has manipulated various systems to create suffering for me. When I pushed back against the family abuser, after hitting my breaking point and tried to protect myself, I ended up temporarily homeless while my grandfather has been put into institutionalized care.

I never had the chance to be an adult for myself. I was always in the care-giving role for other family members, then on long term call for my grandparents. And my grandparents greatly appreciated the work I did, as confirmed by other family members. While caring for them, I had the chance to do some retail jobs a couple of times, until my work for them turned into 24/hr care. Because of that, I do not have much in the way of savings, but I am currently and actively looking for employment.

I believe it is in my best interest to live for myself for once, an opportunity that was never granted to me. It would be fulfilling for my mental health, physical health, and spiritual health. Truth be told, I’m terrified of finally stepping out on my own, since I’ve been house-bound my entire life. But I’m ready to put in all my effort, I just need some help.

I’m very lucky that I have friends who have been able to support me by letting me couch surf but I’m ready to get myself on my own two feet. I’ve been putting in the work to find housing where I am, in Southern California, which is the most sensible option for me. My last option would be to move with family members in back east states, which would be wildly expensive. My absolute last option would be to return to living at the epicenter of the family abuse.

But the reality is that to get done what needs to be done -- specifically moving expenses and a moving van, and possibly a storage unit, as well as deposit for housing -- are beyond my financial means. I’m hunting hard for a job but because I have spent my adult life until now 99% being a caretaker for my grandparents, I’m not a desirable candidate. I’m going to keep pushing until I get my foot in the door somewhere, but I’m at a big disadvantage for ANY type of job.

If you can help, that would be absolutely wonderful. Help monetarily, by spreading it on social media, however you get the word out helps more than you know.

I'm looking to have this sorted out by end of October/end of the first week of November if we're really pushing it. I do not have a whole lot of time, but with your help, I have the utmost faith it can be done.

I will end with an excerpt of a poem my darling grandma would often say to inspire me

“If you tried and have not won, never stop for crying. All that's great and good is won just by patient trying.” -Don't Give Up by Phoebe Cary