Hello all, my name is Kyle Gaff. Many of you may know me as CharLee. I’m 18 years old, black, and genderfluid.

I really didn’t want to make this but I’m just about out of options.

I left home this August thinking of how great college was going to be. I was hopeful, excited for the future. Little did I know that the future entailed me no longer having a home to return to.

This past October, I was kicked out of the house by my father. My parents are Jehovah’s Witnesses and strongly object to my being queer. Due to this, I’ve been at risk of being thrown out for years. I’ve been temporarily kicked out several times in the past for refusing to participate in religious customs, and when I wasn’t getting kicked out, I was constantly ridiculed for my identity.

My father owns a small business; I worked for him at that business, and I needed the money from that work to make ends meet in college. But when he kicked me out, my father also fired me, leaving me without income.

I’ve spent the last few months desperately trying to find a job to pay for my tuition, and I only just found a job yesterday. Unfortunately it pays too little, too late.

Despite having a financial aid package, scholarships, and using a loan as a last resort, my balance is too high for me to register for next semester, so I have to drop out. Even if I leave now, I still owe the school 4.2k before this semester ends. I haven’t even figured out where I’m going to stay next week since the dorms are closing for winter break.

My current goal is to get into an apartment where I can establish a safe, stable life for myself.

I know times are tight for everyone, and I’m sorry to have to ask for help, but anything you could donate would be most appreciated.