Donation protected
Hey everyone! I'm asking for help because I'm in a worse-case scenario. I have recently become homeless after losing my housing in the middle of this pandemic and have had ongoing trouble finding work because of my employment barriers. I am non-binary and have c-PTSD and do not feel safe staying at any shelters, so I've been couch surfing (yes I know this is risky during this time), sleeping in my car, and camping in forests since Mid-June. I have family in Iowa I can stay with for a while, and close friends/a partner in Rochester I can live with - but I need help funding the move. This means either shipping my belongings, paying for gas, and servicing my car for a long trip - or renting a Uhaul truck, paying for gas, and towing my car behind. Both options will cost upwards of $1500.
UPDATE! Because I was told towing my car was a bad idea due to my inexperience, I chose the option of shipping my mailable belongings/servicing my car/road tripping it, and I chose VERY wrong. After spending most of the gofundme money on doing this (including getting my car serviced) I'm now having transmission trouble RIGHT before I'm ready set off. I do not have enough money left to fix my transmission ($1500-$2500) or rent a Uhaul now. I am VERY scared my car is going to break down on my way to Rochester, even though my transmission is only in the beginning stages of failure. At the very bottom below are the costs of everything I've done thus far, for those keeping tabs.
Before June, I was living with my mother since August 2019 after having surgery, but she sold the house and moved to Vermont, leaving me here. She had told me this was her plan since before I moved in and the expectation was that I would be able to get on my feet and land a job and my own housing before her move date. This, obviously, did not happen. I am sitting on OVER A HUNDRED job applications currently. In October I got the ball rolling by working with Vocational Rehab and the employment department about the options for my skillset and ability, and decided to pursue phlebotomy (and ideally lab technician specifically). I was able to get a scholarship to take a phlebotomy technician course and obtain my CPT certificate. I graduated with a 97.5 and loved the work.
Then the pandemic hit. I can't even land temp work. I have 3 caseworers (2 at voc rehab and 1 at Worksource) who know all of this and have been trying to help me find work and they are at their wit's end, just as frustrated as I am.
A little more background - I have mutiple employment barriers, including a very specific skillset. I excel at detailed-oriented work, solitary work, using my hands, being creative, good with animals, one-on-one client interaction where there is mutual respect, and following specific protocols. I have autism, which I was diagnosed with at 4, that I've had support for since childhood but still struggle with many sensory and interpersonal issues in typical work environments. I'm also non-binary and have notorious issues fitting in and have faced harassment and discrimination. I have c-PTSD, anxiety, attention span/short term memory issues, and situational depression that has gotten steadily worse and impacts my energy levels badly. I've worked a variety of jobs (dishwasher, cashier, factory, warehouse, customer service/sales, janitorial, to name a few), mostly temp, and because of my difficulties I also end up getting fired or getting my hours cut severely. I would excel at the right kind of job, but can not seem to get hired. So here we are.
Once I get to Rochester I plan on securing income, but even if it takes me years to do so I will not be homeless. Being homeless as added another barrier to obtaining income here and my only real otion is to leave. Anything you can spare to help me do so, would be infintely appreciated.
Thank you.
Expenses so far:
-Servicing my car: $300
-Diagnostics for transmission issue: $125
-Phone bill: $205
-Storage unit for July: $70
-Trips to/from Salem Gas: $150 (Had to empty my storage unit in Salem, an hour away from where I'm couch surfing. Belongings are currently in a friend's spare room) Trips took roughly $20 each trip and it took a week to empty the unit because I have a car and not a truck.
-Gas, other: $150
-UPS: $200
-USPS: $400
-Amtrakshipping: $115
-Foods: $60 ( I ran out of foodstamps early because road-friendly foods tend to be more expensive and I am avoiding grocery stores as much as possible)
-Medication, Hygeine supplies, random needs such as new charger cord: $50
*Special thank you to Troy for taking my mattress (and tying it up like a sub), Harvest for letting me safely store my moped, my dad for taking care of my insurance, Grandma C and Uncle Ben for the support, River for letting me hoard up your spare room, and Shelby, River, Rowan B., and Kaeleo for letting me sleep on your couches during a literal pandemic, and last but not least Xanthe, Rowan J, Seran, and Vaal for giving me a way out of this situation. I love you all SO much and I'm incredibly grateful to you!! You are welcome to a free commission if I ever actually land on my feet like a cat. We all know I'm on my 9th life. I love you.
UPDATE! Because I was told towing my car was a bad idea due to my inexperience, I chose the option of shipping my mailable belongings/servicing my car/road tripping it, and I chose VERY wrong. After spending most of the gofundme money on doing this (including getting my car serviced) I'm now having transmission trouble RIGHT before I'm ready set off. I do not have enough money left to fix my transmission ($1500-$2500) or rent a Uhaul now. I am VERY scared my car is going to break down on my way to Rochester, even though my transmission is only in the beginning stages of failure. At the very bottom below are the costs of everything I've done thus far, for those keeping tabs.
Before June, I was living with my mother since August 2019 after having surgery, but she sold the house and moved to Vermont, leaving me here. She had told me this was her plan since before I moved in and the expectation was that I would be able to get on my feet and land a job and my own housing before her move date. This, obviously, did not happen. I am sitting on OVER A HUNDRED job applications currently. In October I got the ball rolling by working with Vocational Rehab and the employment department about the options for my skillset and ability, and decided to pursue phlebotomy (and ideally lab technician specifically). I was able to get a scholarship to take a phlebotomy technician course and obtain my CPT certificate. I graduated with a 97.5 and loved the work.
Then the pandemic hit. I can't even land temp work. I have 3 caseworers (2 at voc rehab and 1 at Worksource) who know all of this and have been trying to help me find work and they are at their wit's end, just as frustrated as I am.
A little more background - I have mutiple employment barriers, including a very specific skillset. I excel at detailed-oriented work, solitary work, using my hands, being creative, good with animals, one-on-one client interaction where there is mutual respect, and following specific protocols. I have autism, which I was diagnosed with at 4, that I've had support for since childhood but still struggle with many sensory and interpersonal issues in typical work environments. I'm also non-binary and have notorious issues fitting in and have faced harassment and discrimination. I have c-PTSD, anxiety, attention span/short term memory issues, and situational depression that has gotten steadily worse and impacts my energy levels badly. I've worked a variety of jobs (dishwasher, cashier, factory, warehouse, customer service/sales, janitorial, to name a few), mostly temp, and because of my difficulties I also end up getting fired or getting my hours cut severely. I would excel at the right kind of job, but can not seem to get hired. So here we are.
Once I get to Rochester I plan on securing income, but even if it takes me years to do so I will not be homeless. Being homeless as added another barrier to obtaining income here and my only real otion is to leave. Anything you can spare to help me do so, would be infintely appreciated.
Thank you.
Expenses so far:
-Servicing my car: $300
-Diagnostics for transmission issue: $125
-Phone bill: $205
-Storage unit for July: $70
-Trips to/from Salem Gas: $150 (Had to empty my storage unit in Salem, an hour away from where I'm couch surfing. Belongings are currently in a friend's spare room) Trips took roughly $20 each trip and it took a week to empty the unit because I have a car and not a truck.
-Gas, other: $150
-UPS: $200
-USPS: $400
-Amtrakshipping: $115
-Foods: $60 ( I ran out of foodstamps early because road-friendly foods tend to be more expensive and I am avoiding grocery stores as much as possible)
-Medication, Hygeine supplies, random needs such as new charger cord: $50
*Special thank you to Troy for taking my mattress (and tying it up like a sub), Harvest for letting me safely store my moped, my dad for taking care of my insurance, Grandma C and Uncle Ben for the support, River for letting me hoard up your spare room, and Shelby, River, Rowan B., and Kaeleo for letting me sleep on your couches during a literal pandemic, and last but not least Xanthe, Rowan J, Seran, and Vaal for giving me a way out of this situation. I love you all SO much and I'm incredibly grateful to you!! You are welcome to a free commission if I ever actually land on my feet like a cat. We all know I'm on my 9th life. I love you.
Organiser
Alex Lovelle
Organiser
Stayton, OR