Hi! We're Cayce and Katie, two trans women who are trying to build a life in Toronto. We are struggling to find secure housing ASAP, and need your help.

- Pls read the full update, but the crux is: we can’t afford rent and also buy food, so we’re asking for $4500 CAD to keep us housed and surviving through July, *and* to submit sponsorship paperwork so Kate can stay in Canada. - 

Hi folks In January, we had to leave our apartment because rent was unaffordable. We put our things in a storage locker and since January, we’ve moved three times to different sublets and AirBnBs, living out of a couple suitcases. It’s been a rough 5 months, but we survived thanks to the help of our incredible friends.

The job search has been demoralizing. Despite our qualifications, neither of us have landed an interview or even received a response to an application for over a year. We’ve applied to jobs in every field, in every (safe) city, state and province, and got nothing back. Landlords in Canada and the U.S. won’t let us apply for apartments without proof of employment. We are STUCK.

The only income we currently have is Cayce’s Employment Insurance, which for the next couple months *exactly* covers our rent. It isn’t enough for our medication costs, or even close to the ever-rising cost of food and pet food for our two cats. The AI bubble has all but eliminated Cayce’s job prospects as technical writer, and she’s trying to retrain and get her food service certification so she can work when  EI runs out. 

Between the deteriorating state of trans rights, and the tremendous cost of moving, going to the States isn’t realistic. Unfortunately, Kate can’t work in Canada without a Work Visa, which eliminates most available jobs in the city (retail, service, etc). Even major companies in Kate’s field aren’t considering non-Canadian applicants. 

The only option that allows Kate to work and stay in Canada is an Open visa, which requires spousal sponsorship for permanent residency. We’re ready to submit the paperwork, but we can’t afford the substantial fees.

 As we said above, we can barely make rent and buy groceries. We’re out of options, savings, and rent money again.

So we need your help: We’re asking for $4500 CAD (roughly $3300 USD) to keep us housed and surviving through July, and to submit sponsorship paperwork.

Here’s how that budget breaks down:

•  Medication ($500)
• Spousal sponsorship fees ($1205)
• Food safety certification fees for Cayce
• Rent ($2200) for July 1
• Storage unit costs ($400 due asap)
• Any additional donations will be saved for next month’s rent. 

Kate won’t be able to get an open visa until the fall, so we need your help to get through the summer and keep looking for work. We hope that by August 1 we’ll have enough new income to make rent.

Thanks so much friends, it’s humbling to be struggling and have people in our corner.

 Cayce & Katherine