Hello everyone. If you're reading this, you likely already know my current situation. If you don't, please take the moment to read about where I've found myself.

My name is Cherry. I'm a 26 year old transgender adult, & I'm in desperate need of funds to move out of my current apartment.

The pandemic has obviously been tough for everyone. I understand I'm not the only person struggling. During the months of March & April (2020), I was very suddenly removed from my parents home. They decided to move out of state & I was rapidly thrust into a position of only having a few weeks to find a new place to live. Meanwhile, the pandemic was making it extremely difficult to schedule interviews or home tours as most places were shutting down at a moments notice. I'd call a place to schedule an appointment for a tour, only to have the lobby doors locked in my face when I arrived. It came down to me basically signing with the first apartment complex that would accept my application since so many places were turning people away, & I was running out of time. This resulted in me moving myself & my cat out of a two story, five bedroom house with a full fenced yard, into a small, single bedroom apartment. As I tried to settle in as best as I could, I came to discover just how terrible this apartment really is. I've been completely infested with bedbugs, my appliances constantly break down, my hot water runs cloudy, my neighbors are loud & often speed through the parking complex, I hear gunshots close by multiple times a week, & I'm being charged over 100$ more than what I was told the unit would cost me per month.

On top of this apartment being a constant nightmare, I lost my job & my health insurance in April, losing my medication to treat my ADHD, anxiety, & depression. I live in a major outbreak city, in a major outbreak state. I do not have a good relationship with my parents, nor do I have any family locally. I have virtually no friends locally either, & the very few I do have are also struggling through this pandemic themselves. I am not safe here. I am not comfortable here. I am alone, & struggling just to stay alive.

I'm making this GoFundMe in an attempt to create a savings fund exclusively to help me rehome. Most rental properties ask for first months rent & a security deposit up front, as well as occasional application fees. I will also need to buy completely new furniture due to the bed bugs in my mattress & my couch, as well as some bug zapper products to heat treat my belongings.

I hope & pray with every breath that the Covid vaccine will become publicly accessible soon. I hope to find work once it's safe. I hate having to beg for help every day just to ensure a roof remains over my head. But I simply cannot continuing living where I am. The physical & mental toll of not even being able to sleep in my own bed without waking up covered in rashes is something I wouldn't wish on anyone. The fact that I have to shower in hard water is causing even more skin sensitivity. Living here is driving me insane. It's killing me. I simply don't know what else to do.

So, here I am. Humbling asking for your help, sincerely thanking you for reading & sharing my story. Even just a single dollar could change my life right now. I like to believe in the kindness of others, in the belief that a community can & will take care of each other. There is so much guilt that comes with asking for help. But nothing will change for me if I don't ask at all. I understand I'm not the only person struggling right now. & I hate to ask people to aid me if they themselves are struggling. Please do not feel obligated to help if you're finances are already strained. Reading & sharing is helpful in itself, & thank you for taking the time to listen to my story.