Help Dan and His Cats Find a Safe Home

“We can be heroes

Just for one day”

Things have changed, but not improved.

(The original campaign details are below in the marked "Original Campaign Information" area)

When I began this campaign I had days before I was to lose my home and be homeless. That turned into me getting an extension of a few weeks while I negotiated a different way for things to end. I was going to lose my home no matter what, but I wanted to be able to have a controlled descent into my next stage of life, and not a direct crash into homelessness as well as foreclosure debt. I was able to come to terms with my mortgage provider that allowed me to sign over the deed to my home, and in turn they completely forgive my debt. Along with the debt erasure, when I hand over the keys on 5/8, I’ll get a small amount to help reimburse moving costs. It’s a small amount, and it will just about cover a one way truck rental to the west coast.

And that’s where I am. I’m losing my home, but I have a firm date and no threat of coming home to find the locks changed by surprise. I still don’t have a place to go, or the funds to make a new start in life happen. This is still an emergency. As I write this I have 18 days until I’m living in my car with the boys (my cats). My goal is to get to the west coast, preferably the northern territories, where I can be back in a place that makes my body feel and work better than midwestern and southern climates.

I’ve been out of work for a year because of my disabilities, and some prevailing attitudes toward their accommodation in the workplace here in Missouri. I need to be where my body functions better to mitigate some of that, but also where society is generally just more open and accepting to all people, of all ability. I need to raise funds to help with fuel to get there, deposits, the first few months rent, and survival while I get a hand and foothold in the new area.

It’s been pointed out by someone I respect and care for that I’m a survivor. I survived an abusive childhood with an alcoholic parent who preferred a wire hanger heated on the stove as their tool of punishment, a life as an outsider, being homeless the first time at age 14 (on my own), and a couple other periods of homelessness, with the last one being for about 2 years between 2016-2018. So, yeah. I’m a survivor. The scars are there from it, and I’m in a lot worse shape health wise than I’ve ever been in a survival situation. I don’t have the physical capability to live in my car again, and definitely not on the street.

Above all, I don’t want to lose my boys. They’ve just turned 2 years old last month, and in just over a month it will be 2 years that they’ve been with me. They’re amazing guys, and they’re my support as much as I am theirs. They’re both light special needs, in regard to health and behaviors. It’s going to be so hard for them to find a proper home together if I can’t keep them with me. That’s not even considering what it will do to me psychologically and spiritually.

With all that in mind, it’s not hyperbole to say that this time it’s life and death. If I can not land in a situation with a room over my head and my boys by my side, I won’t last two months. I’m not cut out for that type of survival anymore. If I don’t die from exposure or conditions of living, it’s possible with current political climates and changes in laws that I’ll end up among those considered criminals for being homeless. At that point my end comes quickly in a detention facility of the county or state for the crime of not having a bed. That’s if If I make it that far.

Having been homeless before, I can speak from experience of the hostility they face from some members of our society. Aside from family, the worst violence and treatment I’ve ever experienced was from people who were aggressive simply because I existed outside of shelter. That anger and aggression has only increased over the years, and I guarantee that kind of person is more emboldened than ever to harm others they see as weak or disposable. Keep in mind I saw that side of societal dismissal, repulsion, and viciousness having never begged a dime, busked, or tried to make myself seen. Those people saw far worse than I did.

As I said, things have changed, but not improved.

Yet.

This is where you come in. With your help, my boys can stay with me and we can make a new home where I’ll feel better, have markedly increased employment ability, and be a at much lower risk of ending up homeless again, or worse.

If you can donate to help out, any amount, you’ll literally be saving my small family unit. You’ll be a hero saving my life. And I get it, things suck out there for more people than most of us have seen in our lifetimes. So many suffering or near it. I’m not saying I’m better than them or deserve help more. That’s not my call to make. I don’t want anyone to fail so I can live. I don’t believe that choice should exist. But I am here, now, in front of of you. You can make a difference for me, not just feel bad bout the suffering of people with no way to help.

You can help me and my two cats stay together and reboot into an improved life. You can relieve some of my health issues just by eliminating that initial stress. You have the opportunity to make a difference. A real change for a real person, right now.

I understand that things are tight for most people, except for a few. There are folks out there who things are improving for in life right now, but I doubt they’ve ever seen a Go Fund Me campaign, let alone thought of donating to one. This means that we’re united in a way in life, just by you being here. Take advantage of that. Help me and my kids so that I can help others again in the future. Make a hero in the future by being one now.

Do you want to help but just cant feasibly donate $5 or more? You can still help. Share this campaign. Click the “share” button and get that link. Share it on your socials feeds, lives, streams, physical media, or hang a flyer in your community center. Sometimes sharing can be worth more than a donation. You sharing this could get it in front of the person that puts this over the top and helps my boys live on with me in a new place.

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and for considering pitching in as best you think you can. I know the boys would want to thank you as well.

Have your best day,

Dan

“But we could be safer, just for one day”

*******ORIGINAL CAMPAIGN INFORMATION FOLLOWS******

“I don't know where I'm going

But I sure know where I've been

Hanging on the promises in songs of yesterday

And I've made up my mind

I ain't wasting no more time

Here I go again”

Ladies and gentlebeings, welcome to the latest in a series of fundraising campaigns designed to keep me above dirt, and if the universe is willing, keep my boys (cats) with me for the journey down this road.

Those who have been along for the ride know the last campaign to keep from losing my home failed. When the bank refused my loan forbearance extension, then added almost $8000 to the amount needed upfront to save it in less than 2 months, things were pretty much sunk. And you know what? Maybe it’s for the best.

I am immensely grateful to those who have contributed to the survival of myself, and more importantly, my cats. We’ve only made it this last year because of folks who believed in us, and that is an amazing thing. My ability to believe in good things happening and carry on is tied directly to the actions of those people.

Well, we’ve hit the final part of this, and it’s becoming a true adventure. The bank takes possession of the place officially on 4/1/2025 (UPDATE: I've completed negotiations with the bank and have 5/8 as a hard exit. This pays my full debt to them and they pay me a small amount that covers reimbursing my cross country uhaul, but all else remains the same). That leaves us with nowhere to go. I’ve had no luck finding a home for the boys here, so they’re coming on this journey with me (actually very happy about them being along). I’ve done this dance before, but equipped very differently. I know what is necessary for being homeless on the road, where to be, and the best ways to survive. It’s not easy, and often not pleasant, especially when unprepared. I don’t get a choice in the last part.

First priority is climate. I don’t want to freeze, and I don’t want to cook. Among my many health issues and disabilities is an issue with high heat combined with humidity causing severe flare ups in inflammation. That means the south is out and where I am, Missouri, is also out. Last time after traversing 38 states I ended up on the west coast, specifically the Pacific Northwest, in Oregon. I never should have left, because the weather and climate 99% of the year had me feeling pretty good, minus the homeless part.

So instead of looking aimlessly, I’m targeting the west coast again. I aim to get myself and the cats in my car and head that direction. My hope is to end up in a situation where they can stay with me in a safe way, but if I must find them a new home together, I have far more faith in the foster and shelter systems out that direction. They’re both light special needs, and need the right care, as well as staying with each other.

The plan is to make sure the vehicle is road ready, get my registration and plates up to date, if I have the funds to rent a 4x8 trailer so I don’t lose all (still lose most) of my things when I have to leave, get some light camping gear, and hit the road. My goal here is to raise funds for that, as well as enough to get settled when I arrive at whatever destination is offering itself as the most friendly port. Upside is I have acquaintances and even friends up and down the 101, so I’ll have plenty of guidance and eyes on areas ahead of arrival, as well as networks to help find work. If you’re reading this, I’m including you in those groups!

This plan is not ideal. Anytime you’re without a stable home base it’s risky. Doing this in a 13 year old vehicle adds more risk. I’m asking you for help to make this happen. I’m not only asking for your financial support, but empirical as well. If you have knowledge that can help guide us safely to somewhere we can live and survive, especially knowledge of a real place to live, thats more than 4 wheels and a roof, it would be invaluable.

That said, we do need funds. I wholly recognize this is an ugly time for most of us. We have so little time, and what time we do have is spent earning money to survive in our scant free time. This is a lot of use of the word ‘time’ to represent how little we have, and to let you know that I appreciate your financial support, because it means you’re spending the time you’ve traded for money on me and my boys. That is not now and never will be lost on me. Your contributions are giving of yourself as much if not more than of your wallet. I recognize that, and I thank you for it.

Realistically This is going to take a minimum of $3000. If I am to be able to rent an actual room or cheap extended stay motel, attain proper storage, and be allowed to settle in to a new area like a home (groceries, home goods, etc) it’s going to be upward of $8000 or more. I’m thankful for all help. If you can donate, any amount makes a difference, $10 or $1000 is making headway toward the goal. If you can’t financially afford to donate then sharing this page and talking about it with others on your social feeds, streams, and podcasts can sometimes be worth more than a single donation because of all the people you might send this way.

However you choose to participate, know I appreciate you and your willingness to give of yourself to help us survive. To be honest, if we don’t pull this off, our survival (life and death kind) is far less than 2 months from being at an end.

Thank you for coming by and spending time with us to read and learn a bit.

To your best day and brightest future,

Dan and The Boys

“And here I go again on my own

Going down the only road I've ever known

And I've made up my mind

I ain't wasting no more time”