Madeline has a new GoFundMe page. More fun, less dire! Her friend Carol has set it up, because there are technical difficulties with this one. Join the good fight at ELVES VS. WOLVES. https://gofund.me/61a7c65f9

Dear Kind Strangers and Concerned Friends,

I'm raising essential survival funds for Madeline, my beautiful, funny, and very talented artist and writer friend of many years. I hope you can join me in raising funds for her. She urgently needs an initial $3,500 to get the ball rolling, and there will be a number of additional expenses after that. (We estimate another $10,000, but the $3,500 is what’s urgent right now.) Please share this page on your social media, with your email lists, and with any groups who may be interested in helping her out.

Having already been living with disabling health issues (autoimmune disorder similar to MS and inoperable spine problems) for many years, Madeline developed new ones more recently (connective tissue breakdown, heart palpitations, bleeding rashes, and many new allergies). She believes those were caused by environmental toxicity in her apartment in New York City. She's given up her lease there and has been staying with various friends. Because of her autoimmune disorder, she's reluctant to visit the crowded clinics for her health, dental, and vision care. She's desperate to relocate from New York City.

Madeline is very grateful for the kind and caring friends and acquaintances who have hosted her and helped her so far during this time of crisis. Just by getting out of her apartment and staying in healthier environments, she has already experienced some improvement of the more recent health issues. We have good reason to hope this will continue if she can get into a secure long-term and healthy living environment soon!

Here's the catch — in order to leave New York, she must hire a lawyer in another state to start the process that will allow her to transfer her disability benefits to there. She's spoken with social workers and benefits counselors, and the first thing she needs to do is pay for a lawyer (estimated $3,500). This has to be done immediately because the clock is ticking on her benefits, including ongoing eligibility for government subsidized housing. Once this legal disability documentation has been filed, she can then apply for the benefits transfers.

After that an $10,000, should be enough to cover security deposit, first month's rent, moving costs, new furniture, and replacing her dying phone. She abandoned her furniture but is making monthly credit card payments for storage of the rest of her belongings. I'm collecting the funds from this fundraiser on her behalf and paying the expenses directly from that.

When the pandemic started, some aspects of the lockdown opened up Madeline's life in positive ways. Someone gave her a laptop in 2020, and she began writing lively and humorous philosophical fiction, speculating about the possibilities of evolutionary biology on planet Earth in the near future. This became her new passion while she was cooped up in her apartment. (She hopes to be ready to contact publishers some time in 2026.) The laptop also opened up the worlds of online groups. She's been reading and discussing philosophy, history, art, film, and literature, all as research for her writing. The online world became the mainstay of her new social life in what for her is still the pandemic era (due to the autoimmune disorder).

I knew Madeline before she became disabled, and I have watched her adapt to life after becoming unable to work and having very little money. She has been persistent over the years in finding public and private assistance to help her live with dignity. Now she's hit another steep learning curve; yet she keeps her sense of humor, hope, and interest in life. Madeline perseveres, and I would like to help make that easier for her.

Please donate any amount you can afford to help Madeline get into a much more stable situation very soon. Let's get her focused on recovering her health and on writing and enjoying life! Please share this page on your social media, with your email lists, and with any groups who might be interested in helping her out.

Thank you!

Michelle