One Month to Save My Home, My Cats, and My Independence

Hello, my name is Linda Shaffer, and I’m asking for help to keep my footing, and my home, during one of the hardest moments of my 80 years of life.

⚠️ Urgent Need — One Month to Save Everything

Within the next month, I could lose everything: my home, my two beloved cats, and the independence I’ve worked so hard to hold onto. Without dependable transportation and a small cushion for essential bills, I won’t be able to maintain my caregiving work or cover my housing costs. I’ve come to the point where I have no safety net left, and I truly don’t know where I would go if I lose this home.

A Lifetime of Caring

Caring for others has always been the thread running through my life. It started when I was a little girl in Jaffrey, New Hampshire.

First there was Danny, a boy who was blind but full of laughter. Then came a little boy with leukemia, I would tuck him into my little red wagon with pillows and blankets and pull him through town so he could feel the fresh air on his face.

As a teenager in Massachusetts, I spent years visiting my friend Peggy, who had polio and lived in a full-body iron lung. I’d go to her house every day after school, comb her hair, and sit by her side. Sometimes we’d make playful phone calls to boys, giggling like any two teenagers would. When they heard the sound of the iron lung in the background, Peggy would whisper, “Hang up!”, and we’d laugh until we cried. Those moments taught me what compassion and courage truly look like.

That same spirit guided me through caring for my mother, and later, for my husband, Joseph, through his long illness. Today, at nearly eighty, I’m still caring for others, now as a State Certified Home Care Aide in Washington State, a certification I earned on September 29, 2025.

Why I Need Help Now

I’ve tried everything to stay independent. I’ve worked hard as a caregiver, created and sold art online, and even opened my home to tenants to make ends meet, but those arrangements brought more harm than help. Despite all my effort, I’m now at a breaking point.

This GoFundMe will help me:

Keep my home and care for my two cats

Purchase a reliable used car outright (no monthly payments)

Cover registration, insurance, and licensing fees

I’m not asking for luxury, just a fair chance to stay safe, keep working, and hold onto the small world I’ve built with love and perseverance.

If you can help, whether through a donation or by sharing my story, please know that your kindness means more than words can express. Every little bit helps me stay housed, employed, and hopeful.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Linda Shaffer

PS: Why I updated my goal:

When I first started this fundraiser, I set a smaller goal because it was hard to ask for help. But the truth is, I need closer to $12,000 to get through the months ahead. I lost income when a tenant situation didn’t work out, and I no longer have enough to cover my basic living expenses or secure reliable transportation to reach caregiving clients. The fear of losing my modest mobile home is overwhelming, this goal reflects what it will truly take to stay safe, stable, and independent. Thank you for understanding and for believing in me.