Help Mel and Family Escape Unsafe Living Conditions

EDIT: I've decided to add rewards!

Every week (that is, every Sunday) that this GoFundMe is up, the highest donator will be eligible for a free full art piece of their choice. The second and third highest are eligible for free bust size art pieces (flat colors). With these rewards, I hope that more people will join in and donate. If you'd like to see some art examples, please click here!

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Hello, my name is Mel, or Keaton, which I use as my online moniker. I live with my terminally ill mother and our two cats and one dog in an apartment. It was the only place we could afford, but it hasn't been the best, and with my mom's compromised immune system and my own asthmatic issues, our health has declined significantly over the years.

The apartment has flooded, has mold, cockroaches, hot water that lasts only 5 minutes, the tub is sinking in and is unusable (showers taken are up against the wall, and last from 3-5 minutes). Management has been contacted several times, with even promises of a replacement tub, which was mentioned around early December... and with it being now August, you can guess how that turned out. Management doesn't care. As much as it'd be nice to leave, how desperately we want to, we cannot afford it because we do not have a vehicle, nor the funds to move.

The second room isn't able to be used due to flooding and mold build-up, and the carpet is thrashed not only from the mold but prior renters, despite management claiming they clean out apartments before new tenants arrive. The hot water heater leaks and doesn't provide hot water long enough for a typical shower, and has contributed to the growing mold issues. The tub was "fixed" with some kind of tape, I'm not sure what they used, but as you can see, it just made things even more unsanitary, and the tub still sinks in the middle, with threat of falling through.

Beneath the kitchen sink was a moldy sinkhole that they "fixed" by putting plywood on top. While it looks better, it doesn't make it better all around, as eventually, even that wood will rot due to the disgusting hidden mold beneath it. Not only that, but roaches are a constant sight, ranging from small ones to large ones, mostly found in the bathroom or kitchen.

The entirety of this apartment is deplorable, and no one should be living in these conditions. I wouldn't doubt if other tenants in their own apartments have these issues, and while I feel for them, I must do what I can to get my mom and my pets, and myself, out of this place and try to find something else. Something at least cleaner, and on the ground floor, as the stairs up to our place are not ideal for our deteriorating condition.

All funds gained will go towards two things; one being a vehicle so we can move, or at least not have to depend on others to take us somewhere, or if we need something we can get it ourselves. Two would give us enough to rent another place, somewhere hopefully better and safer.

I know it's a lot of money, and you may not know me (perhaps you know of my art?), but we've suffered here for 4 long years, and frankly, I don't want to keep living here for even another couple of months. We're tired, we're sick, our pets and ourselves deserve a better, cleaner and relatively simpler (and safer) place. If you can donate even a little, it would help us out. It would mean the world to me, knowing we have support to get out of here.