Please help me raise funds for my friend, Karen, who used to live in San Ramon, CA and is now homeless.  She needs money TODAY so she can eat, buy necessary toiletries, pay for gas to visit her children, and pay attorney fees to help get her out of this desperate situation.  Read below for background information but if you don't want to, please donate now to make a huge difference in her life's situation right now, and also share this post with all your friends.  Thank you,  Connie Book
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Hello, my name is Connie and I have a dear friend I met through church.  Her name is Karen and she used to live in my hometown of San Ramon, CA, but she and her husband moved away several years ago to a suburb of Atlanta, GA.  Over the years, they had three, beautiful children.  Karen developed Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS).  (The video attached explains it more).   Karen suffered greatly with MCS over the years, but was just starting to get better.  MCS is an unusual severe sensitivity to all types of chemicals such as cleaning products, detergents/softeners, perfumes, etc.  She has suffered extreme isolation, as many with severe MCS do, because she could not go to church or any group activities (including school functions), could not fly, stay at hotels, or with family/friends, and could not work because of her chronic illness.  Her beautiful children have had some health challenges too that have required a lot of her time and energy ( and the youngest is autistic), but through it all, Karen was blessed to be a stay-at-home mom and was finally getting better and had been enjoying outings with family and friends the past couple of years.

Unfortunately, the marriage suffered, but there were other mitigating circumstances that contributed to a complete breakdown of this marriage.  I do not wish to say anything about her husband -- three, innocent children are involved.  A few weeks ago, an incident happened in the home and Karen is now left without access to their bank accounts or shelter.  She does not have family in town and because of her MCS, cannot stay at her friends' homes.  She does not wish to leave town because she desperately needs to see her children, which she is allowed to do at a safe-house, 25 hours/month.  She has become homeless and is living out of her car.  She is not and has never been addicted to drugs or alcohol.  She does not have an income, is unable to work, and has to figure out a way to eat (she used to have to cook all her and her children's dishes because of food allergies).  She has applied for food stamps so I am hopeful.  Paying for food, gas, and toiletries is a challenge and although all these are extremely important, Karen also needs an attorney to help her navigate this mess so she can get her children back and live in her home or find a new home she can safely live in.  Many of us, when our family or friends are sick, sad, or in trouble, we ask, "How can I help you?" or "Let me know if you need help."  and the person needing help doesn't always know how you can help or is too embarrassed or uncomfortable asking for help.  

I set up this website because my friend, Karen, from Georgia, needs money right now.  This fund can only be accessed by Karen directly and because it is a gofundme account, can only be spent on the items listed (groceries/restaurants, gas, toiletries, legal help).  No one but Karen will have access to this account.  I am  setting it up for her because she is in a desperate situation and she needs help right now.  Please, I kindly ask for your donation today of any size (it all adds up).  No one is tracking it to know who donates and who doesn't but please know you will be helping a fellow mom, daughter, friend.  Please forward this message or share it on your social media pages so we can make a difference in Karen and her children's lives.  If you have specific questions, you can private-message me.  Thank you and God bless!!!  Connie Book