Homeless in Toronto - The Miller Family
Donation protected
Hello we are the Miller Family. We fell on hard times when my son sold the family home and basically put myself, my daughter and my two grandchildren on the streets. We have been couch surfing since September 2018.
Here is our story, when I was 19 years old in 1970 I had a brain aneurysm and required emergency surgery which saved my life. Due to the aneurysm, I was left with barely a memory of my life prior to the surgery. I did not know who my 3 month old daughter was and got lost going to my next door neighbors house for tea. I was also left with epilepsy and in August 2017, I had 104 seizures in one day and was hospitalized for approximately 3 weeks. I have PSW’s come and see me and care for me with my personal hygiene as I am unable to do it myself. My now deceased mother made it her life goal to take care of me and protect me.
Fast forward to January 22, 2017, my mother passed away at the age of 81 after a long battle of lung cancer. Prior to her death, my son gave my mother his word in that he would take care of us and not sell the family home in which we all contributed to buy over the course of 25 years but the house deed was in his name. Sadly in August 2018, my dear, ungrateful son sold our family home and put us on the streets.
We have tried everything to find a place to live but with the high cost of living, my daughters and my own combined incomes are not enough to survive or enough for first and last months rent. We either pay rent and starve or eat and get evicted. We are not looking for a hand out but more importantly a hand up. We have applied for social housing to no avail. The waiting list in Toronto for housing is 10-15 years. In order to get emergency housing we either need to be victims of domestic violence or newcomers to Canada, we are neither.
My mother cared for me all my life until her own health made it impossible to do so. My daughter over the last 15 years was the sole primary caregiver to both my mother and myself. She has done everything from making our meals, doing our laundry, paying our bills, taking us to doctors appointments and changing our diapers. The list is endless and I don’t know what I’d do without her. It has not been easy for her and I feel like a big burden to her. My daughter suffers from PTSD, depression and anxiety from an incident that occurred many years ago but she still struggles with it every day.
On Christmas morning 2018 as we opening Christmas presents at a friends place I suffered a stroke. My son was contacted to inform him that I suffered a stroke and until this day I have not heard from him, in fact I have not seen or heard from him since we left our family home on September 3rd, 2018.
My son received $1.18 million from the sale of our family home. He has gone off living the good life. We on the other hand have exhausted all our options in terms of friends who have opened their homes to accommodate us for a few weeks at a time. We are grateful for these friends. At times we have been separated, myself staying at one place, my daughter and granddaughter at another and lastly my grandson at another place. All we want is to be together again, under one roof.
Sadly a good chunk of our belongings were thrown out and we are in need of furniture as well as winter gear. My son took it upon himself to get rid of a lot of stuff, some of sentimental, some of it material things that can be replaced.
We ask that you help us get back on our feet, donations for first and last months rent, furniture that we cannot obtained through the furniture bank, winter gear for the family, having utilities turned on with deposits and other odds and ends.
We would be grateful for any help, $1, $2, $5.... whatever you could afford would be appreciated. We are desperate. Going into a shelter would not be good for me, as I am easily manipulated and too trusting. I feel like I would be taken advantage of. I still get lost and sometimes I cannot even remember many everyday things. My daughter has helped me with this as I have difficulty with things like this. She helps me with everything. I thank god everyday that she has not abandoned me like my son has. I’m ashamed to even call him my son, it hurts my heart.
Thank you in advance and god bless. We will update with picture when we finally are a family again and have a place we can call home.
Lastly, if by chance you have a home to rent in the Leslieville neighbourhood, we are a good family whom will pay rent. We do not want to leave Leslieville as my daughter works part-time at Duke of Connaught Public School, my grandchildren both attend school in the area, lastly all my community and medical supports are located in Leslieville.
How funds will be spent.
- $6000 on first/last months rent (hoping the rent is less)
- $2000 on furniture
- $1000 on deposits for utilities
- $500 on winter gear
- $500 on food/odds & ends.
The money is required as soon as possible.
The Miller Family
Here is our story, when I was 19 years old in 1970 I had a brain aneurysm and required emergency surgery which saved my life. Due to the aneurysm, I was left with barely a memory of my life prior to the surgery. I did not know who my 3 month old daughter was and got lost going to my next door neighbors house for tea. I was also left with epilepsy and in August 2017, I had 104 seizures in one day and was hospitalized for approximately 3 weeks. I have PSW’s come and see me and care for me with my personal hygiene as I am unable to do it myself. My now deceased mother made it her life goal to take care of me and protect me.
Fast forward to January 22, 2017, my mother passed away at the age of 81 after a long battle of lung cancer. Prior to her death, my son gave my mother his word in that he would take care of us and not sell the family home in which we all contributed to buy over the course of 25 years but the house deed was in his name. Sadly in August 2018, my dear, ungrateful son sold our family home and put us on the streets.
We have tried everything to find a place to live but with the high cost of living, my daughters and my own combined incomes are not enough to survive or enough for first and last months rent. We either pay rent and starve or eat and get evicted. We are not looking for a hand out but more importantly a hand up. We have applied for social housing to no avail. The waiting list in Toronto for housing is 10-15 years. In order to get emergency housing we either need to be victims of domestic violence or newcomers to Canada, we are neither.
My mother cared for me all my life until her own health made it impossible to do so. My daughter over the last 15 years was the sole primary caregiver to both my mother and myself. She has done everything from making our meals, doing our laundry, paying our bills, taking us to doctors appointments and changing our diapers. The list is endless and I don’t know what I’d do without her. It has not been easy for her and I feel like a big burden to her. My daughter suffers from PTSD, depression and anxiety from an incident that occurred many years ago but she still struggles with it every day.
On Christmas morning 2018 as we opening Christmas presents at a friends place I suffered a stroke. My son was contacted to inform him that I suffered a stroke and until this day I have not heard from him, in fact I have not seen or heard from him since we left our family home on September 3rd, 2018.
My son received $1.18 million from the sale of our family home. He has gone off living the good life. We on the other hand have exhausted all our options in terms of friends who have opened their homes to accommodate us for a few weeks at a time. We are grateful for these friends. At times we have been separated, myself staying at one place, my daughter and granddaughter at another and lastly my grandson at another place. All we want is to be together again, under one roof.
Sadly a good chunk of our belongings were thrown out and we are in need of furniture as well as winter gear. My son took it upon himself to get rid of a lot of stuff, some of sentimental, some of it material things that can be replaced.
We ask that you help us get back on our feet, donations for first and last months rent, furniture that we cannot obtained through the furniture bank, winter gear for the family, having utilities turned on with deposits and other odds and ends.
We would be grateful for any help, $1, $2, $5.... whatever you could afford would be appreciated. We are desperate. Going into a shelter would not be good for me, as I am easily manipulated and too trusting. I feel like I would be taken advantage of. I still get lost and sometimes I cannot even remember many everyday things. My daughter has helped me with this as I have difficulty with things like this. She helps me with everything. I thank god everyday that she has not abandoned me like my son has. I’m ashamed to even call him my son, it hurts my heart.
Thank you in advance and god bless. We will update with picture when we finally are a family again and have a place we can call home.
Lastly, if by chance you have a home to rent in the Leslieville neighbourhood, we are a good family whom will pay rent. We do not want to leave Leslieville as my daughter works part-time at Duke of Connaught Public School, my grandchildren both attend school in the area, lastly all my community and medical supports are located in Leslieville.
How funds will be spent.
- $6000 on first/last months rent (hoping the rent is less)
- $2000 on furniture
- $1000 on deposits for utilities
- $500 on winter gear
- $500 on food/odds & ends.
The money is required as soon as possible.
The Miller Family
Organizer
Shannon Miller
Organizer
Toronto, ON