HURRICANE IDALIA WIPED ME OUT

My name is Shelley Ann Lawrence. The most recent hurricane here in central Florida destroyed my already compromised 200 sq. ft. fifth-wheel camper. I traveled across the U.S. as a domestic violence survivor to move into a donated trailer. The Florida-based charity, who offered it to me, described it as “safe and comfortable.” It is, in fact, 23-years-old, structurally unsound with a ceiling that is caving in. It has no central AC or heat, has fungi growing through the walls, and has no working shower or toilet. I depleted all my resources getting to Florida, and had no choice but to move into it. I pay site rent to the RV park monthly, and on time. I’ve managed against all odds and two hurricanes to keep going 12 months. But now, Hillsborough County's Code Enforcement division inspected the camper, and tagged it as uninhabitable.

I must move immediately, and desperately need funds for a mover, rent, and just a few basic pieces of furniture: a bed; a table; and a chair. My destination is a small town outside of Atlanta, Georgia, where I’m assured that hurricanes are infrequent. I’m looking for a shared rental. My only reliable income is Social Security. I’m 75, an artist, and a former TV producer from the west coast, who trusted the wrong people with my life. I apologize for asking for this assistance. My financial picture would have been better had I been able to work. But, for the entire time I have lived in this camper, the average interior temperature, with no AC, has been 88 degrees. I’ve never been able to leave my 8-year-old rescue dog, and 22-year-old cat alone for fear of heat-stroke. I’d pack them both in my old car so that we’d have AC.

There is no government assistance available to me because I have no disability, neither physical nor mental. I know times are tough for everyone. Any amount that you might be able to contribute would literally save my life, and that of my two pet companions. Thank you from my heart. For the sake of my physical safety, I am not able to post a photograph of myself.