Join Michael in Housing Linda Safely

My name is Michael, and I am raising funds to support the rehousing and new beginning of my friend Linda. I met Linda in late 2024 when her senior living apartment building was put up for a few weeks in the hotel I work at following a fire. She took a liking to me, and I gave her my phone number to offer to lend a hand moving after learning she was all alone here. Linda's group was moved to a different hotel, and several months passed along with much of my recollection of Linda until just a few weeks ago.

I was in Miami for MMW weekend and after a Friday all-nighter, crashed out Saturday morning to rest up for night two. Woke up to several missed calls from an unknown Saint Pete number with no voicemails or texts. Called back to reach a woman named Q, who had been given my number by Linda as someone who might be able to help. Q explained that Linda had been sleeping outside for about two weeks, that it was going to rain all night in Saint Pete. Was there anything I could do?

Linda has been staying in my home since, and I've made it a personal mission to help her secure safe, permanent housing. I've done a deep dive into the world of low-income senior housing advocacy and given myself a crash course in social work, but am nearing the end of this part of my journey with Linda. We are in the process of applying for the long-term care benefit through Medicaid, but I found a few assisted living facilities that are willing to accept her at her level of income with a Medicaid-pending status. These arrangements all require substantial move-in fees, and that Linda sign over her monthly social security income to the facilities.

Many of you have followed this story and have offered to send money or other assistance, to which I have thus far replied, "not yet." For those of you that haven't, the YouTube link is the contemporaneous tale. But now I am looking to raise funds to cover Linda's move-in expenses, replace lost essential items like clothing and basic furniture, and hopefully give her a little cash in the bank until Medicaid kicks in, at which point she will be able to keep a certain portion of her SS income each month.