Joey’s Relocation Fund

Hi everyone! We are raising funds to move my younger brother Joey to Ireland to live with us. This move is vital for his mental and emotional health. He currently lives in a care facility in rural Ohio, and we need some help to manage everything. We are hoping to have him here and settled before Christmas.

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Here's a bit about my brother, Joey.

When Joey was four years old, he contracted encephalitis and was in a medically induced coma. After four days, his medical team used steroids to revive him. However, he had suffered brain damage. He came home remembering very little, including who our mother was. It was a challenging time, made worse by our mother's lack of proper understanding of how to give Joey the care he needed. At the time, we were told that Joey wouldn't develop beyond the mentality of a 13-year-old (an outdated method of describing the difficulties he was likely to face as an adult). He has since been diagnosed with IDD (intellectual and developmental disability), ADHD, and epilepsy. He cannot live entirely independently.

Joey lived with our mother until she passed in 2015. After a short time living with a family friend, Joey entered the social care system in rural Ohio.

After our mother's passing, Joey became profoundly depressed and expressed suicidal ideation. At the time, he and I had no way of getting in touch, but we have since reconnected and now talk via video chat almost daily. In reacquainting ourselves, I have been reminded of my deep love for him.

Joey is lonely and needs more community than he can find in his current situation. Despite all that he has been through, he remains an amazingly kind and forgiving person with an overwhelmingly generous heart. He's a keen botanist, spiritualist, and painter, and would love to work in a garden center and have a little garden of his own.

I find it incredibly difficult to express all the nuances, difficulties, and complications of Joey's situation in such a short space. Please trust me that there is much more to his situation. There is a clear need to move him to live with Vic and me.

We have spoken to Joey's service and support administrator (SSA), who has provided us with a detailed report of Joey's care needs. The areas where he needs assistance are well within our capabilities.

We realize that times are tricky for everyone. It's challenging to ask for this help. However, without crowdfunding, we would find it impossible to absorb the setup and relocation fees. With the current political environment in the United States, Joey feels vulnerable as a disabled person and for other reasons. Moving Joey to Ireland is increasingly urgent. Things aren't perfect anywhere, but here we can look after him directly and give him more of the life he deserves, free from institutionalization.

If finances are tight, but you have other ways you think you might be able to help, please reach out! Thank you all so much. Xoxo

The plan is this:

Joey and his SSA work to obtain a new ID.

Joey and his SSA work to apply for a passport.

A passport is issued.

I fly to Ohio for about two weeks to help him tie up loose ends and pack his things.

Joey and I will then fly back together.

Our budget goal includes but is not limited to (approx.):

€150 passport application and ID fees, etc.

€2,000 for my return ticket and Joey's one-way ticket

€800 for my expenses while in Ohio

€1,000 Irish relocation, including residency/sponsorship, supplies, and initial health care costs