Stop Laura from being evicted!

Hi friends! The community systems that are meant to support us have drastically failed. Due to bureaucracy, terrible communication, a clerical error and no fault of Laura's, she now must come up with $2650 of back rent (that to her knowledge was being paid by her social worker out of her ODSP accont for the past 6 months). Her building has agreed to extend the deadline from 1 week to mid November.

If you've navigated these systems before, you know how complicated and challenging they can be, if you haven't, please believe me when I say, this clerical error that could result in her becoming homeless is abhorrent but not surprising. I'm asking us all to please rise up and help be the community support that she needs, so we can help her stay in her home.

A message from Laura:

"The fear and shame I have asking for help is not something I can put into words. I was told at a very young age from the people that were meant to be there for me to help me and guide me with problem solving that; “this is your mess, you clean it up!” This was the approach I was taking with everything in my life. My mental health diagnosis, my abusive marriage, and the traumatic things that happened to me in the past this is your mess Laura. You clean it up.

In 2018 I was diagnosed with PTSD, Borderline Personality Disorder, PMDD, Major Depressive Disorder ADHD and General Anxiety. In 2022 my partner of 15 years filed for divorce leaving me homeless and in lawyer debt at the end of 2022. I was fortunate enough to be provided with assisted housing by Sistering and St Clair Housing. I was getting back on my feet, cleared my lawyer debt, started 2023 in a new place and was finally called and approved to start a very involved trauma treatment program at CAMH that I had been on the waiting list for 5 years. Now due to ODSP clerical error I am facing eviction from my assisted housing while trying to work through my trauma and mental health diagnosis.

So I am finally asking for help and at the same time I want to give back to you for generosity.

In the last five years visual art has come back into my life.

Mostly due to my many stays in CAMH trying to find a way back to me and to pass the time.

I have found art therapy to be such an amazing skill in my journey to healing.

So this is where many of these creations came from. Me trying to process my trauma on the 7th floor of CAMH done behind closed doors.

I now want to bring these creations into the light, and share them with you, as a sign of my gratitude for helping me in this fearful time.

With every donation received you will be gifted a piece of original artwork by me.

HomeMade Candles

$20-$50

Pen/Ink Drawings

100-200

Watercolour Paintings

300-350

Acrylic Flow Pours

400-500

Higher than 550 a commission piece by me of your choice, with a call we can determine what you might like from me.

This will take longer to be gifted and hopeful well worth the wait.

Thank you very much for your time and for reading my story."

Laura is deeply grateful to everyone and wants to thank donors with gifts of art. If you want to make anonymous donations, of course feel free, but if you make your donation public, Laura and I will get in touch with you about art rewards. You can see her art on her Instagram account flowwithinart

Thanks everyone!