Hi!
My name is Lisa and my daughter, Natalia is pictured here and this is our story.
We are natives to the Bay Area and our DREAM is to move to Santa Barbara where Natalia can attend "Devereux" , an Adult Special Needs Program unlike any found locally. Because Natalia will never be able to work and support herself, she is quadriplegic with Cerebral Palsy and it has been difficult to find an appropiate program here that fits her unique needs. Natalia's favorite things to do is be outdoors on a walk and swim. Devereux spends 70% of their time out in the community, they have a great program and many days are spent at the beach! Natalia could be in one of those beach wheelchairs being pushed in the hilly sand loving every minute. The weather in Santa Barbara lends itself to be outdoors much more of the time than it does here in Lafayette where it's too hot in the summer to go outside and there isn't a pool that we can get her into in the entire Bay Area ! I'm not kidding, the ADA chairlifts used by the disabled to get into a pool that are now required at all public pools, gyms and hotels, Natalia can not use. She does not have the capacity to hold herself up in those chairs and there isnt any support built into them plus there is no way for us to transfer her from her wheelchair to the chairlift, she weighs 170 pounds now. That's other big reason she needs to start swimming so she can get down to a more managable weight, that would also help me with her care and lessen the load on my body. In Santa Barbara at Cottage Hospital we can use their heated year round pool, they use a Hoyer lift to transfer you directly from your wheelchair to the pool! Perfection!!!!!
Another big factor in choosing to move to Santa Barbara is the availabity of In Home Nursing Care for Natalia. The nursing agency's in Santa Barbara have skilled nurses ready to work immediately, I have been without help for Natalia for 15 months. There is a high demand for skilled in home care in the Bay Area, all of the In Home Nursing Agency's in the Bay Area have indifinite waitlists which we have been on for years with no relief.
Our Lease is up the end ofJuly and we must make the move by then. I have been saving what money I can and selling furniture and antiques on Ebay, Etsy and Craigslist but I'm afraid we will not have enough money for all of the moving expenses. Natalia's Father is in the arrears in his child support and her SSI payments were reduced by 50%, I am waiting for the outcome of the appeal I filled five months ago! All of these factors make me worry everyday how can I do it. I suffer from Fibromyalgia but everyday I get something done towards our goal. We don't have any relatives that we can turn to so that is why we are asking you to open your hearts to us and help Natalia and I get to Santa Barbara.
We would really appreciate your kindness and generousity. $5,000 would save the day for us and help with the moving expenses, put my mind at ease and make the biggest dream ever come true for a young lady who deserves to smile every day in Santa Barbara! I think I would smile everyday too.
Thank you!
Lisa and Natalia
XOX
My name is Lisa and my daughter, Natalia is pictured here and this is our story.
We are natives to the Bay Area and our DREAM is to move to Santa Barbara where Natalia can attend "Devereux" , an Adult Special Needs Program unlike any found locally. Because Natalia will never be able to work and support herself, she is quadriplegic with Cerebral Palsy and it has been difficult to find an appropiate program here that fits her unique needs. Natalia's favorite things to do is be outdoors on a walk and swim. Devereux spends 70% of their time out in the community, they have a great program and many days are spent at the beach! Natalia could be in one of those beach wheelchairs being pushed in the hilly sand loving every minute. The weather in Santa Barbara lends itself to be outdoors much more of the time than it does here in Lafayette where it's too hot in the summer to go outside and there isn't a pool that we can get her into in the entire Bay Area ! I'm not kidding, the ADA chairlifts used by the disabled to get into a pool that are now required at all public pools, gyms and hotels, Natalia can not use. She does not have the capacity to hold herself up in those chairs and there isnt any support built into them plus there is no way for us to transfer her from her wheelchair to the chairlift, she weighs 170 pounds now. That's other big reason she needs to start swimming so she can get down to a more managable weight, that would also help me with her care and lessen the load on my body. In Santa Barbara at Cottage Hospital we can use their heated year round pool, they use a Hoyer lift to transfer you directly from your wheelchair to the pool! Perfection!!!!!
Another big factor in choosing to move to Santa Barbara is the availabity of In Home Nursing Care for Natalia. The nursing agency's in Santa Barbara have skilled nurses ready to work immediately, I have been without help for Natalia for 15 months. There is a high demand for skilled in home care in the Bay Area, all of the In Home Nursing Agency's in the Bay Area have indifinite waitlists which we have been on for years with no relief.
Our Lease is up the end ofJuly and we must make the move by then. I have been saving what money I can and selling furniture and antiques on Ebay, Etsy and Craigslist but I'm afraid we will not have enough money for all of the moving expenses. Natalia's Father is in the arrears in his child support and her SSI payments were reduced by 50%, I am waiting for the outcome of the appeal I filled five months ago! All of these factors make me worry everyday how can I do it. I suffer from Fibromyalgia but everyday I get something done towards our goal. We don't have any relatives that we can turn to so that is why we are asking you to open your hearts to us and help Natalia and I get to Santa Barbara.
We would really appreciate your kindness and generousity. $5,000 would save the day for us and help with the moving expenses, put my mind at ease and make the biggest dream ever come true for a young lady who deserves to smile every day in Santa Barbara! I think I would smile everyday too.
Thank you!
Lisa and Natalia
XOX
Organizer
Lisa Rudell
Organizer
Lafayette, CA