My name is Nadia Peralta and I am advocating for and creating a mutual aid fundraiser for Jamal Brown. Jamal is an elderly 75 year old African American resident experiencing homelessness in Santa Cruz for the past 4 years. He stays on Cedar street "couch surfing" to stay warm in the winter though has previously stayed on a bus outside. While he is sleeping indoors to avoid the cold, his current situation is unsanitary and abusive and is a situation he puts up with in order to be inside.

Since early this year I have been helping Jamal find housing. Thanks to the help of my mom, we have found and secured him a spot in line for a 1 bedroom apartment at Pacific Shores Apartments off Shaffer Rd which is becoming available at the end of this month! His social security income and gigs taking care of more elderly people will let him pay the rent there if he can come up with the deposit and first months rent! We have applied to the housing authority for funds but they have run out for this year. There is so much need right now.

We already showed him the apartment and he is SO EXCITED.

He is a beloved neighbor to the people of south Cedar street where he stays, myself including several neighbors and businesses who know him. We are all cheering for his success in his quest to find affordable housing and full dignity and respect owed to him in his elderly years here in Santa Cruz. Please during this holiday season consider supporting this GoFundMe project as it will directly support Jamal being one less person outside in Santa Cruz Co. and in this larger epidemic crisis of homelessness in CA and the USA that is a stain and shame on our collective humanity and responsibility to each other's wellbeing and survival. Any amount helps and nothing is too small!

With love,

Nadia