This is kind of long, but you need to know what's truly happening.

Our friend April DuBoce, who for everything she has been through the last 20 years, who has been as self-sufficient as possible, is in dire, dire straits, and told almost no one until she confided in me, last week.

She HATES that I'm doing this, and fought everyone who also recommended it. However, a few years ago when I was in this position, she took it out of my hands being a good friend, so turn about is fair play because I love her, as all of you do.

In spite of all the contributions April has made the last 10 years to the apartment community where she lives, especially for the handicapped, new owners are raising her rent 40%.

She has been looking for another place and programs to help, since July of last year. Trust me when I say: her case managers, medical people, EVERYONE has looked into everything possible and every program out there.

Even the $500 a month apartments in the worst and most unsafe parts of town want her to prove she makes 3x that, which she doesnt.

Everything has imploded on April the last few months that she needs extra, in addition to housing. She's working 3 jobs and puts out enormous energy and love in all of them.

But a quote from one of her Pastors yesterday was: "She puts out far too much physical and mental exertion for her returns in those jobs.

April currently pays $779 without utilities because of being grandfathered. After looking even today, she told me, she is going to have to pay a minimum of $900, not including utilities, bills, pet food, gas, reg groceries like garbage bags, soap, etc (she gets Food Stamps) just to have an ADA apartment that will fit her wheelchairs and allow for movement throughout the apartment.

Trust me, she's not trying to find something fancy. She also has to have an apartment with a washer and dryer in it. She no longer can physically haul laundry back and forth somewhere, even in her car. For April to truly avoid living in her car, and to keep up with the about $400 in bills she has a month, she needs help.

As stated above, she and her case managers have tried every program available. Every complex has a waiting list, or apartments go the same day they become available. As far as programs, everyone needs help right now and programs and organizations are drained.

47 surgeries, a debilitating dystrophy that will take more of her limbs, no doubt more hospitalizations to come because of her bladder, which means less work for her. She spent 16 days of the last 4 1/2 weeks in the hospital with Sepsis, infections, blood clot, and more, causing her to miss a lot of work.

Plus, she pushes so hard to work, she sometimes goes back to Events for her little two side businesses way too soon and that hurts her more. She is fiercely independent and won't stop until she's forced to. I know 2 1/2 days in this last stay she worked 17 hours from her bed on her cell, trying to make sales for her Collective Company, because she's so scared about finances. To know avail, btw. The hospital workers finally made her put her phone away, or they were gonna take it, so she'd stop working.

She's embarrassed, incredibly humbled by the thousands of people praying for her and desperately wishes she could do it all on her own. She finally relented for this kind of help, as hard as it was for her.

I will include one of her business websites. Orders are good for her, but right now, the Go Fund Me will help far more. She does love to get orders though, as it generates a Random Act of Goodness in the Community and your portion donated os $.96 on the dollar. She is so proud of her company!

This is a list of just some of the things she needs which were mentioned above:

First and last months rent totalling $1600 (she made me low-ball it), Car insurance for 2 months, 2 new front tires (she's driving on bald), phone and 3 other bills for 2 months (the 2 months is to give her a cushion due to health), apartment deposits ($300 ??), gas and groceries for a couple months ($150??)

The rest is too much to detail. Thank you for readingand sharing. For those of you that can help, I'm grateful and I know April will be, too.

my.thinkgoodness.com/aprilsboutique