Support Eli and Andrea's Journey to Stability

Hello,

My name is Elijah (Eli) & my partner is Andrea. We are in a second chance relationship and unfortunately, the last year has been very difficult for us.

We are both physically disabled and chronically ill. We are in our 50s. My partner is on SSDI and I am in the middle of my first appeal for SSDI, after being denied the first time last year. That is what usually happens. I have a lawyer working on my case.

I have had 4 spinal surgeries and need a 5th one. I haven’t been able to work since 2020. My long-term disability ran out in 2023 from my previous employer.

My only source of support financially (other than my partner) was my mom. But she passed away in July 2024.

I thought I would have my SSDI by now. Last year, when it was denied & my mom died, my partner and I had to move to another state just to be able to afford housing. We only know one person here and she is burned out from helping us.

My partner is filing for bankruptcy because she can’t make her credit card payments anymore because we are $400 short every month from paying basic bills (rent, utilities, her Medicare premiums & med & doctor co-pays, etc).

We get SNAP benefits and when our friend is able, she takes us to food banks.

We are going without medication and my partner has to put off important doctor's appointments because she can’t afford co-pays or the cost of an Uber or Lyft. Medicare does not cover transportation for her at all. She has called social workers, churches, etc., and no one provides transportation to her age group (she’s just slightly too young to be considered a senior citizen).

We have bills piling up and we are hungry. My lawyer thinks we’re getting close to having a determination on my appeal. Between my degenerative spinal conditions, and being diagnosed autistic, ADHD, and with PTSD, anxiety, and depression, my lawyer is confident I’ll be approved. (Law firms that specialize in disability claims don’t get paid until the SSDI is approved; therefore, they typically only take cases they believe will qualify as disabled and will be awarded benefits.)

I am not someone who has ever had to beg for help, that is until this last year. I just need some financial help short-term to bridge us until my SSDI is approved.

Being short a few hundred dollars a month is causing us a great deal of stress, hunger, and we have to forego some medication and treatment because we simply cannot afford it all.

We are not the kind of people who live beyond our means. We are simply trying to survive. We don’t eat out or order delivery, we don’t buy new clothes, or electronics. We barely have enough money to do laundry at our apartment’s laundry room.

When my disability comes through, we will be fine. We will continue to live frugally in an apartment that is comfortable, but not fancy. But we will have our dignity back and will be self-sufficient.

If anyone can help us with any amount of money, we will be forever grateful and we will definitely pay it forward when we’re able.

Thank you,

Eli