My name is Elizabeth, and I’m raising funds for myself and eight others in our unhoused community living next to the freeway. We’re a small group—my brother, a blind man named Dustin, and several others—doing our best to survive each day. We all have animals who mean the world to us: I have Brandi Mae, Harley Quin, and Lil Baby; Dustin has Gismo; and my brother has Jasper. Our pets are our family, and we do everything we can to keep them safe and fed, even when it means going without ourselves.


Every day is a struggle to meet our basic needs. I do all the cooking for our group, and we pool what little money we have to make sure everyone gets a meal. We share everything—food, water, and whatever supplies we can find. Dustin, who has very low vision, has been targeted and attacked before, so my boyfriend helps him get to and from work safely. We all look out for each other like a family, even if we’re a little dysfunctional at times. Our biggest fear is being swept by the police and losing everything again, including the few belongings and supplies we have left.


All we have is one another. We have no family or friends to lean on or ask for help, so we’re trying something different and reaching out to the world for support. We’re all trying to get into housing, but the process takes time. In the meantime, we urgently need help with food, daily supplies, and care for our animals. Any support would mean the world to us and help us keep our little family together while we work toward a safer, more stable future.