Support for Overcoming Trauma and Homelessness

Friends and Concerned Souls,

Please help me leave the most traumatic time period of my life, and situational homelessness behind.

Since being a victim of assault and crime last year, I have struggled through the year with deteriorating mental health. Exacerbated symptoms of PTSD and clinical depression, along with prolonged unemployment led me to be situationally homeless. There were very few persons who understood the truth of my personal experience, and supported me throughout this time period. My faith in God and the altruism of understanding souls sustained me through the darkest moments.

I headed towards San Diego in February 2024, thinking that the familiarity of the city that I used to consider my hometown (2008-2016, UC San Diego '13) would be comforting. My time started with a police report that I filed to report stalking. I was neither expecting nor prepared to become homeless in San Diego.

I have been seeking stability and restoration: of my mental health, housing, and the ability to see the goodness in people again. I have no intention of allowing strangers into my personal life, and I will remain a firm believer of boundaries. I am convinced more than ever, that designing a life that I would love to live as an introvert is essential for my mental health.

After having lived in several shelters in San Diego since February and adopting a service dog for my disability in May, I realized that it might be time to seek support from a network outside of the systems and nonprofits in the city and county. While I am thankful for a few of their services, I have been experiencing discrimination and harassment in some of these settings. Since last month, I have been struggling to find space in shelters for myself and my service dog after being hospitalized for a mental health crisis. I had to seek out additional advocacy for my disability and psychiatric service dog, as well as the benefits that I am aware that my circumstances qualify me for, immediately.

The accumulated stress from the time period and not having my basic needs met for food and housing has taken a toll. I have found that I fall through the cracks of some of the programs for the vulnerable and/or behavioral health as a "hyper-educated homeless" and perhaps as an individual with "high-functioning depression". The psychiatrists I spoke with at my last hospital visit agreed that stable housing would be most helpful for my mental health.

I have applied for disability benefits from Social Security, which might take up to 200 days for them to complete the medical review. It is not guaranteed that it will be approved. I have also applied for victim compensation, which would take around 90 days for them to review. I recently contacted a law firm to access disability benefits.

Not having to worry about the above-mentioned basic needs (housing with my service dog, food, transportation, income for day to day activities) and dodging opportunists/predators through this time would truly make a huge difference for my mental health, and allow me to focus my time on attention on other important matters. It would alleviate a significant obstacle I have been facing and navigating alone the past 4 months, in restoring stability and normalcy for my personal and professional life.

I am truly thankful for the genuinely concerned persons who: did not dismiss the state of my mental health, noticed the unusual challenges in accessing housing and resources, and respected my personal boundaries and timeline.

Thank you for reading, and considering offering financial support.

Disclaimer: All of the money raised through this personal fundraiser will strictly be spent on direct costs and/or efforts towards: securing stable housing, food, transportation, and caring for my service dog. I will not spend it on any "recreational" activities. I do not drink or smoke.