Hello! My name is Jedidiah, but most people call me Jed. I’m 19 years old and was born and raised in the Bronx until I was 15. At that age, my mother, who struggles with mental illness, asked me to leave our home. Since then, I did everything I could to avoid the foster system, relying on family and friends for a place to stay. For three years, I moved from couch to couch, doing my best to stay afloat.

Recently, I reached a point where I could no longer find a place to stay and had to enter the shelter system. This experience opened my eyes to the many challenges people face in shelters, so I started sharing my journey on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. My goal is to bring awareness to the realities of the shelter system and advocate for change by documenting the issues I see every day.

Right now, I’m asking for help to cover basic needs like transportation, food, and warm winter clothing—hats, gloves, a scarf, a new jacket, and boots. Your support will also help me when I’m able to secure housing, allowing me to get furniture and houseware to make a fresh start. If you’re able to help, I would be deeply grateful. If not, you’re still welcome to join the community I’m building, take part in meaningful discussions, and help bring about change. Thank you so much for reading and for any support you can offer.