Hi friends, neighbors, and community members — including any I haven’t yet met,

I’m Amy. For about four and a half months now, my partner Jamie and I have been letting William Young, Tiffany, and their cat Rocky camp in our backyard.

William and Tiffany became homeless a few years ago and have been doing their best to survive and rebuild ever since. Both are elderly and/or disabled, and walking is difficult for them — even just getting up my driveway can be a serious challenge. Recently, William tripped over a root and fell into the grill they use for cooking. Thankfully, he wasn’t badly hurt, but with cold weather is here now, I’m increasingly worried.

For those who already know William, I imagine you’ve been on the receiving end of his many requests for financial help. You may have felt compassion fatigue or wondered if your support was really making a difference. I get that — truly, me too.

But please stay with me for a moment.

After wrestling with thoughts like “It’s not my problem to solve” and “Others know them better than I do,” I realized I couldn’t keep looking away. Jamie and I have a big yard and no strict HOA, so in July we offered them a place to camp. Since then, we’ve also paid for a porta potty and lent them a work van from Jamie’s company for as long as we could.

Even with all that, it’s still not enough to quite help them get back on their feet.

I’ve seen firsthand how much they spend on Ubers just to get to appointments, meals, or errands. They have a small but dedicated circle of community members who regularly help with rides and groceries — but it’s exhausting for everyone, and still never quite enough.

So here’s where I’m asking for help:

I want to get them a simple, reliable car.

This time, it’s different than their past requests — all donations will come directly to me, and I’ll ensure every dollar goes solely toward purchasing a vehicle (not daily needs). When they had use of Jamie’s van, they were out constantly working, organizing, and trying to simplify their lives. They want to get out of this situation, and I truly believe a car would help make that possible.

If you’d like to help:

Thank you for reading, and for caring about helping William, Tiffany, and Rocky find more stability and dignity this winter. Every bit helps.

With gratitude,

Amy