My long-time friend, Sherrice Costa, could use some help.

She is at risk of losing her ability to stay in her Oak Park home. Last summer, she found herself with an auto-immune disorder that made it difficult and many times impossible to properly function, let alone work consistently.

She has been working with her doctors to determine what this condition is and how to treat it. Sherrice has done her best to handle this on her own. She and I talked a few days ago about reaching out for help from her community and the network of friends and family each of us have.

Every time I leave her house or she visits mine, I come away with some treasure, fruit or herbs from her garden, a piece of beautiful pottery, a quart of soup -- something she took care to think about and gift me.

Since Sherrice's work is physical - hairdresser, gardener, home and space organizing, healing arts -- her ability to generate income has diminished to the point of financial crisis. During last fall, a couple months into her auto-immune disorder episodes which have spread throughout her body's systems, she began working with Social Security Insurance (SSI) in case this health condition became permanently unsolvable and physically debilitating.

Now, months later she is still in SSI's evaluation process. Possibly in late August, she'll know if she qualifies. If she does, the income support she would receive could cover her rent and other essential bills. This timeline brings me to you, asking for your help in making sure Sherrice can financially survive the next few months.

Your gifts of love and concern will help her pay her rent, gas and other life essentials through the end of the year if possible. This financial relief gives her time and the security to pursue other options for finding a healing solution for the auto-immune disorder (Note: this week she is seeing an Ayurvedic Herbalist who works with the critically ill and has a long-history of clients with restored health.)

Sherrice loves her community of Oak Park, Sacramento. She is a community fixture and is beloved by all those she has cared for and nurtured in the signature way only Sherrice can. If you know her, then you know what I'm talking about.

Thank you for being part of this collective giving effort for Sherrice. Either I or she will share updates and thank you.

Here is her message to you: "I am so very grateful for any help I can receive from my community. As the days and weeks pass, I will share my progress with SSI and in restoring my health so I can be as active as I love being in my community and my life."