Hi, friends.

It has come to my attention that my friend -beloved Chicago violinist- Samuel “Savoir Faire” Williams is in dire need of financial help due to a string of unforeseen, problematic events which have left him, at present, both homeless, and apart from his four dependent children.  I am trying to help raise $15,000 (or more) to assist him in finding a safe and stable living condition so he may be reunited and care for his children (he has five children: aged 26, 17, two 13 year old twins and an 11 year old)...

He has been the sole provider for his wife (now separated, and he is still paying for her to live day to day) and the sole provider for his five children for over 25 years. Sadly, there is a legal custody issue at play as well as an issue of losing his access to food stamps and other state-assisted help— and he desperately needs an attorney to fight for these things on his behalf.

Additionally, and no less dire of a situation, Sam has been severely harassed at his place of work by an aggressive stalker —to the point of filing three restraining orders and multiple police reports against the individual. The events of this harassment recently escalated to a point in which the result was Sam losing his job. Unfairly.

He needs a break. He needs help. He needs a home. He needs a lawyer. He needs to feed his children. 

Sam has been a very active and respected part of the Chicago street performing community for 22 years. He has also been a valued performer at two Potbelly locations for 13 years— those gigs have kept him afloat, albeit barely at times, and now, the company is cutting back on dates for musicians. All of this has happened in the last few weeks and he is without transportation, housing, or money to eat. Literally.  

As musicians, we grow accustomed to struggling to pay bills... at least most of us, at one time or another in our journey. Times are fat or lean in our industry. And tragedy or a string of unexpected expenses can set us back months, even years.  Sam is first and foremost always concerned about the well-being of his beautiful, bright children, often sacrificing his own comforts for theirs. His 17 year old daughter is on scholarship at the Illinois Math and Science Academy and his twin boys have grants to attend a seminary school, for now. 

I am asking for the help of our community of friends, fans and peers on social media to donate anything to help Sam get back on his feet. If everyone who ever met Sam donated something AND shared this link with others, it would be a huge help. He is a wonderful musician, a kind-hearted, hard-working, honest person with such humility and class... We all need
-at some point in our lives-  unexpected angels to drop us tethers
to new hope and better days; please join me in being there for one of our own in the Chicago Music Community.

Thank you so much-
Erin McDougald