Wheels For Life: Help Lorelei Keep Swimming!
UPDATE: I now have a little more time to raise all the money I need and I have been able to lower my goal by nearly 2/3! Even a small amounts add up. Hoping to get it all done before the end of July.
Hi, I'm Lorelei. I need enough money to buy a car (originally deadline was Friday, June 28, 2019!) I know that's a lot of money on short order, but here's my story:
I'm a 53 year old woman with disabilities who lives in Oakland, California with my beloved, almost 20 year old, ESA cat, LiLi (aka Captain Merphlepoof or Merph for short) I'm grateful that I have a disability check to pay my rent each month, however, when it comes to emergencies, I have no safety net. In order to cover my most basic bills, toiletries, prescriptions and food for me and my cat, I usually do pet care for others, small jobs and trades. For this, I absolutely need a car.
For eight months, my own car had been parked because it needed repairs I could not afford. It was risky, but street parking was my only option. I've made do, but I have also lost many opportunities for income. I've gone hungry. I've had to forego medical appointments and skip prescription medications. I've had absolutely no independence. I am only able to walk short distances so I have missed out on a lot of social and enrichment opportunities. But, I always had the hope that somehow, I'd come up with enough money to fix the car, get it registered again, and get back to having a more productive life. That dream died last week, however, when the car was impounded for expired tags. The fees added up so quickly that they far exceeded the value of the car. There was no choice but to let it go. In all honesty, the car had already exceeded it's useful lifespan, but it was all I had.
An opportunity to buy a reliable used car from a friend who is moving away has suddenly popped up. It's a Toyota with low mileage for its age. It has been well maintained and has a lot of new parts (wheels, radiator, etc) It has recently passed smog so all I would need to do is pay taxes and title transfer fees and I would be good to go. The friend has agreed to hold the car sale for me until Friday. The car is $2400 but I will also need to pay taxes and transfer fees and start up an insurance policy. I have $6.00 in my bank account so I figure it's best to make the fundraiser high enough to cover all of this. I can take a bit longer to raise those fees though, so my Friday Miracle Target is $2400!
I struggle a lot with chronic pain, depression and ambulatory issues due to my disabilities. Being isolated and unproductive the past eight months has been hard on me emotionally. The past decade has been really tough. Before I was able to secure SSDI, I lost nearly everything.I was even homeless for a while. But slowly with the help of friends, things have become more stable. Having a working car was instrumental in my survival.The recent issues with the old car and finally losing it completely, have totally tipped the apple cart. I hate to miss out on this opportunity with this car, but if I do, I'll use whatever money is raised to get myself a sound vehicle as soon as possible.
A reliable vehicle will give me:
Independence and freedom!
The ability to better support myself financially by supplementing my income
I will be able to resume my medical schedule which is supposed to include 3 physical therapy appointments per week, doctor and mental health visits
I can take my aging cat to the vet promptly if she needs it
I will be able to actually give back and contribute by doing volunteer work or helping other people with rides
I will no longer be limited to a the area near my apartment where I can walk. I can get out more and have a social life
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this! Every dollar helps and so does every share! I will also be happy to take donations directly via PayPal: paypal.me/MoonLorelei , GooglePay (If you have my phone or email) or Square Cash App: $LMoon
