Getting Omar and his family safe and warm
Donation protected
Omar is from El Salvador. He works every day, doing jobs with no glory and low wages. He does it to give a decent life to his wife and young boy. Omar doesn't touch alcohol or any other substance, other than coffee, which he loves. He sometimes works over 24 hours at a stretch.
For all his work, Omar and his family were told to leave their apartment for renovations. Unable to put down a security deposit plus rent for a new place, Omar and his family spent three weeks in a motel, before he could no longer afford that. His wife and boy left to take refuge with her sister in MA. Omar did not want to lose his work, so he stayed. I learned all this on Sunday night. At the end of the night, I learned that Omar was heading off to sleep on the streets, for what would have been the fourth straight night. Omar had slept under the 295 overpass as the temperature dropped into single digits. When he’d finally begun to fall into a desperate sleep, he wasn't sure he'd wake up at all, When he did, he couldn't move his feet.
I was not going to let Omar go out onto the streets for another night. I’ve managed to get him set up with a bed in a warm room, got him some food, and so the most immediate dangers have been averted. But he is still homeless, separated from his family, and his son is out of school until he can get back to Portland.
I am trying to raise $2000 to get Omar back on his feet. That should cover first month and security for a small, simple apartment for the family, along with a little for some groceries. A little more would help with basic furnishings (which could also be donated) and maybe a Christmas present for his son.
Thank you all for helping a good man whose life is pretty hard, at best, and who is truly in need at this moment. Thank you for helping his family.
-David
For all his work, Omar and his family were told to leave their apartment for renovations. Unable to put down a security deposit plus rent for a new place, Omar and his family spent three weeks in a motel, before he could no longer afford that. His wife and boy left to take refuge with her sister in MA. Omar did not want to lose his work, so he stayed. I learned all this on Sunday night. At the end of the night, I learned that Omar was heading off to sleep on the streets, for what would have been the fourth straight night. Omar had slept under the 295 overpass as the temperature dropped into single digits. When he’d finally begun to fall into a desperate sleep, he wasn't sure he'd wake up at all, When he did, he couldn't move his feet.
I was not going to let Omar go out onto the streets for another night. I’ve managed to get him set up with a bed in a warm room, got him some food, and so the most immediate dangers have been averted. But he is still homeless, separated from his family, and his son is out of school until he can get back to Portland.
I am trying to raise $2000 to get Omar back on his feet. That should cover first month and security for a small, simple apartment for the family, along with a little for some groceries. A little more would help with basic furnishings (which could also be donated) and maybe a Christmas present for his son.
Thank you all for helping a good man whose life is pretty hard, at best, and who is truly in need at this moment. Thank you for helping his family.
-David
Organizer
David Levi
Organizer
Portland, ME
