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Fell thru the cracks, survival fund

My name is Eric,
Around January I was struck with a left inguinal hernia, while backpacking in Northern California.

The same thing happened to me in the early 2000's and then  I was lucky enough 
to have a friend to help me.

Today,  like many ,  I don't have such  a friend ...with a helping hand to lend. 

And for some reason I don't qualify for "California state disability benefits."(?)   
They say it's because 
the most recent 'trucking' jobs I've been working were using 1099 forms in payroll thereby making me ineligible, which means, no 'income,  which means dead.

So First  In order to keep my campaign alive, I have a monthly phone bill of $45 and this is a must, to stay connected to my donors and friends online.
 
2nd there is a storage facility charge of $58/month I'm looking at.

3rd could be the costs associated with food, travel, occasional shelter, and all the rest.

I'm undaunted,  unafraid, and keeping my head up but  living  an outrageously rediculous life of penury, by most standards,   ...outside, in the elements, with little to no help from family and 'friends,   my shoes are falling apart,  clothes are  falling apart, and survival gear is wearing at the seems.
 
Friends and donors, 
financial help would relieve some of this physical distress as well as the mental  stress. 

Like the great researcher from the beautiful state of Utah, Clint Richardson has said, and please
check out his 'tome', "Strawman, The Real Story of Your Artificial Person" @ 'strawmanstory.info, 'wherever you stand in 'America' you'll find that you're
trespassing,' ...on land that doesn't belong to you. 
Which means, likemany others,  I have to keep moving and not stop in any one place for too long as not to get arrested for 'trespassing'.   Which is why the need for traveling funds.  

It's been said,  "Time is money,"
Time on this 'planet' is measured out in dollars and cents. 

I'm setting a figure of $3,000 with the expectation 'medi-Cal' will cover all the surgery costs, but may leave a large gap in funding for convalescence and all the costs of that.

"go fund me" was suggested by a pleasant guy I met at a support group in Hollywood, Ca. He was badly beaten up by a street person with golf clubs. He then raised enough money with gofundme to receive  help.

I want this surgery so I can rise out of homelessness and work again.
The last job I held was a truck driving job for a company out of Chicago which ended around October last year.

Getting back to trucking means  passing  a  D. O.T . physical and  hernias are one of the things doctors check for on potential 'drivers'.
 
So Eric is behind the 8 ball. 

A little  background, I'm a high school graduate with some college, and the career I've been at the longest is trucking .

My father and grandfather owned and worked a tug boat company off Staten Island, NY.   So maybe truck driving is a natural fit for someone like me.

 I still hold a valid California 
'Class A driver's license'.

It has been  terrifying and traumatizing living outside, without an income or family support. 

Rain, cold, wind, "code enforcement agents (police)," violent people and places.  It is not safe and my life is usually in some kind of potential danger. 
Also I don't use alcohol or drugs to screen out the awfulness of this situation 
and this month,  March, it is  20 years off alcohol.  

Any help is greatly appreciated. 

I apologize for any mistakes, omissions or if I said too much or too little here.

thank you,

Eric

Organizer

Eric Thomas
Organizer
Fontana, CA

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