Comments

are there any programs in your area that can help you and your family
By addie

This was one comment that was posted.

Yes there are programs, but there are no emergency programs for women. We have a Salvation Army that has beds for men and it's on a first come, first serve basis. But, it's only for men. We also have a program for women with children and we have an emergency domestic violence shelter.
Of course it crossed my mind to pretend that I was in a domestic violence relationship and make up a story that I'm running from my boyfriend. I've also thought about dressing as a man to get a bed at the Salvation Army for the night. There were instances where I've been mistaken for a man--not because of how I look, but when I put on a hat and my wool plaid coat, and tuck my hair under, I can be mistaken for a man if I don't talk. LOL. That's how I was almost arrested one time about 5 years ago. The police were looking for a black male in a black hat and a wool plaid coat. When they pulled me over and ordered me out of the car, I started talking and they realized that I wasn't a male. LOL.

The only program that I'm eligible for is transitional housing. it takes 3-4 months to receive that service. There is no emergency shelters that I can go to. As a matter of fact the transitional housing program won't take anyone who is currently living with someone else or is staying in a hotel. From the orientation I was told that you have to be living on the street to be eligible. The director made it clear that if we were sleeping on a couch at a relative or friends house, we aren't eligible. Their definition of homeless is literally without ANY home.

There are some programs that help people with their electric bill, but I don't have a bill--well, actually I do have a bill, but I have no money to pay it. So, it's just there. The nonprofit I work for will loan people money to take care of emergencies like medicine, rent, power bill, etc, but the person has to pay it back and they are put on a schedule to make payments.

I attended the "Box City" event to gain information on the service that are available and other than the one's I mentioned there is nothing else.

I found your blog through http://sheshomeless.tumblr.com/ and I've just read through it all. I think you're incredibly brave and strong and I hope and pray that you find somewhere to call home again. Your Church and your friends sound like really amazing caring people, maybe you could open up to them about your situation. If someone came to you for help you would give it freely, so allow them to do it for you.
By cattymoo


This is true, I believe that there are people who would come to my aid if I did open up, however, I'm not sure how comfortable I am with allowing people to know my situation. Of course my pride has a lot to do with it, but when my friend helped me out before I felt so bad because I had nothing to offer her. She has 4 children and lives in a 2 bedroom home. It was already cramped. I didn't want to add to it, especially because I didn't have any money to buy her groceries or nothing. Also, she's struggling with money herself, so I would just be an additional burden. I have a friend who said that I could come to stay with her, but she was gonna charge me rent. This was before I became homeless and when I was working fulltime. At the time I had the money to pay her, but there were some issues that came up between us and I didn't take her offer. Also, she operates a daycare center out of her home. I've substituted for her because I have my teaching certificate and she operates a certified center where anyone who works for her needs to be certified. I'm not sure how comfortable I will be at her house because the children come in at 5am and there are children everywhere, all the time. She works from Sun up to sun down and even overnight. Now, if she offered her basement I would be more comfortable because I would be away from her working space. However, that option is not available right now. I do have a few other friends at church that I could talk to, but they have families and husbands and children and I just don't think I would be comfortable. I'm a very private person, I don't talk about me, I don't share and open up about "my world" so allowing someone into my "privacy" will be extremely uncomfortable. When I did open up early this year I was betrayed. Not intentionally, but there was some things going on that caused some friction and I've since back away from some people. So my guards are up and I haven't let them down yet. I suffer silently, which when I think about it sounds really pathetic, but that's me.


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