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A couple months ago, aware that people I knew were really struggling, I asked friends/followers on FB if they’d trust me to raise money for people anonymously. I got a positive response, and 1/
we raised $2.5K in a few hours, giving $500 to five people/families to help cover utilities, food and keep cars running so they could get to the store, Dr.’s appointments, etc. 2/
The people we gave to were really scrambling to make it, but none of them were in immediate danger of becoming homeless. Flash forward to yesterday, and we raised more money to help another small group of people. But this time 3/
the people we gave cash to weren’t thinking about food/utilities, etc. They were concerned about their cars, though, and for a very good reason: 4/
They were looking eviction, and living in those cars. The difference between the first set of people, frantic about not being able to cover ordinary expenses and put food on the table and 5/
yesterday’s folks, who despite deals with landlords, trying to get work/money from all sources imaginable and knowing that they (and in one case, a chronically ill child) would be on the street soon, well, it was shocking. 6/
The first set we helped *before* evictions loomed, and the cash grant helped prevent further slipping into disastrous circumstances. The second group, we helped keep houses for another month. But 7/
the respite is temporary for group 2 with real aid from our electeds. And frankly, the first group could well become the second with very little slippage. Our little group fundraiser helped eight people. Eight. 8/
Eight isn’t even a drop in the ocean of need, and I am beyond sad — I am furious with the callous disregard for suffering shown by anyone who thinks one payment of $600 from the feds after all these months will do a damn thing to turn this around. 9/
In “conservative” circles, the small gov’t advocates always go on about charity — non-profits, churches, etc. — doing the heavy lifting of working on “social problems,” but that doesn’t work. For one thing, I know 10/
there’s another group of people who are even more desperate, but who aren’t connected enough to have friends trying to help, or have the savvy to know where to find help. I cannot sleep at night thinking about them, and I cannot 11/
for the life of me understand how the GOP senators and congressfolks holding up aid and making sure it’s not enough can sleep at all.
I have read a lot why people vote against their self-interests and right now, I don’t really care. 12/
I have read a lot why people vote against their self-interests and right now, I don’t really care. 12/
People desperately, desperately need help. We should be ringing the phones off the hooks in DC, stuffing our poor postal service with so many postcards and letters to these people that there’s not room to store 13/
it all. We should be on the streets, around district offices and more. We need to stop evictions, put food on the tables and support the people of this nation from the bottom up.
If you can’t see the desperate need, you’re not looking. Call. Write. Demand.
Do it today. /14
If you can’t see the desperate need, you’re not looking. Call. Write. Demand.
Do it today. /14
And yes, if you can help out financially, do that, too. And don’t forget the people already on the streets. Put together care kits to hand out, or at least, just new, dry socks and protein bars can help.
But stop doing nothing. Call. Write. Demand.
Do it. Today.
/end
But stop doing nothing. Call. Write. Demand.
Do it. Today.
/end
