Please Help Senior Women without Homes During The Coronavirus Crisis

Californians have been sheltered in place and told to Stay Home for a few weeks. California is one of the hardest-hit states in the country.

But what about the people without homes? Where are they supposed to BE? They cannot stay home since they do not have homes. And many churches, agencies, libraries and stores are either closed or have empty shelves.

My friend Josie is 74, has no home, has no money left from her meager Social Security check, little gas for her car, no food, and nowhere to BE. Where can she find a public rest room? She was told that she could not park at a local shopping center unless she had business there. I told her to go to the beach. She said the beaches were closed temporarily. She is one of 1,000+ women in the Monterey Bay Area without homes who have been utterly stranded and left adrift for years now. Some have already died in cars and on streets from years of not having a roof over their heads.

Josie has a mini poodle named Bella with her in the car. And another mini poodle dog named Peanut at the SPCA. Her dogs are very precious to her and give her comfort, companionship and love during this crisis.She has to pay $25 a day to board Peanut plus pay for his recent surgery. This is an overwhelming burden and she will do anything for her dogs.

Personally, I am 70 years old and had to sleep in my car for a few years. I am now thankfully living in a one bedroom apartment for low income seniors 62 and over for the past two months. I am still very ill from the sleep deprivation, stress, poor nutrition, and health issues derived from sleeping in a car in my 60’s.

More about me and sleeping in my car:

https://www.vox.com/first-person/2016/9/29/1294134...

The coronavirus pandemic has brought the United States (and much of the world) to a halt. People without homes rely on churches and agencies for gas vouchers, food and other bare necessities. They are suffering more than ever. They have lost EVERYTHING and now they are even more vulnerable and expected to disappear into thin air?

The local food banks have said they are in dire need of food donations. Our local hospital has told people not to come unless absolutely necessary. They are limiting tests and their resources to serve people are being rationed.

50% of those without homes are seniors like Josie, WHERE ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO BE? They need roofs over their heads NOW, 250,000+ Americans, 500,000 do not have homes and many thousands of people without homes live in California.

In Oakland, California residents and agencies have come together to put people without homes into motels. This could be done all over the USA and here locally.

Senior women have been literally left out in the cold. They need immediate relief to pay for a motel room, gas, food and other basic needs.

To help them, I’d like to raise money to put local senior women into motels and give them gas and food.

Your donation will land directly in the pockets of local senior women without homes for their immediate needs.

Your donation will go directly to local senior women who need roofs over their heads to SURVIVE.

Their very lives are at stake.

Please help me help my friend Josie and other senior women like her to survive this crisis. We cannot do this alone.

Thank you in advance for your support.

CeliaSue Hecht