#emergencyfund — Public Fediverse posts

Update: Sorry I haven't posted in a bit. Housing stressors. 😭 But....

🚨 THE SANCTUARY IS FOUND – ONLY $873 TO GO! 🚨

I have officially found a 1-bedroom apartment right on the bus route to my new job! It's tiny but it's quiet, and I can work and rest in peace here, which is an absolute blessing.

Over the last 4 months, I have been forced to move at least 8 different times. The constant displacement has been horrible for my ability to function. I can't do it again. I need to secure this space so Riko and I can finally stop running and just rest.

The beautiful truth is that my new salary easily covers the $1,100 rent and the monthly internet cost (all other bills are paid). I am entirely capable of sustaining this!

We are currently 66% of the way to my original GoFundMe goal. I desperately need to raise the final $873 to cover the upfront rent and initial setup fees so I can lock this in and never have to move again.

We have the job. We have the apartment. Please help us cross this final finish line! 💜

GFM: https://gofund.me/85c9fb79e
Venmo: https://venmo.com/ellisarcwolf
CashApp: https://cash.app/$CeruleanArc
Chime: $EllisArcwolf

#MutualAid #MutualAidRequest #Pittsburgh #HousingCrisis #LPC #Therapist #SuccessStory #EmergencyFund #SiberianHusky #DisabilityJustice #CommunityCare #MentalHealthMatters

🚨 4 DAYS UNTIL THE GAP 🚨

The countdown is officially at 4 days. My safe housing sanctuary ends this Monday, March 2. My new career as a Clinician at Pittsburgh Mercy begins on March 16.

I am fighting to close the final $600-$700 gap of my housing bridge to keep Riko and myself safe indoors during those two weeks, and the 2–3 weeks following before I get my first paycheck.

I’ve spent this week successfully navigating onboarding, background checks, and reclaiming my creative spark and cognitive bandwidth after surviving COVID-19. I'm ready to return to work at last! As an LPC. 😊

I just need to survive the wait for my first paycheck without losing the stability we, as a community, have fought so hard to build.

We are so close to the finish line. If you can help us secure this final need—or share this with networks who support TLGBQ+ therapists—we can close this gap today!

Thanks for your support, everyone. I can't tell you how grateful I am. There aren't words. 💜

GFM: https://gofund.me/85c9fb79e
Venmo: https://venmo.com/ellisarcwolf
CashApp: https://cash.app/$CeruleanArc
Chime: $EllisArcwolf

#MutualAid #MutualAidRequest #Pittsburgh #LPC #Therapist #SuccessStory #HousingCrisis #EmergencyFund #SiberianHusky #LGBTQSupport #MentalHealth #DisabilityJustice

Onboarding has officially begun! 📝

Navigating the mountains of paperwork and multiple background checks this week has been stressful, but it is the exact kind of "good stress" I have been fighting for. So I'm adapting quickly to this new and exciting way of things.

Having this quiet sanctuary is working. My cognitive bandwidth is returning—so much so that I was able to finish my gigantic essay on AI! I am no longer just surviving; I am creating and thinking again. 🧠✨

Thanks to you, I also managed to acquire all the groceries I need until my food stamps renew in early March. I had to go $40 out of pocket for it, but that was an acceptable need, and I think all of you who have been supporting me would likely agree.

🚨 THE FINAL BOSS BATTLE – 5 DAYS REMAINING 🚨

We are exactly 5 days away from my current housing running out on March 2.

I need to raise the $900 bridge to extend my stay through April so Riko and I remain safe and indoors until after my new career begins on March 16. GoFundMe has started collecting some of these funds, and we're about $200-300 into our goal. We're still needing $600-700 more to ensure I don't have to worry about housing until I have the money to acquire a rental all my own.

We have cleared every other hurdle. Please help us close this final gap!

• GFM: https://gofund.me/85c9fb79e
• Venmo: https://venmo.com/ellisarcwolf
• CashApp: https://cash.app/$CeruleanArc
• Chime: $EllisArcwolf

#MutualAid #MutualAidRequest #Pittsburgh #LPC #Therapist #SuccessStory #HousingCrisis #EmergencyFund #SiberianHusky #COVIDRecovery #MentalHealth #WritingCommunity #PovertyTax #Venmo #CashApp

UPDATE: Communications Restored!

Thanks to you, my phone is back on! I am now officially reachable for the background check and drug testing calls from Pittsburgh Mercy. This was the most stressful barrier and now it's gone.

And good thing, too! I got two VERY important calls today that I would've been very sad to miss! So thank you for that very, very much. 💜

Because I’ve had to move so frequently to stay safe, my PO Box is my only consistent "anchor" for mail. Thanks to you, I've kept it! Which will help me continue to receive important mail from work and the state board.

The Long-Term Bridge: The Housing Gap

With the phone active and the PO box safe, all focus now shifts to the $900 needed to extend my housing from March 2nd through the start of April. This ensures Riko and I don't lose our sanctuary in the two weeks between our current stay ending and my new career beginning.

• Phone: ✅ RESTORED ($56)
• PO Box: ✅ RESTORED ($10)
• Housing Bridge: ⏳ $600–700 Remaining

Riko is safe, I am breathing clean air, and the finish line is in sight.

Links for the Final Push:

• Venmo: https://venmo.com/ellisarcwolf
• CashApp: https://cash.app/$CeruleanArc
• GFM: https://gofund.me/85c9fb79e

#MutualAid #MutualAidRequest #Pittsburgh #LPC #Therapist #SuccessStory #GoodNews #JobOffer #PittsburghMercy #HousingCrisis #EmergencyFund #SiberianHusky #MutualAidPA #PovertyTax #COVID19 #Recovery #Venmo #CashApp

A CAREER RESTORED!!!

When I first asked for your help, my goal was simply to survive long enough to rebuild my life. Today, I am incredibly proud to share that my dream is gently easing into reality.

Following my final interview last Wednesday (February 18), I received and accepted an official offer for a clinician position at Pittsburgh Mercy. My tentative start date is set for March 16.

Because of the sanctuary you helped provide, I was able to recover from COVID-19 in a safe, smoke-free environment. Having a quiet space allowed me to finalize my credentialing and walk into that interview as the professional I am, not just a person surviving a crisis. My dog, Riko, has been safe and grounded by my side through it all.

MAKING IT THROUGH THE FINAL STRETCH

We are at the absolute final stretch of this journey, but there is one last "pickle" to navigate.

The funds we raised secured my current, safe housing until March 2. However, my new career does not begin until March 16, leaving exactly a two-week gap where Riko and I will be without a home before my first day of work—and several weeks before my first paycheck. This problem is compounded by the following issues:

• Phone: My phone has been cut off due to non-payment and requires $56 to turn back on. This part especially sucks because I'm expecting a callback from Pittsburgh Mercy to let me know how to proceed with background checks and drug testing, and so I'm pretty anxious about that right now.
• Post Office Box: Because I've had to move so much, I have a PO Box. I have to renew the payment on it, and that's $10.
• Food: Riko is gratefully not out of food, but I am. I've got food stamps, but carrying groceries several blocks uphill is impossible for me, so I need to get it delivered. Ergo non-food-stamp money is needed.

To cross this final bridge without losing the stability we’ve fought so hard to build, I need to finish raising my GoFundMe goal, which I've dropped to $2,500. This will cover:

• $900 to extend my current housing through the start of April, allowing me time to get my first paycheck, to potentially argue for a relocation stipend so I can get an actual rental apartment, and to stay safe—and more importantly, psychologically stable while managing severe PTSD—until I can do all of that.
• $395 to ensure food security for Riko and me and to pay necessary bills until my first paycheck arrives.

CROSSING THE FINISH LINE

You didn't just help me escape a dispiriting, life-threatening environment; you bought me the time to reclaim my career as an LPC. I am now just weeks away from being completely self-sufficient and returning to the frontlines to serve the LGBTQ+ and Spanish-speaking communities.

Please help me bridge this final month. If you cannot donate, sharing this update is just as vital.

Thank you so much, community. I would never have been able to do this without you, and I plan to spend the rest of my life making sure folks I come across don't have to go through what I've had to. :purple_heart:

• GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/85c9fb79e
• Venmo: https://venmo.com/ellisarcwolf
• CashApp: https://cash.app/$CeruleanArc
• Chime: $EllisArcwolf

Thank you for being the steady foundation I needed to start anew. Riko and I almost home.

#MutualAid #MutualAidRequest #Pittsburgh #LPC #Therapist #LGBTQ #HousingCrisis #EmergencyFund #DisabilityJustice #PTSD #COVIDRecovery #FoodSecurity #JobOffer #MentalHealthMatters #SiberianHusky #MutualAidPA #PovertyTax #Venmo #CashApp

A lot has happened in a few short days, and I want to be as transparent as possible about how your support is being used and why my immediate tactical needs have changed.

Day One: The Breaking Point

My hope was tested immediately. I had been staying with a host who, rather than offering a safe haven, demanded I act as a live-in nurse while I was trying to rebuild my own life. Worse, her heavy chain-smoking severely compromised my lungs, leading to a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Combined with my asthma, this environment was a direct threat to my life. After a final night of being kept awake by the host's psychological crises, I knew I had to choose survival. I chose my life, and I chose my dog, Riko.

Day Two: The Troll and The Exodus

I attempted to secure a permanent apartment for $425/month with a $155 deposit—what seemed like a miracle. Instead, it was a mirage. I fell victim to a predatory rental scam where the individual attempted to extort me for money and images the moment I sent the deposit. I have reported this to the FBI and the Pittsburgh Police, but the immediate result was the theft of $155 I didn't have.

However, the day ended with the power of community. My exodus from that abusive environment was made possible by:

• The Powerhouse Neighbor: An elderly neighbor who stood with me against the host woman until the police arrived to ensure I could collect my belongings safely.
• The Firebird Theatre: A friend from my Final Fantasy XIV community drove to Pittsburgh to help me move my things and Riko into a temporary sanctuary.

Day Three & Four: The Sanctuary and the Pivot

With the first disbursal of GFM funds, I secured a safe, quiet AirBnB in Pittsburgh. This was a tactical shift from my original goal of a permanent rental deposit, and here is why:

• Medical Necessity: I could not recover from COVID and asthma in a smoke-filled room or a winter shelter.
• Professional Continuity: This room provides the quiet I need to finish my LPC credentialing and attend job interviews undisturbed.
• The Long-Term Play: I am now working with Roots, a local organization for subsidized housing. I am approximately 2-3 months away from a permanent, stable home through this program.

The Current Need: Bridging the Gap

Because I had to use GFM funds to pay back the $155 stolen in the scam and secure this room, I am facing a critical bridge gap:

• The $155 Gap: I need to replace the stolen funds to ensure my full month here is covered.
• Food Security: My food stamps (SNAP) do not renew until February 9. I am currently out of food and need to bridge the next 48 hours without dipping into my rent money.

The Finish Line

I have a job interview this Tuesday, and I am finalizing my credentials to begin work as a contract therapist serving the LGBTQ+ and Spanish-speaking communities. Your support is "buying me time"—the time I need for my health to recover and the bureaucracy of my new career to catch up with my skills.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-an-lpcs-journey-from-homelessness-to-healing

If you can help with food or the $155 gap, please use the links below for immediate access:

• Venmo: https://venmo.com/joanburgos
• CashApp: https://cash.app/$CeruleanArc
• Chime: $EllisArcwolf

Thank you for being the heart that pushes me forward when my own fails. We are so close.

#MutualAid #MutualAidRequest #Pittsburgh #LPC #Therapist #LGBTQ #AbuseSurvivor #HousingCrisis #EmergencyFund #TransJoy #FFXIV #FinalFantasyXIV #SiberianHusky #MutualAidPA #PovertyTax #COVID19 #Asthma #SNAP #FoodSecurity #Venmo #CashApp

It’s been quiet because a lot has happened: I’ve completed four job interviews (including UPMC!) and have one more this Monday. I’m just waiting for the first official offer to land.

The silence was a matter of survival. Where I wound up staying last wasn't so great, and I had to escape an abusive living situation that drained my spoons. I’m out now, but I’ve landed in a hotel in Washington, PA—outside the Pittsburgh bus range and far from the city I need to work in.

I am currently out of food money and trying to scrape together enough to bridge the gap until I can start a job and pay rent. I tried boarding Riko to make things easier, but she's back with me now after an incident. It's just the two of us, too far from everything, trying to reach the finish line.

If you can help us survive these final weeks of the "waiting room," it would mean everything. I am so close to the life I've worked so hard for.

CashApp: https://cash.app/$CeruleanArc
https://venmo.com/joanburgos
Chime: $EllisArcwolf

#MutualAid #TransJoy #Pittsburgh #WashingtonPA #LPC #JobHunt #SiberianHusky #EmergencyFund #QueerJoy #AbuseSurvivor

This is weird.

It's weird because I'm feeling better, and that means that I have the spoons to ASK for something. And moreover, this is an ask that, despite my own unwillingness to validate my own needs, is WORTH asking.

THE PROBLEM

I have $15 in my bank account.

Tonight at midnight, my boyfriend performs as a DJ for the FIRST TIME EVER in front of a live audience. People tell me "don't worry; he'll DJ again," but as there is no objective moment in history where he will EVER perform again FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, my intellect is incapable of seeing "he'll DJ again" as anything other than a platitude. Akin to telling someone their loved one died "for a reason."

Cool. Fuck whoever came up with the reason then, you know? :P

I just know for a fact that I have performed alone when I believed that I had friends. And while when your self-esteem is fine these two things facts do not, in combination destroy you, I can't imagine anyone finds it a blast to not have anyone there at your back when it'd be coolest of all to have them there.

My boyfriend is performing in Erie, PA. It is two hours away from me, and so my only way to get there (both at this point or at any other point under present conditions) is to rent a vehicle via Zipcar, which permits me to borrow a vehicle for a reasonable amount of time for only $150.

Zipcar includes gas via a paycard in the driver's visor, so there would be no additional charges there. Furthermore, since it functions more like a subscription service than a car rental service, there are no fucking surprise "$600 we-picked-up-this-one-dog-hair-for-ya" fees as with Budget, who I continue to hate despite their having refunded me that fee.

I don't have a key to get back into the place where I am staying, though, so I'd have to rent the car until at least 7–8am for approx. $170, despite the fact that I won't be driving for the final few hours of that rental period. Effectively, I would require the car from 10pm tonight, when I use it to drive to Erie, until 8am tomorrow morning, when I can re-enter the space where I am able to stay.

THE ASK

$200 would be a fucking miracle to me tonight. I could literally make tonight a dream come true, and I could have an experience with an intimate and dearly beloved partner that no one, not even me, will EVER be able to share with them again.

$160 could potentially get me there and back, and it would be the absolute minimum I'd need in my bank account to OK the trip for myself. It would be a risk, but one potentially well-worth taking.

Anything less would not make this trip any less prohibitive to someone with my ability to have any control over my own fate. But it would make my life ever so slightly easier when--the day after tomorrow--I return to my doctor's office for new meds to replace the ones I've been without for weeks.

THANK YOU

I truly don't expect to go see my boyfriend tonight. For weeks now, I've accepted the fact that I do not get to do things like these that other people take for granted. I just, finally--and just for a little bit--maybe have the spoons to beg someone to make things different tonight.

This is tonight, so GFM is bad for this:
• https://venmo.com/joanburgos
• https://cash.app/$CeruleanArc
• Chime Sign: $EllisArcwolf

The "Chime Sign" is only usable internally by folks who have a Chime bank account, but it's the fastest and most direct transfer method to my primary account.

THE FUTURE

January 6th. The license. Dear gods, I resent the fact of having been made to wait and to suffer this long for it so much, and whether or not I get the license, I cannot imagine when I will ever see the PA State Board as anything but cruel and apathetic to the plight of any REAL human being. Which is a sad thing to think about the board in charge of THERAPISTS for a state, but I can't help what I think about a board that has ONLY EVER shown me that's exactly who they are.

When Pinocchio claims to be a real boy, and his nose only grows longer and more artificially cylindrical in response, I feel like I'd be a fool if I believed him anyway. And until not that recently, I absolutely would have despite all evidence to the contrary because I have never ONCE found that my ability to be kind to others has magically and generously extended to include me.

#MutualAid #TransJoy #Zipcar #EriePA #Pittsburgh #SupportArtists #FirstGig #Venmo #CashApp #Chime #QueerJoy #LPCReciprocity #EmergencyFund #ButlerPA

I have already been through so much, and it feels like no matter what I try to do to escape the never ending train of crises that poverty gifts you with, another blow is ready to knock you back down on your ass.

And now, here we are again, and every time it gets a little harder to ask myself why I even bother.

I posted earlier that I made it to safety, and that is true. But I want to be transparent about what that safety cost. This is the hardest part. What I'd rather be right now is self-destructive.

I just checked my bank account, and my lungs flattened out.

The one-way rental vehicle that got Riko and me out of danger was supposed to be manageable. Anything above and beyond the original cost was supposed to go into a payment plan that would allow me to pay back that amount in a reasonable manner. Instead, my debit card was hit with a total charge of $1,045.15.

This, despite the fact that no transactions that overdraw my account should be permitted. In retrospect, I should've just bought a car and sold it for the funds to get my new life started. (That's a joke. A bank would NEVER give YOU that much control over your OWN money. That control belongs to the companies you think you "choose" to patronize.

Leftisms aside, this didn't just drain the funds we raised—it destroyed them.

In my last update that I had "very little left." I have been made mistaken. I now have less than nothing.

I cannot buy food. I cannot pay for gas. I cannot pay for anything until this hole is filled. The bank and the rental agency are closed until Monday, leaving me stuck in this financial freeze.

I need to raise $1,050 immediately just to get back to ZERO.

Please, if you can help me clear this debt so I can actually make it through my first week in Pittsburgh, I would be forever grateful.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/ellis-emergency-fund

#MutualAid #TransCrowdfund #FinancialCrisis #Overdraft #Poverty #SystemicFailure #BudgetRentACar #Pittsburgh #TransLatina #EmergencyFund

P.S. If you know anyone that works for Budget, ask them why they're in the business of destroying people's lives. That's a good question for them to answer.

I am in Pittsburgh. Here's how it all went down.

Halfway through the drive to Pittsburgh I was told that I had no place to go once I landed. I'd been told it was a sure thing, my place in that transitional housing location. I'd asked if they needed my resume or anything else to make myself more 'marketable' for the housing position. They said no, I didn't need it; it'd be fine.

It was not fine.

I couldn't do anything. I was mid-drive. So I continued to drive. I went to a few places I was told were housing options, but they were homeless shelters. That's fine, but it wasn't where I thought I was yet.

Still, I was just so tired. So, exhausted and trying to do my best with what I had, I got myself and Riko an AirBnB for the night. We were able to do laundry so that the clothes we brought from the toxic place could finally be cleaned. I slept, but it was rough because housing was still uncertain.

The next day, I made every call that I could. I tried so hard to get in touch with anybody that could help. I got some intake appointments for Monday, but that was the soonest I could get anything done. I was preparing to take my belongings to a storage and then to go to a shelter with Riko; it was the only option left to me given the money that I still had in my pocket.

And that's when a miracle happened. Someone from the LGBTQIA+ community in Pittsburgh asked me if I needed a place to stay. I did, obviously, and I agreed to go meet them. They are wonderful, and because of them I've been able to finally really and truly rest through one night.

I'm back, and now I'm moving forward with things. Next week, I address any hiccups with the PA license and begin answering some of the jobs that have already reached out to me. And between now and then, maybe I can get some editing done.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/ellis-emergency-fund

I am nowhere near done needing help. I'm in Pittsburgh, but with all the moving expenses, I have very little left for anything else. The goal is still distant, but I'm finally in a safer space, and I am grateful I can finally start to go slow again.

Thank you, everyone, for helping me to build a new home here. I'm here. And now it's building time.

#TransIsHere #Pittsburgh #MutualAid #CommunityAid #LPC #EmergencyFund #TransSafety #QueerHistory #BuildingTime #PleaseBoost

This is the update I have been fighting to write for three days. The delays, the banking lags, and the "setbacks" are over. Check out the attached image!

We are leaving today.

I have successfully booked an Intermediate SUV for pickup at 12:00 PM today (Tuesday). This isn't just a reservation; it's the fucking LAST PARAGRAPH of the Iowa chapter. This vehicle has the safety features I need for the winter drive and the space Riko needs to travel comfortably.

It's still a little scary. The car was expensive, and gas could be tight. I chose a smaller vehicle because it was cheaper. I may have to leave some stuff behind, but that's OK.

The trip is secured. Might still need help once I land: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ellis-emergency-fund

The important thing is that we'll load up at noon. We'll drive through the night. By tomorrow afternoon, I will be in Pittsburgh, breathing clean air, safe and ready to start the next phase of my life.

To everyone who donated, shared, and kept my spirits alive while I was trying to survive these last few days in this toxic environment: You made this happen. You built the bridge that gets me out of here today. Thank you.

Next stop: Pennsylvania.

Let's go!

#MutualAid #Trans #TransLatina #GoFundMe #EmergencyFund #Pittsburgh #MovingDay #TheExit #Progress #RoadTrip #FinalCountdown

This is the update I have been fighting to write for three days. The delays, the banking lags, and the "setbacks" are over. Check out the attached image!

We are leaving today.

I have successfully booked an Intermediate SUV for pickup at 12:00 PM today (Tuesday). This isn't just a reservation; it's the fucking LAST PARAGRAPH of the Iowa chapter. This vehicle has the safety features I need for the winter drive and the space Riko needs to travel comfortably.

It's still a little scary. The car was expensive, and gas could be tight. I chose a smaller vehicle because it was cheaper. I may have to leave some stuff behind, but that's OK.

The trip is secured. Might still need help once I land: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ellis-emergency-fund

The important thing is that we'll load up at noon. We'll drive through the night. By tomorrow afternoon, I will be in Pittsburgh, breathing clean air, safe and ready to start the next phase of my life.

To everyone who donated, shared, and kept my spirits alive while I was trying to survive these last few days in this toxic environment: You made this happen. You built the bridge that gets me out of here today. Thank you.

Next stop: Pennsylvania.

Let's go!

#MutualAid #Trans #TransLatina #GoFundMe #EmergencyFund #Pittsburgh #MovingDay #TheExit #Progress #RoadTrip #FinalCountdown

This is the update I have been fighting to write for three days. The delays, the banking lags, and the "setbacks" are over. Check out the attached image!

We are leaving today.

I have successfully booked an Intermediate SUV for pickup at 12:00 PM today (Tuesday). This isn't just a reservation; it's the fucking LAST PARAGRAPH of the Iowa chapter. This vehicle has the safety features I need for the winter drive and the space Riko needs to travel comfortably.

It's still a little scary. The car was expensive, and gas could be tight. I chose a smaller vehicle because it was cheaper. I may have to leave some stuff behind, but that's OK.

The trip is secured. Might still need help once I land: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ellis-emergency-fund

The important thing is that we'll load up at noon. We'll drive through the night. By tomorrow afternoon, I will be in Pittsburgh, breathing clean air, safe and ready to start the next phase of my life.

To everyone who donated, shared, and kept my spirits alive while I was trying to survive these last few days in this toxic environment: You made this happen. You built the bridge that gets me out of here today. Thank you.

Next stop: Pennsylvania.

Let's go!

#MutualAid #Trans #TransLatina #GoFundMe #EmergencyFund #Pittsburgh #MovingDay #TheExit #Progress #RoadTrip #FinalCountdown

This is the update I have been fighting to write for three days. The delays, the banking lags, and the "setbacks" are over. Check out the attached image!

We are leaving today.

I have successfully booked an Intermediate SUV for pickup at 12:00 PM today (Tuesday). This isn't just a reservation; it's the fucking LAST PARAGRAPH of the Iowa chapter. This vehicle has the safety features I need for the winter drive and the space Riko needs to travel comfortably.

It's still a little scary. The car was expensive, and gas could be tight. I chose a smaller vehicle because it was cheaper. I may have to leave some stuff behind, but that's OK.

The trip is secured. Might still need help once I land: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ellis-emergency-fund

The important thing is that we'll load up at noon. We'll drive through the night. By tomorrow afternoon, I will be in Pittsburgh, breathing clean air, safe and ready to start the next phase of my life.

To everyone who donated, shared, and kept my spirits alive while I was trying to survive these last few days in this toxic environment: You made this happen. You built the bridge that gets me out of here today. Thank you.

Next stop: Pennsylvania.

Let's go!

#MutualAid #Trans #TransLatina #GoFundMe #EmergencyFund #Pittsburgh #MovingDay #TheExit #Progress #RoadTrip #FinalCountdown