Ever been homeless?

[Golem_3]

well,... I am.

Got evicted.
After a year (yes, a full 12 months) of pure fuckin hell (the worst time in my life).
Moved to about 2 or 3 different locations.
I'm now being evicted.
Yes,... I tried that already. The state will not provide me with benefits.
Family doesn't give a fuck about me.
They'd rather see me suffer and lose everything than for me to succeed.
I've applied to just about every job you can think of.
Gone to thousands of job interviews, dressed to the nines.
Nothing.
I even worked a minimum wage gig (making $6 an hour).
It served a very minimal purpose, that is until I lost my car and apartment.
Had to walk 2.5 miles to work every night.
In the dark, pitch-black woods.
Fast-forward to now.
I'm gonna meet with a case-worker so that I can stay in a shelter.
I've never lived in a shelter. I'm not even sure what to expect.

[Rage_Proletaire]

I've had a few stints in a similiar situation. Familial things came to a head in my freshman year at college; moved in with some acquaintances from work/school. It wasn't the best move in retrospect (they were a couple; I feel like my presence may have accelerated or exacerbated some sores between the two of them). Stayed there for two months (one of them lost their job the very night I moved in). Wound up working for a relay service for the Deaf. Moved back into the nest about a month after I'd gotten my apartment (car died the day I completed my finals); lost my job not long after, got kicked out again, and my mother wound up $700.00 richer (I was making payments to her, to purchase her car). Spent a weekend at a friend's again (after hiding out in the bathroom at work all day, on my off day). Later moved in with a friend for two months, who went out of his way to help me get across town to school, and back from work. He had a crush on me, so things got strange when I wouldn't reciprocate. Moved in with another friend since his wife requested a divorce and moved out. We cleaned his apartment in two weeks, and I dropped out of school to work full time. Wound up getting a studio within a three hour timeframe (the day he and I were vacating his apartment) -- I was $12.00 short. Took forever to save up for a car -- it lasted exactly about four weeks once I bought it. Caught the bus/walked to work for about a year and a half...

Nothing to celebrate, but as they say, the experience made me stronger. Have not spoken to my mother in five years, don't intend to. It was a long climb, and even five years later, I'm still salivating over the day my debts are cleared and I can go back to school.

Honestly, though, I have no idea how I would've gotten by without help from people who I might call "friends" liberally -- they were definitely lifelines, though.

Donated plasma, shoplifted, stolen tidbits here and there (although I don't condone any of said practices, for the sake of your personal, legal freedom).

Do you know of anyone who might take you in?

[Mlle d. Sade]

Why won't your state provide you with benefits?

[CaliforniaAfrican]

I don't know if it's any consolation to state that so many people are having such hard times right now. My husband is out of work again. He has yet to find anything in this terrible economy. If I were to ever lose my job, we’d be pretty fucked. Golem, it's nice to read that you and your wife are still together. EVERYday before I leave my home, I give thanks to God for what we DO have: our health, our love for each other and happiness. Omar and I talk about what we would do if I lost my job. We’d eventually lose the house. We are fortunate to have family here and in the Bay, who would take us in. (We know that family would at the very least, take our children in.) What always eases my fears of losing our home is the love I share with Omar. If we were on the street, I believe it would be better with him than without. You have your wife. I pray that the two of you continue to express your love for each other. Just seeing Omar struggle with the loss of employment and how it has been tearing him up inside, I suspect you may be feeling tremendous guilt about being homeless. Please talk to your wife about your feelings so the two of you can help heal each other. Golem, you have what so many men and women, with homes and without, yearn for: a spouse and love. Sustain your love the best you can. Work hard to keep the love the two of you share. I know that you and your wife will not be homeless for the rest of your lives. What will you do during your homelessness to strengthen your relationship and not tear it apart? The shelter is just that, a place of shelter. Stay safe. We’re AP family, so please let me know if I can help you in any way. Peace.

[Rosenda]

GOLEM!!!!! Please you and your wife stick together. Be each other's support system, even if you feel your state/family isnt. do what you got to do to find work even as hard as it is now. Sorry your family can't help you.

As for the shelter, be careful and pay attention to what goes on around you. Some shelters the larger ones make an effort to help find jobs for the residents and access to community information, cause some cities/counties in the US have all kinds of unadvertised local financial assistance and job assistance programs, the kind people don't know about unless they bug the person giving the information. You know what I mean? Whoever works at the shelter, be a bug in their ear every day asking for information. On jobs, living spaces, etc etc. Homie there are a lot of people nowadays in the space you are in, being out of work and having lost their homes. PLEASE let us know where you are and what is happening Golem. We care.

Finding a job is a job in itself. I remember spending 6 months looking for work even under just normal conditions and it's hard (this was during the last "recession period" in 91).

[Golem_3]

(I'm at a public library, @ the moment)

Rage- all I can say is that I've called just about every person I know (or used to know), asking them if they could let me & my wife crash.
A month or two tops. It was either they don't have the space/ or they just don't give a fuck.

Mille- I was living in Baltimore, and the only answer I kept getting was "the state doesn't have any money, and plus you don't have any children." So, I guess if I were a single-mother I might be able to get that kind of help. Right now, I'm in Baltimore trying to get rid of stuff we can't take with us (plus we can't afford a storage facility). I'm gonna be on my way back up to NYC, where we're staying in a hostel, in the meantime, until we can see a caseworker (so we can atleast get placed in a temporary shelter).

Cali- yes, we definitely know that all we have is each other. My wife is gonna try to secure what she can, while I bust my ass as well. If there is only 1 thing I know for sure... is that my wife has my back, without a doubt. We won't tear apart. I'm glad that we don't have any children (going through this).

Rosenda- I'm willing to take just about ANY job. Believe me. Cleaning/ buffing floors/ flipping burgers/ walking your dog,...whatever. I haven't been to it yet, but I'm gonna check out this Workforce 1 program. From what I've been told, there's an incentive program (through NYC's homeless shelter services) called "Advantage" for people to be able to get help finding housing & paying rent, as long as you're working full or part-time.

Thank you......each and everyONE of you.
Its crazy when the only people who show any bit of concern are people I'm not even related to.
Thank you. I will try and come back to let yall know whats happening.

[LesYpersound]

Good luck. Sincerely.

[kifaru]

How much loot would it take to get you on your feet or is it more of an issue of getting a job or a car? If it's loot there might be a way. If it's a car I don't know. I'd let you stay at my spot if I wasn't still doing renovations and you weren't in B'more.

Are you flat broke like not eatin'? I don't have any real connects in B'more. I can get you some food if you're in New York but you have to have a place to keep it. I can probably get you a months worth of food but it would be pretty basic and meat and starch filled

It's fucked up down here but there is some work low end work. What are your job qualifications?

[Christopher Irving]

Yo Golem,I sypathize with you and I hope and pray that you and your wife sitck together NO MATTER WHAT!! If you and your wife were down here in Houston,you guys are MORE THAN welcome to crash at my place untill you all get on your feet THAT'S MY WORD!!! It sucks to see your family members don't care about your situation but just hang in there homey!!! I and all of the members of Afro-pUNk have your back SO HOLD ON and don't GIVE UP!!

[Lunakiss]

Yes I have been homeless. It sucks. The situation I was in was pretty F-ed up. I stayed faithful. I believed life would get better after I was the bottom of the barrel looking up. It takes strength to say no I don't want to live like this. Takes power to get yourself moving. I know you and your wife can do it. If you worked apply for unemployment . If you have to live in a shelter(there aren't many shelters that take in a male-female couple). Know this situation is temporary n. This is a time to think about what you really, really want. Send it out to the universe with the most powerful belief goods things will come.

It will!

On family, you can x them out of your life. Your strong enough to get through this temp situation. everybody goes through a low point in their lives.

You're stronger,better and wiser. Light n Love- I'll send good wishes your way.

[Rage_Proletaire]

Yeah, if you have/get an address where you can receive victuals or whatever, let me know. I used to shoplift razors when I was jobless and crashing with friends, 'cause I knew it would've been hard to get a job without a shave, at the very least.

[shoot that beast]

For what it's worth, there's gonna be a job fair at the Baltimore Convention Center on 9/17/2009:

Putting Baltimore Back to Work
Date:September 17, 2009
Time:10 AM - 2 PM
Facility: Baltimore Convention Center
One West Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
Description:
Putting America Back to Work at the Baltimore Convention Center!
The following companies will be attending: All-State Career Avon Products CSC Enterprise Rent-A-Car Maryland Army National Guard North American Trade School NIDA Paradigm Services, Inc. Stella Maris United States Peace Corps



also check out dcjobs.com

i'm not sure what type of position you're looking for/qualified for, but there's a large number of positions in the baltimore area on the site.

[C00P]

Sucks that you're in NY because I hear how tough it is up there a lot.
I'm in NC and there are a handfull of places that are actually hiring...
Not sure if you wanna take a big step into moving out of NY but theres plenty opportunities in other places.
If you have friends outside of NY let them know your situation and see if they can help... you never know