I am asking for help obtaining the basic supplies I need to survive outdoors after losing the place where I had been staying. I am already in the process of moving my belongings out and preparing to live in the woods. This is not a request for anyone to fund a new apartment, a long-term housing plan, transportation, bills, or a lifestyle. It is a request for the immediate physical necessities that will keep me alive and functional while I am outside.
I have lived in the woods before, so I understand that a tent alone does not make someone prepared. The last time I had to do this, I had my own money set aside and was able to buy what I needed beforehand. I could prepare my shelter, bring food and water, and make sure I had a basic setup before I was forced to depend on it. I do not have that starting money now. I am going into this with almost nothing, which makes the difference between a difficult situation and an unsafe one.
I am physically disabled and live with severe chronic pain, joint instability, and limited mobility. My mother, grandmother, and younger brother have formal diagnoses of hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a hereditary connective-tissue condition. I experience many of the same joint problems, but I have not had the health insurance or access to medical specialists that they had when they received diagnoses. Walking long distances, standing for long periods, lifting, carrying water, and recovering from physical exertion are difficult for me. Those are not abstract limitations when living outside; they affect every part of finding water, setting up shelter, preparing food, and making it through the day.
The immediate concern is extreme heat. Without reliable shade, water, and cooling, a person can become sick quickly outdoors. I need equipment that reduces exposure to direct sun and helps create a space where I can rest instead of overheating.
The $600 goal is based on obtaining a complete basic survival setup rather than buying isolated items that do not work without the rest. I need a waterproof tent, a ground tarp, and at least two thick tarps to layer above the tent with space between them. The air gap matters because it helps create shade above the shelter, reduces direct heat on the tent, and provides more protection when it rains. I also need mosquito netting, drinking water and durable water containers, food, a way to prepare food without relying on a wood fire, and portable cooling equipment with a power source.
I am not asking people to solve my entire future. I intend to keep moving forward and work toward something more stable than living outdoors. But surviving today has to come first. A safe place to lie down, water to drink, food to eat, protection from rain and insects, and enough cooling to endure the heat are the only things this request is meant to cover.
Any amount helps And is greatly appreciated, and sharing this request matters just as much. The funds will be used directly for the supplies needed to survive the immediate situation.
Any donations can be made through cash app, my cash tag is $YodVav.