Hello, my name is Dawn and I’m requesting financial assistance to cover my past due rent to avoid being evicted and help for an additional three to four months until I am financially secure again with full time employment.
I’ll share a little bit about my background over the past year and a half that is partially a factor in the importance to me to keep a roof over my head and a place to call home. I had been homeless for approximately 1 1/2 years since July of 2022 due being put out of a home I was renting without much notice when the owners decided to put the property up for sale. Due to this unexpected event I became homeless and lost employment. Luckily I had a vehicle that became my new home for a lot longer than I expected, but I was thankful. Over the next several months I learned a lot about myself, my strengths and abilities I had forgotten I had, a different side of people and the limited resources available to a single woman with out any dependent children to care for. I didn’t have the best of luck with getting a good job or finding a decent place to rent so this was my life for many months. I feel God placed me on this journey for a reason and I would finish it out in His timing. He was always there guiding me, helping me stay positive and not give up. The last 6 months I was blessed to stay with a friend at his apartment until it became infested with bedbugs and roaches, very inhabitable to the point he injured himself. After battling with his landlord he was ordered to leave so again, my vehicle became my temporary home. Luckily, soon after I secured a good career allowing me to rent a room for a little over a month. During this time I was able to save enough money for a deposit and first month’s rent for a place to call home. After weeks of searching, I found a beautiful place that really caught my eye in a location I wanted to be and a landlord that was willing to work with me (due to being homeless my credit took a hit giving me a low score). The monthly rent was more than I ever wanted to pay, however, I had been homeless for so long I wanted to make it work. I looked at my budget and decided I could do it as long as I stayed within my budget. As mentioned, with me having bad credit I was approved, but with conditions meaning I had to pay the normal deposit that was more than rent, my first month’s rent, pet deposit, application cost and the condition being an additional month’s rent as a 2nd deposit. I had enough money saved for everything except the 2nd deposit so I pleaded with the new landlord to let me make payments on it. He finally agreed to 3 months of $700 for the first 2 months and $650 for the last month due on the 15th of each month. I paid over $5000 to move in the last few days of January. A side note, rent is due on the 25th of each month and late 7 days later so he states the 2nd of each month. I paid $700 on February 15th as agreed for one of my payments towards the 2nd deposit. The end of February came around and I planned on using the majority of that check with some money I had saved from my prior check to pay rent. The check arrived direct deposit into one account but was considerably less than normal so I waited a 1/2 day to see if the remainder showed up in my other direct deposit account, but it had not. The next morning I asked my boss who stated she didn’t know what was going on so I called HR at our corporate office to find out I was being garnished and they were taking 25% of each check which made my check almost $1000 less each payday every other week with my normal taxes being deducted and now the garnishment. I let my landlord know what happened and I would have everything to him but would I be a couple days late. In the mean time my health started going downhill with my blood pressure becoming extremely elevated with one reading being 199/118. My boss sent me to the ER and told me I needed to stay home a few days. So now my stress levels were even higher knowing I have a garnishment and less hours on my next check which in turn kept my blood pressure elevated causing my boss to send me home again the following week. I tried to stay positive reminding myself I have a part-time caregiver job I work that will help supplement what I needed to pay for March’s rent. I kept working hard, trying to prove myself at this fairly new job, trying to keep my stress levels down to help my heart health. I was able to borrow a little money, use the money from both my paychecks to pay March rent. Then the 15th rolls around (2nd deposit payment due) and I only had $200 so I paid him. He added late fees and PayPal fees so I then paid him the remaining $500 plus those fees. Right after I paid this my boss called me into the office to tell me she doesn’t think I’m where I should be after 3 almost 4 months working my position. She stated “you are a wonderful person and I will put down that you are re-hirable but in the best interest of the company we are letting you go”. I begged for my boss to let me do a different job within the company so I wouldn’t lose my home because she knew how hard I worked to secure a home, she knew I was being garnished and she’s who sent me home all those days causing me to have less hours each paycheck. She said no and that was that. I had $150 left to my name so I sent it to the landlord to go towards April’s rent and started job searching and finding resources to pay my rent that is now due in approximately 2 weeks. I scrambled to find the remainder of my rent. I was able to borrow a little money from a family member, use money from my 2nd job and the money from my last check to come up with $1375 to send him. With the payment I sent an email explaining I apologized but would have the remaining money to him before the 15th. That evening when I went outside he had posted a notice on my door (dated April 3, 2024) demanding I pay him $736.12 (total of remaining rent and his additional fees) within 5 days (April 8, 2024) or he is evicting me for possession. I don’t have any additional resources for help so I’m reaching out to you requesting help with the remaining $736.12 for rent, $650 for the last payment of my additional deposit that is due on the 15th and because rent will be due again on April 25th, an additional 3-4 months assistance so I can get back on my feet finding full-time employment that pays well enough to stay here. Or at least enough to stay here a couple months until I find employment and a new place to live, put my 30 day notice to leave in so I can remain compliant with my lease terms. Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to read my lengthy “mini-manuscript”. I felt it was important to share some details of the events that led up to the unfortunate situation I am currently facing. Please find it in your heart to help me get out of this situation. Again, I truly appreciate you taking the time to consider my request. Thank you, Dawn Jackson
My PayPal link is: paypal.me/DawnieJBJ https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/DawnieJBJ
I updated my landlord I’m reaching out and applying for assistance and he said “That’s Great! Have them reach out to me if I can help with anything”. Jeff Brouk at DreamStead Properties