Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund @ Indiegogo

Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund

When I started Daniel's Power Chair Assistance Fund I had been fighting with Medicare vendors for EIGHT MONTHS. My doctor had been fighting right along with me, and all I was thinking about was getting a power chair before I feel and hurt myslef bad.

I failed to consider HOW I would get the power chair OUT of my apartment...

I failed to consider HOW I would get the power chair INTO my apartment...

ALONE

When the fund hit $5,000.00 I was overjoyed! In addition, I started thinking. I started thinking about what I was going to do next. It quickly became very clear I didn't think this through. I live alone, and only have help a few times a week.

Now I would have a way to get around town, but no way to get the chair down stairs. I cannot depend on others in the building. I worked, hard, to get people moved out of the building (because they brought 'unsavory' traffic into the building) and those left were cautious to mad at me. There was no way I would get help.

As well, I would be a target in my new power chair, for anyone that had a problem with me helping get people evicted. So, my situation has become untenable, and I need help affording to move. This is when I realized my horrible mistake, and became scared and concerned.

The Story

When I became disabled, I was working as a property manager for Domino Realty of Beverly Hills. I was unable to work, but I still lived on the property. The residents knew where I lived, and the management company did not hire anyone competent. They went through two managers in just one month. After that, all the residents would call me, or come by my apartment when something went wrong.

One night, at Two AM, I had a knock at my door. I opened it to find one of my residents. She was 22 years old and had just got off her shift at the UCLA hospital. She was a med student. She had lost her keys, and was locked out of her apartment. UCLA was having a problem with a rapist, on the campus. She did not want to sit outside the building (it was a secure building) and wait two hours for a locksmith to show up and let her into the building then her apartment.

I helped her. I was not supposed to work but I just could not leave her alone in that situation. I let her into the building and then unlocked her front door. Two weeks later a fire alarm went off, in the building. I was watching as three fire trucks pulled up. But they could not get into the building. The management company forgot to put a ‘Knock Switch’ on the front gate. This ‘knock switch’ allows Police and Fire departments a way into secure buildings.

I walked up and let the firemen into the building. The fire chief, who was there on the property, told me

“You just saved your company a $5,000.00 fine. They should give you a raise!”

Instead, the following Monday I was fired. Fired for “Insubordination and Working While Disabled”. When I was fired, I was also given an eviction notice. I was not given the chance to live there, I was given Three Days to move. I contacted the U.S. Department of Labor and told I had a “case” for wrongful dismissal and they would help me because my employer was not offering FMLA leave for me or other workers. I was told to “fight the eviction, we will have your job back before you go to court”.

The Department of Labor did not help me; they helped everyone else at Domino. All future employees had to be covered by FMLA, but my case was dropped. I ended up getting evicted in October 2003. Now, when I go to try and rent, most property managers do not want to rent to me, and those who will want “Double Deposits and extra security deposits” just to rent to me. I have not been able to afford those steep costs, and have stayed where I am.

What I Need

• $150 Electricity Deposit (I have not had electricity in my name for many years. This is what they require for me to get electricity in my name)


• $2,200.00 Rental Deposits – This is equal to ‘First and Last’ month’s rent. Average rent is $1,100.00 a month for a Bachelor to One Bedroom.


• $750 - $1,000.00 – For a ‘Security Deposit’. This would be on top of the ‘First and Last’


• $875 - $1,000.00 – For Moving me. I am incapable of moving anything beyond myself. I can try to find people, but I have few friends here, anymore. (Being disabled does that to friendships)

That equals $3,975.00 - $4,350.00. I will set the funding goal of $4,000.00 and hope for the best.

Conclusion

I had a hard enough time, starting the first campaign and coming to people asking for assistance. This is no different. I don’t want to ask for help, but if I don’t or if I fail? I will have a power chair but; no way to get in and out on my own and in the building I am currently living in I will be a slow moving target in a $5,000.00 power chair. Most of you have seen the video of my abusive neighbor. She is one of the nice neighbors!

I would not be safe, here, in my power chair. There is no building security and no elevator. I need to be able to move to a Senior Building. Not an “Assisted Living” building, I am not asking for that much help. Just a senior building, something with an elevator and an older and more mature population, where I can be safe and get in and out on my own.

The building I was looking at, and have talked to the manager, is just about two blocks from a small mall with a Wal-Mart and a Sears. This will help a lot with getting prescriptions and food and sundries. It also has a movie theater, and it has been more than eight years since I have sat in a theater and watched a movie.

I am sorry. I am sorry that I didn’t think about everything I would need when I started Daniel’s Power Chair Assistance Fund. I am sorry that I have to ask for your assistance, again. I am sorry, but I do need your help, again. I have every intention to:

• Provide documentation of HOW all monies from BOTH campaigns are spent


• Continue to keep everyone updated on my condition


• Keep writing the stories I am sharing well into the fall… and beyond


• Never EVER forget what everyone has done to help me


• Use any extra money JUST for medical needs or things like pots and pans

IF you decide to assist me, I will be forever in your debt. I will never forget what people have done for me, and I promise to ‘Pay it Forward’.

Thank you. Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring. Thank you for your kindness. Thank you for your support. Thank you for your contributions.

From the bottom of my heart “Thank You!”

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="220"] Daniel's Moving Assistance Fund[/caption]