Locals rescue homeless woman (social media actually helps)

Undertoad · 05-12-2019, 11:49 AM

So a couple of local women noticed a sign on an SUV in a covered Target parking lot about a mile up the road from me.

They found a woman living out of that SUV. After reaching out to her with some minor help, they talked to the cops, who just acknowledged her and said, yeah, one of Upper Merion's homeless...

They talked to her further, and learned that she wasn't crazy, just became overwhelmed. 69 years old, house foreclosed after multiple illnesses, remaining family unhelpful or worse, burdened/blessed with two dogs, and left with continuing health problems which made her rather immobile. She would get one shower a month when she could afford a night at the local Motel 6.

When she was nice to her helpers, who told her firmly that she had to accept whatever help they came back with, they created a GoFundMe to pay for the Motel 6, and went on nextdoor.com to tell the story.

Nextdoor is like Facebook for locals; so the story went to the surrounding neighborhoods, and everyone was shocked to hear the whole thing.

Since I work a later shift, I was the first one to read the story. The following is not virtue signalling. They said a night at the Motel 6 was $70, so that's what I gave. Since this happened only a mile from me, in a Target parking lot where I regularly park, there was no way I could just close the GoFundMe page without losing my very humanity. Now that I knew the story, I had to get her a bed and shower, if only for one night.

By the next day, there was proof that I was not unique: in fact, everybody else who read the story felt the same way. $2000. Three days later, $6000. Now it's over $25000.

Two days after the word got out, an army descended on the car. It reeked, of course, with two dogs and an unwashed human living in it. They took everything out, replaced all her clothes, had the car detailed, fixed, inspected and fueled. They put her up at the Motel 6; in fact once they mentioned the Motel 6, people were calling the Motel 6 to pay for her room.

Now it's three weeks, and they have her set up in an apartment, with the dogs, and just about everything she needs to get a decent life back. story in local Norristown paper/website (not paywall'd)

fargon · 05-12-2019, 11:58 AM

Glad to see that there are still good people out there,

Gravdigr · 05-12-2019, 12:25 PM

I had a sneaking hunch that UT was one of them there Awesome People ya don't read about often enough.

Undertoad · 05-12-2019, 12:30 PM

Not in any sense, the Awesome People in this case are the women who actually talked to her and coordinated all the help.

slang · 05-13-2019, 12:53 PM

Citizen financed and organized assistance. Awesome.

Gravdigr · 05-13-2019, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Undertoad

Not in any sense, the Awesome People in this case are the women who actually talked to her and coordinated all the help.

Giving someone you've never met $70 is fairly fucking awesome.

Ha ha ha, you're awesome!!!

Undertoad · 05-13-2019, 02:28 PM

Wull,

Anyway that wasn't what I was fishing for!! But, there are about 400 people who are Awesome here. If I couldn't afford a single night's stay maybe I would have given just $10. It's all the same and pretty easy.

I wouldn't have, like, put her up at my place for a night and shower... that sort of thing is left to the truly Awesome

lumberjim · 05-13-2019, 07:56 PM

it's all karma. somebody awesome I know was down for a bit, and some other awesome people kicked in and bought him a car.

Undertoad · 05-13-2019, 09:50 PM

And a good amount of any awesomeness I might have is due to that, so.

xoxoxoBruce · 05-13-2019, 11:22 PM

Tsk tsk, ruining perfectly good Soylent Green.

05-12-2019, 11:49 AM	#1
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Locals rescue homeless woman (social media actually helps) So a couple of local women noticed a sign on an SUV in a covered Target parking lot about a mile up the road from me. They found a woman living out of that SUV. After reaching out to her with some minor help, they talked to the cops, who just acknowledged her and said, yeah, one of Upper Merion's homeless... They talked to her further, and learned that she wasn't crazy, just became overwhelmed. 69 years old, house foreclosed after multiple illnesses, remaining family unhelpful or worse, burdened/blessed with two dogs, and left with continuing health problems which made her rather immobile. She would get one shower a month when she could afford a night at the local Motel 6. When she was nice to her helpers, who told her firmly that she had to accept whatever help they came back with, they created a GoFundMe to pay for the Motel 6, and went on nextdoor.com to tell the story. Nextdoor is like Facebook for locals; so the story went to the surrounding neighborhoods, and everyone was shocked to hear the whole thing. Since I work a later shift, I was the first one to read the story. The following is not virtue signalling. They said a night at the Motel 6 was $70, so that's what I gave. Since this happened only a mile from me, in a Target parking lot where I regularly park, there was no way I could just close the GoFundMe page without losing my very humanity. Now that I knew the story, I had to get her a bed and shower, if only for one night. By the next day, there was proof that I was not unique: in fact, everybody else who read the story felt the same way. $2000. Three days later, $6000. Now it's over $25000. Two days after the word got out, an army descended on the car. It reeked, of course, with two dogs and an unwashed human living in it. They took everything out, replaced all her clothes, had the car detailed, fixed, inspected and fueled. They put her up at the Motel 6; in fact once they mentioned the Motel 6, people were calling the Motel 6 to pay for her room. Now it's three weeks, and they have her set up in an apartment, with the dogs, and just about everything she needs to get a decent life back. story in local Norristown paper/website (not paywall'd)

05-12-2019, 11:58 AM	#2
fargon Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: La Crosse, WI Posts: 8,924	Glad to see that there are still good people out there, __________________ Annoy the ones that ignore you!!! I live a blessed life I Love my Country, I Fear the Government!!! Heavily medicated for the good of mankind.

05-12-2019, 12:25 PM	#3
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	I had a sneaking hunch that UT was one of them there Awesome People ya don't read about often enough. __________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

05-13-2019, 07:56 PM	#8
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	it's all karma. somebody awesome I know was down for a bit, and some other awesome people kicked in and bought him a car. __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

05-13-2019, 11:22 PM	#10
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Tsk tsk, ruining perfectly good Soylent Green. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

05-12-2019, 12:30 PM	#4
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Not in any sense, the Awesome People in this case are the women who actually talked to her and coordinated all the help.

05-13-2019, 12:53 PM	#5
slang St Petersburg, Florida Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 3,423	Citizen financed and organized assistance. Awesome.

05-13-2019, 02:28 PM	#7
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Wull, Anyway that wasn't what I was fishing for!! But, there are about 400 people who are Awesome here. If I couldn't afford a single night's stay maybe I would have given just $10. It's all the same and pretty easy. I wouldn't have, like, put her up at my place for a night and shower... that sort of thing is left to the truly Awesome

05-13-2019, 09:50 PM	#9
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	And a good amount of any awesomeness I might have is due to that, so.

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