Mentally Tags

My name is Jason, I am 28 Years old and married with three children ages 7,4 and 1 month. When me and my wife married we were "given" my parents home in NY as a "wedding Gift"( home still had mortgage whcih we make the payments on) My wife and i have built a happy stress free life together, only to have it shattered, by drug addict co dependant family mmebers who feel since the home is still owned by my parents (although i pay the mortgage) they can come and go as they please. I have tried everything form asking them to leave , to having my parents ask them to leave, only to be reminded how its "not my home" and i cant make the rules. My wife and i are destroyed at the fact that anyone would tell us its ok that they are putting my childrene in danger or making my kids see there family members like they are. I have been to every bank possible in order to purchase this home from my family, only to be told that iven with anf FHA loan i will still need close to 12000.00 dollars to put down on this home in order to buy it, make it my own, and keep the people whos own selfinshness and obscured mental state is only adding to the destruction of a once happy home. My only other option is to move again from a home i love, that my wife and children love and move away from these people, or purchase the home (which was the plan originally) I now have a a family mmeber leaching off of us, refusing to leave because "its not my home" my wife is out of work on disability due to a recent surgery, she will be returning to work in the next 3 weeks, I have done everyhting for my family, dropped what i was doing at insane times of the night to go "rescue" my drug addict family members, emptied my chiuldrens savings accounts to "save" my drug addict family memebers, gotten loans in my name to save my drug addict family members, only to have it thrown in my face, I am the little borther who spent his life haveing to be the big brother, and i just cant anymore, all that matters to me is my children and wife and keeping them in a safe and stable home where they can have the life i did not,I know its a long shot and everyone has a sob story, but i have no where left to turn, please im begging on my hands and knees, forget pride i just want to save my real family, my wife and kids, they are all that matters to me. My children are in a good school district doing very well, i just dont know what else to do, thank you for your consideration, and any help you can give.

I am in desperate need of 12,000 dollars for a down payment to purchase the home, please, i have to turn to strangers for help, that has ecome the qaulity of my so called "family"

thank you all

Hello everyone, my name is Ryan and I am 18 years old. I live in Baltimore, Maryland. I suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder after witnessing the sudden death of the closest person to me in the ENTIRE world, my best friend who lost his life 7 months ago. Many times I become anxious or depressed, and my SSRI medication allows me to function in a normal society. I am currently and constantly looking for work, however I have been unsuccessful in the past few weeks. I can no longer afford to pay for my medicines, and I can not afford to pay for my doctor visits. Without getting back on my medications it will be difficult to acquire a job and without income I may end up homeless. I am 18 years old looking to get my self together mentally so I can set myself on a positive track to successfully live the rest of my life! Anything would be highly appreciated. God Bless

My mother is on mental disability. I try to help her all I can, but I'm having the hardest time finding employment, due to no GED. We are barely getting by, but what we do have, the good LORD has provided. I'm very desperate to have my GED to have a job and help my Mom out with her bills. The Ged test cost $100 but anything at all will help. GodBless all of you who have helped others on this site. I hope to do the same, and return the favor when I have it. thanks you so much in advance

That is exactly where I am at right now. I have been married as of April twenty-one years to a man that was verbally and mentally abusive. Yes, I put up with it for all those years which is for me to deal with but it did make me burn out finally. There are friends that have asked me how I put up with it and I don't know. Anywho, I have made it through this month which is six months and the divorce still won't be final for a while since there are details about the property that are up in the air for now but have ended up turning my finances upside down to the point I cannot even get gas to do my work. I have sold things and did everything possible to keep going but I am worn out from even that. I need any change you can spare so that I can get turned back around and be able to put things back on track.

IF ANYONE CAN HELP WITH DONATIONS OR SHELTER FOR MY MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY DISABLED BROTHER PLEASE CONTACT ME (TAMMY RAMOS) at (209) 481-4792 OR E-MAIL me at TAMTAZ68@YAHOO.COM. My brother doug is a decent Christian man who has never done drugs, drank or smoked cigs--which IM VERY PROUD OF!!! Doug was unfortunetely disabled in an accident where he was bounced out of the back of a moving truck going 85 MPH. He received a settlement but sadly a family member stole it all. My family has helped all we can & would sure love some help for he is living in his van & it gets hot in there & is not safe. I dont have a pay pal acct but will set one up if necessary. Checks can be made out to my brother Doug Ramos & mailed to my address which I will provide to anyone that calls me. DOUG HAS BEEN HOMELESS 4 A YEAR & HAS ALREADY SOLD HIS BELONGINGS & VALUABLES TO SURVIVE AND IS NOW COMPLETELY BROKE AND CANT WORK. HE IS WAITING TO GET DISABILITY APPROVED AND STAYS CLOSE TO WHERE I LIVE SO I CAN EASILY TAKE TO HIM ANY DONATIONS. IF ANYONE CAN PROVIDE A TEMPORARY HOME FOR HIM THAT WOULD BE AWESOME & HE HAS LOTS OF REFERENCES AND IS IN MANTECA,CALIF. HE ALSO IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF CHIROPRACTIC CARE, HIS BACK IS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT SO IF ANY CHIROPRACTOR WOULD LIKE TO DONATE HIS TIME THAT WOULD BE GREAT FOR DOUG CANT GET ANY SLEEP DUE TO HIS BACK. THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!!!!!

Im searching for anyone who can help my disabled brother Doug Ramos who has been homeless for a year now. He's sold about everything he owned except for his van that he lives in, so he has nothing else to work with to get money to help himself. Im very saddened & stressed out over his situation & I can only do so much because I dont have any income, since Im disabled myself & am waiting on an approval for my SSI & Disability case. So I just came across this website & posted this to hopefully get him some help with money or shelter. My family has done all we can and unfortunetely my dad is still having to work 7 days a week because he cant afford to retire and he doesnt even have enough $ to pay all his bills, so he cant help Doug except for paying for his cell phone & my mom is totally crazy & Doug just finally broke all ties with her which is a blessing. If & when I get my SSI & Disability then I can help my brother more but in the mean time he needs all the help he can get. He bounced out of the back of a moving truck going 85 mph and he received a settlement, since he was badly injured mentally & physically. However, sadly it was stolen from him. He has been struggling to survive and is waiting to get disability as well. He's now staying in his van in Manteca, Calif, so if anyone nearby can help him with a place to stay or feed him that would be awesome & we would appreciate it immensely!!! Doug is a very decent & honest Christian man who has never been on drugs & doesnt even drink alcohol, which Im very proud of!!! If you can help him with donations or a place to stay call me (Tammy Ramos) at (209)481-4792 I live near where he's staying & so it wont be a problem taking any donations to him.I dont have a pay pal acct. but will set one up if necessary.I will also accept donations by mail with checks made out to Doug Ramos so call me & I will give you my address. Thank you & May God Bless You All!!!!!!!!!

I don't really know where to start without it sounding somewhat chat show like. I have no family as such none of whom actually talk with me. My grandparents pretty much raised me. My mother and both brothers left at a young age. Dad was an alcoholic due to his own loss and dealing with his own personal issues..a good man betrayed I guess. Either way I ended up living in hostels from the age of 12.. friends floors etc met a guy fell in''love'' or so I thought he was a drinker also I ended up pregnant alone and had a beautiful child who's now 10. I lost my world yet gained my own new world like we all do. Its been tough. Anyway I've had severe eating disorders from being a child which has been undealt with I need help' I'm in severe debts I'm struggling like crazy and my whole world is collapsing. I have noone. We are getting evicted in june we have food parcels kindly offered to us by the salvation army but we can't have anymore they've stopped all of our benefits which is going to an appeal also at the end of june. I can't get any kind of loan. And I cannot work due to mental health and very bad scholiosis. My son has been my rock throughout all of this I'm not a parasite on the community nor do I wish to be one I just need someone to offer me the opportunity to start laying down some kind of solid foundation to help become the person we all deserve to be. Please consider taking my hand for guidence? +e appreciate you taking you time to read this plea and also kindly wish any good karma from this back towards you good people or person three fold xxx

Last night, I found out that I may lose a huge chunk of my already very low income. I'm very frightened.

My worst fear on this earth is being homeless. I am already very much physically alone--in the sense of the only daily companionship I have is my three cats.

I am really, really scared. In the last year and a half, I've lost, my educational future, three jobs, my home, my flat...I was just getting back on my feet and now am told I owe a huge sum to the govenment because they made a big foul up on my paperwork.

I so want to be dead, it's not funny. I am NOT committing suicide--but that said, I would give anything to be dead. To me, it would be like winning the lottery. Life is far worse than death, as far as I can see.

I would very literally rather be dead than homeless.

When you're poor, or alone, or mentally ill---people treat you like dirt--like you've no value, whatsoever.

But, when you're homeless--in most American's eyes---you cease to exisit altogether. I would rather be dead. I really would. I'm really, really scared. I could use a hug right now--not a "virtual" hug, but a real one--oh, how I would love to hear the words, "everything will be alright." But it's not, and there's no one there. I'm just so scared and lost and lonely. I wish I were dead.

I am in serious need of help in paying my rent, I owe 250.00, i am a single mother of four wonderful kids but recently lost my job i am starting one tomorrow may 11 2012 if i don't get my rent paid by may 15 I will be kicked out and i have no place to go and i don't have any family at all to help me I have one child that has severe mental health issues and I have got her signed up on her disability but it does take time to get that going I am so desperate i can't get lose our home i am doing all that i can. will someone please help me before i get evicted and lose all that i have i believe some one out there has a kind heart

Hi,
If someone actually reads this I hope you can reach out and help my family. I guess where to begin would be difficult for me since having to hear about money started at a young age. I could give you a whole sob story but I am not going to I'll just tell you a little about ourselves. My momma was a high school dropout and had three kids me included, she never went back to get a higher education. She married my step dad when I was around seven years old. My middle eldest brother is mentally retarded and my mom did so much trying to help him but it did not work so now he is in a halfway house hopefully being set onto the right path. My step dad is somewhat of an emotionless person because of the way he grew up and because of a leg injury from last year has a hard time finding a job he can do despite all the searching he has done. My eldest brother is so smart but he's wasting his life away at a fast food franchise called cookout, but the brightside for him is he has found true love and expecting a baby. Now onto me I tried looking online to see if their was anything an eighteen year old like me could do to get some extra much needed money for bills but had no luck because they all need money first which is what I don't have. My mom and me have always been very close and im so sick and depressed of seeing her waste away trying to pay all of the bills with what little money she earns at a dead end job. I give my weekly paychecks to my mom just so she can make ends meet and we both only work part time due to all the cut backs on hours from the recession going on. I don't know what else I can say except it would be a miracle from God if something from posting this would happen because I am so unlucky I can't imagine ever winning anything and we are just an ordinary family nothing special about us except that we're in desperate need of a hero.

Yes, I used to be a stripper. I have made some poor decisions in my life, but would like to put the past behind me and live a more philanthropic and spiritual life.

So here it is: I cannot receive my federal aid because of the 150% limit. Basically, I was unsure of what I wanted my major to be, and I took a lot of classes. Now I have a financial aid hold on my account, and I cannot register for the summer semester.

I only need 2 MORE CLASSES to graduate.
If I can pay my tuition for this semester, $1690.49, I can register for summer classes.

I need to be done with school so I can make a career for myself. Going back to stripping is not an option; the emotional, physical, and mental stress is too much.

I promise to you I will make a difference. A bachelor's degree is in the plan, and I enjoy helping others.

Please help me. Any amount will help.


This is a link to a screen shot of my financial aid holds...
http://www.freeimagehosting.net/8v4nl

I am legitimately in need. I will talk with you on the phone, skype, whatever it takes to prove I am real!

Hey there
I am a recent college graduate. Ive had a tough couple of months but i came through with a smile on my face all the time. I just recently had the courage to leave a horrible relationship that had me mentally and physically drained. So on top of school full time and a part time job I haven't made enough to pay some of my rent. Anything helps :)

Hello,

I've always done well in my life I guess, I have always given to charity, and I've always helped others when they've needed money and so forth, I truly believe there is no better satisfaction then being able to help someone through a tough time when they're in need. In fact there was a time last year when I was walking past a homeless man in the street, it was bitterly cold, I bought him lunch so he wouldn't go hungry for a day, just so he could have that few hours of not going hungry, I felt great in being able to genuinely help someone, especially a stranger.

My situation, I suffer from severe depression and an anxiety disorder, which has seen my mental health decline over the past year, I was forced to leave my job and have suffered a mental breakdown which saw me hospitalized for a few days earlier this year, I took an overdose of anti depressants and was seriously ill, I regret it, but we all have a period in our lives where things can get to tough. I've lived off what's left of my wages which has now ran out.

I have ran out of money, I know it takes a lot for someone to extend a hand of kindness in giving just a small amount, but I will be truly grateful to anyone who can extend a helping hand and donate a small bit of money to help me right now.

I can not afford to eat, and I can not afford to pay for my medical prescriptions which sees me not being able to take my medications, which can have quite a serious implication on my recovery and current state of mind, I've just completed several forms to be able to claim state benefit, however I have to wait for at least 6 weeks before seeing anything.

I can not pay housekeeping, which was essential as my mum doesn't earn a lot of money, so she appreciated the help I could give, and now we may face loosing the house.

I ask for who ever is reading this, to just extend a hand to me, and help me through this tough time, although words will never thank you for your sincere kindness, i will be eternally grateful for the support. please either donate or message me mcrdigitalretouch@gmail.com

many thanks.

my wife and i constantly fight about money, because there isn't any. She has kids from a previous marriage and her ex doesn't pay child support. I am disabled due to depression and other mental stuff, and was in a bad car accident that causes me to constantly be in pain I am sure I will need back surgery soon. My wife and I tried to have a child together, and he died at birth. Paying for the funeral has been an ongoing thing. We are now expecting another child soon. I need to get a vehicle paid off to free up some money, and my wife wants an addition on the house. With my income, i am never going to be able to make my wife and kids dreams come true. Makes me feel like a loser everyday, and it's getting harder and harder to live with. maybe living has become too expensive for me....

I'm a single mother aged 35. I've lived in California for almost 14 years ( it will be 15 this year on memorial day weekend.)
I’m going to be a little blunt, because I'm tired and I want to give up so bad, but I can't. I'm better than that and my kids are my motivator. I wake up everyday and remind myself of 2 things :1) Faith is what you have when you all your beliefs are blown to hell. 2) What doesn't kill you makes you stronger -Nietzsche

I am a 35 year old educated, ambitious, head strong woman. I have owned my own business with my soon to be ex. I know what hard work and determination are. I went to private school and I am educated. I value my community and have always given back and will continue to do so. I also know that I have the drive and determination to get myself back on track. I'm not ASKING for a handout, I'm asking for help up! I also know what loss is. I don't have the business, a house or EVEN the car anymore. We lost everything. He bounced back , I didn’t. All I have is HOPE, that someone or some program can help me carve a path back to self sufficiency.
It's gone continually downhill.I am amazed at the allotment of programs for both housing and employment for all different walks of life. However, what about those that are just struggling. No hang ups, no record, just struggling and are LOW INCOME. I'm not writing this to make you feel sorry, I'm writing this because I have exhausted possibilities that I have researched both on my own or been given the information to do the work with.
There are people who struggle everyday through no fault of their own. They don't want a hand out, but help up would be a relief. Society doesn't need band-aids they need solutions.
Not every county, city or state program fits everyone's needs.
First of all Section 8 has been closed since BEFORE I left my marriage so that idea could never work. The list has been closed for years. Because I have limited time with my children, I do not qualify for CALWORKS. I have tried getting assistance in every way possible. I had very little unemployment left since I have been struggling to find work. I was delayed for about 3 months because they needed verification and I had to appeal and request a hearing. I have won my appeal but will only receive $91/week and for a short period of time.
I took a project management class through WIA in 2011, and I was able to get CTB benefits. I NEED HELP. I have hit the absolute worst point in my life and still refuse to give up. I have been looking for work and am now HOMELESS.I am in week 3 of staying in an extended stay hotel (paid for by my mother back east, who makes maybe $26,000/yr in PA) I recently sold my car because I needed to pay bills and rent. I have maybe $75 to my name.
The fact that they say there are services for low income/ homeless is frustrating. I say this because there is no category for me. I'm not a drug addict or in recovery. I don't have a mental illness. I wasn't in prison, I don’t' even have a RECORD. I can proudly say I've never been arrested or even in the back of a cop car. I'm not a victim of domestic violence and I do not beat my kids. Why aren't there programs in place for single parents struggling to make it? Everyday people that are responsible and respectable. I understand the need to assist those that may not have the capacity to take care of themselves. However, I have a huge problem with the fact that Santa Clara County & all programs (private, govt or state funded) will rehabilitate and reintroduced felons into the community, but if you're poor, homeless, no record, are looking for work, have high intelligence; sorry, you can't get help. This sounds extremely cynical and jaded, but I am a little after going through all I have.
I have been told constantly “I wish I could do something but we don't have any programs to help you.” My favorite reply is: "Yeah and you have done everything. I'm surprised you even knew about all the programs you did"
I have talked to employment counselors, program coordinators, program advocates and case managers, volunteers, just about anyone. The bankruptcy is hindering my chances of securing housing, even if I had employment.

The icing on the cake has to be with food stamps and General Assistance. I qualified for Cal-Fresh. However, at the time I had a car worth $2200. So I wasn't able to get General Assistance. Fast Forward a year later, I HAD to sell my car to pay bills. Now this month when I went for General Assistance, I qualify.

It's a never ending cycle, a constant push down. I can take public transportation to work, but to get around and see my boys and being able to transport them would be extremely difficult, not to mention financially stressing. I have scoured employment books, read articles, searched the library, spent hours online trying to find a job, program, a company, anybody who could be a resource whether for low income assistance or employment.
I can probably tell you about a plethora of services this county (Santa Clara) offers for both income assistance and job services.I am registered with CALJOBS; I know all the career sites and have my resume there. I get interviews, however I am starting to think the bankruptcy from loss of business is holding me back when employers do background check.
I also could teach the business writing class or the resume writing classes they offer at Work2Future, I practically did when I took them. I could do the same at Sacred Heart. I've been to InnVision and EHC. I’ve talked to Sunnyvale Community Services. Boy he was a treat he sounded older then my 80 yr old grandma. When I said I need housing and employment help, he gruffly told me to check the newspaper and hung up. I've called St Josephs in Gilroy. I've talked to a program coordinator at West Valley Community Services. I called the Sobrato Organization hoping they had ties to something and one the employees just by grace of god happened to pick up and take my call. I was able to talk to someone at HIF (they couldn't help)
.
I am responsible, respectable and just want to work, have a place to live, and be able to have my children 50/50. I have no police record. I am not in recovery, nor have I ever had to be in a program
I want to work and am attaching a compilation of ALL my work skills. I would not send this out otherwise, I would tailor it specifically to the job I am applying for.

I used to volunteer as much as I could I like being active in my community and helping others. I'm still about that I believe in PAY IT FORWARD. I believe the good you do comes back to you tenfold and that no matter what is going wrong in your life, someone else is struggling just as much if not more; so be thankful for what you have.
I attend church and was a hospitality volunteer for that as well.
I just need help getting on my feet. I have no family, other than my children here in CA.
I do not want to move back east and be far away from them. I want to work, I want to live again. I want to smile and mean it.

I hate what my life has become and know that I am SO MUCH BETTER THEN THIS.
Please help me : money is fine, but it's only a temporary fix, please help me find a program that can assist me in getting on my feet, direct me to employment, and most of all afford me the opportunity to have my children much more consistently so I can be a mom again.
Thank you
Courtney DiMiceli

Last year I was put in a real catch 22 situation with my job and had to resign. I was really in no kind of shape to be working anyway, but I was trying. Just a few months before I had to resign, I suffered a total mental breakdown(bi-polar) that I was hopsitalized almost a month for. And I have rheumatoid arthritus, which causes me almost constant pain and fatigue, and has limited the use of my left hand. I applied for disability in September of last year. I'm still waiting on their decision. I have learned how to live without alot of things and have lost alot while I have waited. I was diagnosed bi-polar in 1992. And the rheumatoid arthritus since 2009. Knowing how hard it would be and with the wait and all, and wanting so much not to depend on others always kept me trying to work. Now, I need help with everything. Basically money for household and hygeine items, doctor appointments, and medication. Thankfully, God has already put it on someone's heart for me not to be homeless. If you see this and would like to help me, thank you! I appreciate it very much. And it doesn't have to be a huge ammount. Anything sent is needed and will be appreciated. Thank you.

My name is Gary Griffin , im a 32
year old man that used to be a very hard worker in the job force, in
2010 I became very ill and had to stop working , i tried to get social
security dissability and have been denied 2 times and now am having to
wait for a hearing infront of a judge, they keep giving me some excuse
that my age and ability to get retrained for other work is the reason
for denile. I have congestive heart failure, enlarged heart, and an
irregular heartbeat requiring a defibulator implant in my chest , and
now have type 2 diabeties on top of that, with my medical problems I
can no longer work, just living around my house seems like a full time
job now. I have exausted all available unemployment insurance. and now
have no way to pay my bills and support my family, bills are piling up
and ill be lucky to pay rent, ( having to borrow from my brother) . I
am lost and dont know what to do , i cant get a job but need money to
live on untill i go to court for ssd. do you have any suggestions I could really use some donations right now! sorry for the sob
story but I am going mental trying to figure this out ! I already get
food asistance but food stamps dont pay the bills lol. I really need
help , thanks for listening needed to get this off my chest . Just been put on medicine for diabeties supposed to take 2 pills a day checked price of meds cheapest for 60 is $470 thats rediculous! My health is getting worse and the stress of my financal situation is killing me I despratly need donations any thing will help! We have no one to go to for help as both my wife and I our parents have all past away no family to turn to ,my brother has over run his finances to help me and now he is having problems too! please help me with any donations any thing will help

My situation is more complicated than I can explain, however I ended up as a single parent despite having been married and never expecting this circumstance. In brief, my husband experienced the onset of severe, debilitating mental illness and made several suicide attempts before we split up and my daughter and I have been alone since the last twenty years. I worked hard and partially succeeded in raising my daughter alone but during the last twenty years I became ill. My husband's family want little to do with us and do not provide us with any support. My daughter is trying to get through post secondary education and I am hoping that the economy will be improving but meanwhile I cannot pay the bills because my hours were cut. My own father is in a nursing home, he has no money to speak of, my mother died last year, and my husband's family will not help us despite their own wealth. We want desperately to become more independent but do not want to rip anyone off. If you are interested in my cause let me know. If everyone who read my message gave only a single dollar, imagine how much good it might do? We want to be able to buy a home so that we can put a stop to these high rent payments we make. A mortgage, based on my work history, would be less expensive. It sounds unreal but we live in Vancouver and want to stay here if possible for work and school. We have been here for a long time. Please let me know if you want to help us make some dreams come true. If you do, then I can provide you with more information to make donations and more details on our lives and how your donations are helping us. I know that we do not live a third world lifestyle but many people are unaware of how quickly homelessness can happen in North America due to lack of family support, which is our problem. Please find it in your heart to help us.

I never done anything like this, and I know millions of people come on here asking for help, I just ask that you read this with an open mind.

My husband and I work very hard. We have two children, one of which is mentally disable. We are living paycheck to paycheck, and are so tired of constantly wondering what we are going to do. One thing that we do have is crazy faith. I dont know if God showed me this website to be blessed on someone that understands our circumstances, but I live to help others; I had a hard time at one point living from house to house, so I am just hoping to get some help to help others that are going through the same issue. I would like to finish my basement, garuage, and turn my deck into a sunroom. This will help me make room for those that become homeless and need a comfortable place to sleep untill they get on their feet. We had a family of 5 stay with us for 9 months, it was really cramped, but we made it work they best we could. I feel If I bless others God will bless me. I can only imagine how much all this will cost, but it makes me feel good to know that I can help someones family in need. I would say this would be somewhere around 30-40 thousand. Please help me.

I don't know if this will work but I really need help. I suffer from a mental disorder known as D.I.D. which has been slowly crushing the life of the woman I love and the lives of my parents who now care for me.

Not so long ago my fiancee and I were living together in our own place planning on getting married and starting a family - that is now a distant dream.

We are now up to our eyeballs in debt and living in my parents spare room together trying to scrape by since my sick pay from work stopped.

I know there is not a hell of a lot of detail here, and I may not sound as dire as some others, but I cannot bring myself to type it all out here.

Please help me, I don't want to hurt them any more.

Vinnie is nearly 5 years old. He has fragile X syndrome a genetic disorder that presents like autism but is far far worse with retardation. He is trapped in his own body unable to communicate with us and gets so frustrated he bites his hands, they are scarred and bleed alot.

My sister and I (who have the fragile x gene and are affected in ways other than mentally) desperately want and need to go to the Fragile X International conference in Miami in July this year. But we live in New Zealand and it is going to cost about 16 grand to get there. They are doing workshops on the latest techniques to get through to kids like Vinnie.

Our mother has dementia and this will be the last time my sister will be able to leave her as she deteriorates, I have custody of my disabled sister and this year have someone who will look after her while I am gone... We so need to understand this horrible disorder that has so changed our lives.

We will be among only a handful of people from our country going and we will be teaching other families who are dealing with Fragile X the methods we learn when we return.

Please help us, we are fundraising as much as we can and selling off everything that we can but it is not enough as all our money goes to helping Vinnie and mum and my sister.

Thanks for reading this

http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012303290018
For kayaker Steven Banks, it is going to be more about physical as well as mental endurance rather than simply covering a set distance around Marco, Goodland and Cape Romano.

Banks, owner of Dreamlander Tours, on April 20 will set out on a 24-mile round trip he estimates will take about 24 hours, including a night stop on the water in the vicinity of Cape Romano when he will be on his own without a back-up team.

He is attempting the feat to raise money for three of his pet charities, the Impact community outreach ministry overseen by local pastor Ben Sprankle; a Malawi, Africa, charitable medical clinic called Partners in Hope; and a Cuaravac, Mexico, mother who is blind and has an epileptic son.

A poignant Marco Island connection is that another of her sons, Benito, worked on the island, raised a family, but died in 2011 from meningitis following a mosquito bite.

Banks had befriended Benito.

“Before he passed, he asked to make sure his mother and brother were taken care of,” Banks said.

A trip to Mexico to meet them prompted Banks to do everything he can for them, and his goal is to have them come to the United States for treatment.

Banks has called his fundraising paddle Kayak Marco 24.

It will consist of the 24-hour paddle that may incur inclement weather and unpredictable winds, put him at risk during the Cape Romano solo stop, and put strain on his body because of being out on the water for such an extended time.

But he is not too worried about that aspect.

As a hands-on guide, he paddles up to five or six hours at least three times a week, so has plenty of residual paddling fitness.

Still, he said, the length of time he will spend out on the water represents an unpredictable challenge, so he is avoiding any kind of complacency.

Banks’ route is not a fixed affair either, other than he starts and finishes at the Snook Inn.

While winds are unpredictable from this far out, tides are not, so Banks is studying charts and conferring with some of his charter fishing captain friends to map out the best places to try to be at certain times.

The combination of headwinds as well as fighting an in- or outgoing tide could be formidable, he said.

If the going is really good, he added, he will probably put in extra miles.

The kayak Banks plans to paddle is not the sleek, 17-foot kind that could zip around Marco, Goodland and Cape Romano in a matter of a few hours.

He will be using an ordinary, fairly short and stable craft that doesn’t have much gliding ability, so every stroke will count.

While Banks’ sole motivation for the endurance paddle is for his three pet causes, a cherry on top may come in the form of recognition by the Guinness Book of Records.

The category would be “longest nonstop time period for a single person kayaking.”

The recognition would be subject to correct and exhaustive documentation, Banks said.

Want to help?
What: Kayak Marco 24
Who: Steven Banks will spend 24 hours paddling around Marco, Goodland and Cape Romano
When: April 20-21
Where: Start and finish points are 1 p.m. at the Snook Inn.
Motive: Charitable
Donations: Visit dreamlandertours.com or call 240-2117. By mail, make checks out to Kayak Marco 24 and send to:
Kayak Marco 24
c/o Steven Banks
2701 55th Terrace SW
Naples, FL 34116

Because I believe in the power of prayer & the kindness of my fellow man, I've decided to swallow my pride & ask for help. This is not an action I am at all familiar with but am grasping at every straw to attempt to keep a roof over my family's head. We live in a modest house that we've called home for the past 20+ years.

I am a single mother who's been truly blessed with 4, beautiful, healthy children; 3 biological & a foster son that joined our family when he was 12…..he is now 23. My kids are the reason I continue to battle through what has been the most challenging, darkest phase of my 50 years on this Earth.

In the summer of 2011, life, as my family knew it, was forever changed. My son got off the school bus & proceeded to enter a crime scene upon opening the front door of the house we call home. It was immediately clear that we were victims of a daytime home invasion and robbery. A trail of splinters led straight to my bedroom door, which had been demolished in the process of gaining entrance & access to my personal belongings. Robbers took my box of trash bags & proceeded to fill them with anything that could be sold or traded. I came home to find that they had stolen everything of value that I had worked for in my 50 years of existence & everything of value that my kids cherished as well.

It didn't happen often, but on the occasion that I had a few extra dollars to spend on myself, I found pleasure in buying nice jewelry. Through the years, I had managed to accumulate a nice collection. Also, as a child, my father & I shared an interest in coin collecting. I had managed to hold on to several interesting coins my dad & I found. Weekly, he also, gave me & my brothers our allowance of a fifty cent piece each. I had somehow managed to hold on to many of these as well. I stored my coin collection in the bottom portion of my large armoire. This area is what my family referred to as "the safe." Anything of value, particularly sentimental, was given to me to be protected in the safe. A couple good examples are my, then, 10 year old son's game ball for hitting the Championship game winning grand slam home run & my daughter's horse riding medals, show jewelry & accessories, as well as a silver handled knife & sheath…….the only personal possession my foster son owned from his childhood. I carry a tremendous amount of guilt for not doing a better job of safe guarding my family's precious & dear possessions.

In addition to the lingering guilt, the robbery also resulted in life altering psychological effects to me & my family. I continue to wonder if & when I will ever fully recover & be the secure, self confident person I was before the robbery. Immediately following the break-in, I was consumed by finding out who was responsible & ways of obtaining this information…..I could think of nothing else. After several weeks of frantic guessing & running wild goose chases, I started to realize that regaining possession of my property was less likely as each day went by. I could feel myself falling into a dark, lonely place with deep despair…..& unfortunately, I was content to be there. For the next several months, I could not work, did not eat or sleep & rarely came out of my bedroom. There was a film in my head that ran & reran the events leading up to & immediately following the robbery…..filled with the "I should've"s, "I could've"s and "what ifs." I am plagued with distrust & no longer find interest in much of anything. I was robbed of far more than just pieces of property…..they stole my trust in mankind, my desire to thrive, my faith in the world & my sanity.

I have worked as a medical school curriculum manager for 21 years. As a result of my mental decline, I was unable to work for over three months which, consequentially, made it difficult to pay all of the bills. I managed to rob Peter to pay Paul for several months & kept up with everything except for my house payment. It is now in arrears nearly $5,000.00 & I am out of resources. For the first time in my life, I am facing foreclosure. It is embarrassing & humiliating & I don't know how to tell my kids that they are likely to have no place to call home in the very near future. I feel like such a failure! Even though I've been an exemplary employee for many years, as a consequence of the self doubting & tremendous stress, I am now faced with the strong potential of losing my job due to my inability to focus & my lack of desire to face each day, As if this wasn't enough for one person to handle, I am also witnessing the daily decline of my father & my hero due to end stage Parkinson's & Alzheimer's.

I'm not sure how this begging website works but if there is someone out there that is willing to make me a loan & work out a payment arrangement, I promise not to let you down.....you will be repaid! I am working hard to battle the persisting PTSD symptoms that continue to plague me. I just worry that facing homelessness may be more than I can handle. Lord, I hand it over to You coz I come to You a broken, wounded angel. I thank you for any consideration and appreciate all prayers. May God bless you many times & in many ways for your generosity & kindness!

Because I believe in the power of prayer & the kindness of my fellow man, I've decided to swallow my pride & ask for help. This is not an action I am at all familiar with but am grasping at every straw to attempt to keep a roof over my family's head. We live in a modest house that we've called home for the past 25 years.

I am a single mother who's been truly blessed with 4, beautiful, healthy children; 3 biological & a foster son that joined our family when he was 12…..he is now 23. My kids are the reason I continue to battle through what has been the most challenging, darkest phase of my 50 years on this Earth.

In the summer of 2011, life, as my family knew it, was forever changed. My son got off the school bus & proceeded to enter a crime scene upon opening the front door of the house we call home. It was immediately clear that we were victims of a daytime home invasion and robbery. A trail of splinters led straight to my bedroom door, which had been demolished in the process of gaining entrance & access to my personal belongings. Robbers took my box of trash bags & proceeded to fill them with anything that could be sold or traded. I came home to find that they had stolen everything of value that I had worked for in my 50 years of existence & everything of value that my kids cherished as well.

It didn't happen often, but on the occasion that I had a few extra dollars to spend on myself, I found pleasure in buying nice jewelry. Through the years, I had managed to accumulate a nice collection. Also, as a child, my father & I shared an interest in coin collecting. I had managed to hold on to several interesting coins my dad & I found. Weekly, he also, gave me & my brothers our allowance of a fifty cent piece each. I had somehow managed to hold on to many of these as well. I stored my coin collection in the bottom portion of my large armoire. This area is what my family referred to as "the safe." Anything of value, particularly sentimental, was given to me to be protected in the safe. A couple good examples are my, then, 10 year old son's game ball for hitting the Championship game winning grand slam home run & my daughter's horse riding medals, show jewelry & accessories, as well as a silver handled knife & sheath…….the only personal possession my foster son owned from his childhood. I carry a tremendous amount of guilt for not doing a better job of safe guarding my family's precious & dear possessions.

In addition to the lingering guilt, the robbery also resulted in other life altering psychological effects to me & my family. I continue to wonder if & when I will ever fully recover & be the secure, self confident person I was before the robbery. Immediately following the break-in, I was consumed by finding out who was responsible & ways of obtaining this information…..I could think of nothing else. After several weeks of frantic guessing & running wild goose chases, I started to realize that regaining possession of my property was less likely as each day went by. I could feel myself falling into a dark, lonely place accompanied by deep despair…..& unfortunately, I was content to be there. For the next several months, I could not work, did not eat or sleep & rarely came out of my bedroom. There was a film in my head that ran & reran the events leading up to & immediately following the robbery…..filled with the "I should've"s, "I could've"s and "what ifs." I am plagued with distrust & no longer find interest in much of anything. I was robbed of far more than just pieces of property…..they stole my trust in mankind, my desire to thrive, my faith in the world & my sanity.

I have worked as a medical school curriculum manager for 21 years. As a result of my mental decline, I was unable to work for over three months which, consequentially, made it difficult to pay all of the bills. I managed to rob Peter to pay Paul for several months & kept up with everything except for my house payment. It is now in arrears nearly $5,000.00 & I am out of resources. For the first time in my life, I am facing foreclosure. It is embarrassing & humiliating & I don't know how to tell my kids that they are likely to have no place to call home in the very near future. I feel like such a failure! Even though I've been an exemplary employee for many years, as a consequence of the self doubting & tremendous stress, I am now faced with the strong potential of losing my job due to my inability to focus & my lack of desire to face each day. As if this wasn't enough for one person to handle, I am also witnessing the daily decline of my father & my hero due to end stage Parkinson's & Alzheimer's.

I'm not sure how this begging website works but if there is someone out there that is willing to believe in me & offer me a loan & payment arrangements, I promise not to let you down.....you will be repaid! I am working hard to battle the persisting PTSD that continues to plague me. I just worry that facing homelessness may be more than I can handle. Lord, I hand it over to You coz I come to You a broken, wounded angel. I thank you for any consideration and appreciate all prayers. May God bless you many times & in many ways for your generosity & kindness!

I was a full time student, with a wife and a little baby when a little over a year ago I developed a mental illness. I subsequently was suspended from the University and racked up $70000 in debt from the illness and living expenses. Things are looking like they are turning around I just got admitted to return to school in September, and I have a job until then. However, I am unable to travel to the state that the job is in, and I don't have the money to pay the first and last months rent. Any help would be a miracle for me and my little family.