HolisticKids
02-11-2008, 11:54 AM
This was sent to me by my friend Leon, who has really been trying to help this man in our community. Please contact Leon for more info or if you can help (email and phone at end of message)
Thanks,
Jane
Up until last fall, Denny made his living doing auto mechanic work and buying, fixing and selling cars. Denny does not drink, smoke, curse or use drugs. As of last fall he had money in the bank and an apartment in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Alameda</st1:place></st1:City>. However, in August he wrecked one of the cars he was working on breaking his back and injuring the nerves in his feet. All his savings went to pay the hospital bill. He has no family or friends who can house or care for him. After back surgery, he ended up on the street with no money and no place to go. I met him at that time while he was trying to fill a prescription at Longs. He was having trouble with the County paying for the medication so I paid for it myself. I asked him if I could give him a ride home and learned he had no home. So, I got him into the Redwood Gospel Mission for a few nights. I have kept in touch with him on and off over the last 6 months.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
After using up his time at the <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Mission</st1:place></st1:City>, he bounced around to other shelters. He was on his feet using crutches to get around and badly damaged the heels on both feet because he could not feel that his feet were getting injured. So, he was back in the hospital and had skin grafts on both heels in December. He was in the hospital for a couple of months and when he started to get well, he was given a referral to another homeless shelter. He went into a shelter that allowed him to stay for a couple of weeks then he had to leave because his time was up. So, I spent all this past week trying to find another place for him. One of his skin grafts has opened up and I took him to Memorial. They would not admit him because the wound was not infected and they said it was not an emergency. The told him to go "home" and let the wound heal for the next two or three months. They also referred him to their wound clinic which I took him to on Friday. So, I ended up paying for a couple of nights at Motel 6 for him and Salvation Army put him up at the Astro Motel for two nights. He is back at the <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Mission</st1:place></st1:City> now. If he does not have to spend his days going to the doctor or County appointments, he panhandles in front of Trader Joes and sometimes gets enough money for a motel room. He did find an agency that donated a powered wheelchair to him so he uses that to get around now. Most of the shelters make their guests leave by 7:00 in the morning and they can't come back until about 5:00 at night. Denny needs a place to stay all day and heal his foot.
I have found him more shelter information but have not secured a room in someone's home yet. I spent the entire week helping him at the Welfare office, various agencies, the DMV, and the hospital and doctor visits. It is frightening to find out how difficult it is to navigate all those agencies and even more so if you are homeless and in a wheelchair as Denny is right now.
<o:p></o:p>
He has a car and boat in a storage yard in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Santa Rosa</st1:place></st1:City>. The car and boat are worth $2500 or more but he owes $1100 in storage fees. He is supposed to go the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Jail</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> to serve a 60-day sentence for driving on a suspended license on Feb 29<SUP>th,</SUP>so he will have housing and meals during that time. I have helped him apply for General Assistance which will pay up to $330 per month for a room, but that is not finalized yet. I would like to see him get into housing before that and have a place to go to when he gets out. I have lined up a job for him when he is able to walk again. He is anxious to work and get his life together. I am asking everyone I know to donate a few dollars to help get the car and boat out of storage. He also has a nice laptop in the pawn shop and it will cost $125 to get that out. If you can donate to him, please let me know or send me a paypal money transfer to this email address [email protected] ([email protected]). Thanks for considering Denny,
Please call Leon at 707-522-1375
Here are two photos of Denny.<o:p></o:p>
Thanks,
Jane
Up until last fall, Denny made his living doing auto mechanic work and buying, fixing and selling cars. Denny does not drink, smoke, curse or use drugs. As of last fall he had money in the bank and an apartment in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Alameda</st1:place></st1:City>. However, in August he wrecked one of the cars he was working on breaking his back and injuring the nerves in his feet. All his savings went to pay the hospital bill. He has no family or friends who can house or care for him. After back surgery, he ended up on the street with no money and no place to go. I met him at that time while he was trying to fill a prescription at Longs. He was having trouble with the County paying for the medication so I paid for it myself. I asked him if I could give him a ride home and learned he had no home. So, I got him into the Redwood Gospel Mission for a few nights. I have kept in touch with him on and off over the last 6 months.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
<o:p></o:p>
After using up his time at the <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Mission</st1:place></st1:City>, he bounced around to other shelters. He was on his feet using crutches to get around and badly damaged the heels on both feet because he could not feel that his feet were getting injured. So, he was back in the hospital and had skin grafts on both heels in December. He was in the hospital for a couple of months and when he started to get well, he was given a referral to another homeless shelter. He went into a shelter that allowed him to stay for a couple of weeks then he had to leave because his time was up. So, I spent all this past week trying to find another place for him. One of his skin grafts has opened up and I took him to Memorial. They would not admit him because the wound was not infected and they said it was not an emergency. The told him to go "home" and let the wound heal for the next two or three months. They also referred him to their wound clinic which I took him to on Friday. So, I ended up paying for a couple of nights at Motel 6 for him and Salvation Army put him up at the Astro Motel for two nights. He is back at the <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Mission</st1:place></st1:City> now. If he does not have to spend his days going to the doctor or County appointments, he panhandles in front of Trader Joes and sometimes gets enough money for a motel room. He did find an agency that donated a powered wheelchair to him so he uses that to get around now. Most of the shelters make their guests leave by 7:00 in the morning and they can't come back until about 5:00 at night. Denny needs a place to stay all day and heal his foot.
I have found him more shelter information but have not secured a room in someone's home yet. I spent the entire week helping him at the Welfare office, various agencies, the DMV, and the hospital and doctor visits. It is frightening to find out how difficult it is to navigate all those agencies and even more so if you are homeless and in a wheelchair as Denny is right now.
<o:p></o:p>
He has a car and boat in a storage yard in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Santa Rosa</st1:place></st1:City>. The car and boat are worth $2500 or more but he owes $1100 in storage fees. He is supposed to go the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">County</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Jail</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> to serve a 60-day sentence for driving on a suspended license on Feb 29<SUP>th,</SUP>so he will have housing and meals during that time. I have helped him apply for General Assistance which will pay up to $330 per month for a room, but that is not finalized yet. I would like to see him get into housing before that and have a place to go to when he gets out. I have lined up a job for him when he is able to walk again. He is anxious to work and get his life together. I am asking everyone I know to donate a few dollars to help get the car and boat out of storage. He also has a nice laptop in the pawn shop and it will cost $125 to get that out. If you can donate to him, please let me know or send me a paypal money transfer to this email address [email protected] ([email protected]). Thanks for considering Denny,
Please call Leon at 707-522-1375
Here are two photos of Denny.<o:p></o:p>