Asking for help is one of the hardest things in the world, and society often makes us feel like we're failing just for trying to survive a broken system.

Because we missed the March 2 GFM goal, I had to move again. I'm now in a new, less comfortable space (very cool bedroom though!), but I am refusing to give up. I am literally only weeks away from starting my new clinical job as an LPC on March 16, and shortly after that, achieving total financial independence.

But right now, the systemic "poverty tax" is draining my very last resources.

This week, bureaucratic delays at my onboarding drug test made me late to leave for my mandated fingerprinting appointment. I was forced to spend $60-ish on a Lyft, and STILL I made it one minute late for my appointment. Because of that single minute, they refused to see me and tried to push my appointment back weeks—which would have destroyed my March 16 start date. To save my job, I was forced to spend another $50 on an emergency Lyft to race to a second location just to get my prints run that same day.

The system rigidly punishes those of us trying to survive, especially when navigating it with agoraphobia, PTSD, and autism. I know that the only reason I'm still functioning is sheer force of will born entirely of the belief that this community has in me and the investment that you've put in to my getting to this point.

Here is exactly where things stand financially right now:

• Groceries (Secured): EBT kicks in tomorrow, March 9. We are safe on food! Riko too!
• Priority 1 - Rent (Urgent): Hitting our GFM goal covers the rent in its entirety through April 1. This is the absolute priority so I don't lose this space and get displaced again.
• Priority 2 - Internet ($100): I currently have no home internet and am burning through expensive mobile hotspot data. I need a $100 deposit to get it installed, but I must secure the rent first.

I am so close to the finish line. Please, if you can invest in my survival today, you are securing the roof over my head until my first paycheck arrives. Thank you for not letting me fall at the final hurdle.

GFM: https://gofund.me/85c9fb79e
Venmo: https://venmo.com/ellisarcwolf
CashApp: https://cash.app/$CeruleanArc
Chime: $EllisArcwolf

#MutualAid #MutualAidRequest #Pittsburgh #PovertyTax #ActuallyAutistic #PTSD #DisabilityJustice #HousingSecurity #LPC #Therapist #CommunityCare #SiberianHusky

Onboarding has officially begun! 📝

Navigating the mountains of paperwork and multiple background checks this week has been stressful, but it is the exact kind of "good stress" I have been fighting for. So I'm adapting quickly to this new and exciting way of things.

Having this quiet sanctuary is working. My cognitive bandwidth is returning—so much so that I was able to finish my gigantic essay on AI! I am no longer just surviving; I am creating and thinking again. 🧠✨

Thanks to you, I also managed to acquire all the groceries I need until my food stamps renew in early March. I had to go $40 out of pocket for it, but that was an acceptable need, and I think all of you who have been supporting me would likely agree.

🚨 THE FINAL BOSS BATTLE – 5 DAYS REMAINING 🚨

We are exactly 5 days away from my current housing running out on March 2.

I need to raise the $900 bridge to extend my stay through April so Riko and I remain safe and indoors until after my new career begins on March 16. GoFundMe has started collecting some of these funds, and we're about $200-300 into our goal. We're still needing $600-700 more to ensure I don't have to worry about housing until I have the money to acquire a rental all my own.

We have cleared every other hurdle. Please help us close this final gap!

• GFM: https://gofund.me/85c9fb79e
• Venmo: https://venmo.com/ellisarcwolf
• CashApp: https://cash.app/$CeruleanArc
• Chime: $EllisArcwolf

#MutualAid #MutualAidRequest #Pittsburgh #LPC #Therapist #SuccessStory #HousingCrisis #EmergencyFund #SiberianHusky #COVIDRecovery #MentalHealth #WritingCommunity #PovertyTax #Venmo #CashApp

UPDATE: Communications Restored!

Thanks to you, my phone is back on! I am now officially reachable for the background check and drug testing calls from Pittsburgh Mercy. This was the most stressful barrier and now it's gone.

And good thing, too! I got two VERY important calls today that I would've been very sad to miss! So thank you for that very, very much. 💜

Because I’ve had to move so frequently to stay safe, my PO Box is my only consistent "anchor" for mail. Thanks to you, I've kept it! Which will help me continue to receive important mail from work and the state board.

The Long-Term Bridge: The Housing Gap

With the phone active and the PO box safe, all focus now shifts to the $900 needed to extend my housing from March 2nd through the start of April. This ensures Riko and I don't lose our sanctuary in the two weeks between our current stay ending and my new career beginning.

• Phone: ✅ RESTORED ($56)
• PO Box: ✅ RESTORED ($10)
• Housing Bridge: ⏳ $600–700 Remaining

Riko is safe, I am breathing clean air, and the finish line is in sight.

Links for the Final Push:

• Venmo: https://venmo.com/ellisarcwolf
• CashApp: https://cash.app/$CeruleanArc
• GFM: https://gofund.me/85c9fb79e

#MutualAid #MutualAidRequest #Pittsburgh #LPC #Therapist #SuccessStory #GoodNews #JobOffer #PittsburghMercy #HousingCrisis #EmergencyFund #SiberianHusky #MutualAidPA #PovertyTax #COVID19 #Recovery #Venmo #CashApp

A CAREER RESTORED!!!

When I first asked for your help, my goal was simply to survive long enough to rebuild my life. Today, I am incredibly proud to share that my dream is gently easing into reality.

Following my final interview last Wednesday (February 18), I received and accepted an official offer for a clinician position at Pittsburgh Mercy. My tentative start date is set for March 16.

Because of the sanctuary you helped provide, I was able to recover from COVID-19 in a safe, smoke-free environment. Having a quiet space allowed me to finalize my credentialing and walk into that interview as the professional I am, not just a person surviving a crisis. My dog, Riko, has been safe and grounded by my side through it all.

MAKING IT THROUGH THE FINAL STRETCH

We are at the absolute final stretch of this journey, but there is one last "pickle" to navigate.

The funds we raised secured my current, safe housing until March 2. However, my new career does not begin until March 16, leaving exactly a two-week gap where Riko and I will be without a home before my first day of work—and several weeks before my first paycheck. This problem is compounded by the following issues:

• Phone: My phone has been cut off due to non-payment and requires $56 to turn back on. This part especially sucks because I'm expecting a callback from Pittsburgh Mercy to let me know how to proceed with background checks and drug testing, and so I'm pretty anxious about that right now.
• Post Office Box: Because I've had to move so much, I have a PO Box. I have to renew the payment on it, and that's $10.
• Food: Riko is gratefully not out of food, but I am. I've got food stamps, but carrying groceries several blocks uphill is impossible for me, so I need to get it delivered. Ergo non-food-stamp money is needed.

To cross this final bridge without losing the stability we’ve fought so hard to build, I need to finish raising my GoFundMe goal, which I've dropped to $2,500. This will cover:

• $900 to extend my current housing through the start of April, allowing me time to get my first paycheck, to potentially argue for a relocation stipend so I can get an actual rental apartment, and to stay safe—and more importantly, psychologically stable while managing severe PTSD—until I can do all of that.
• $395 to ensure food security for Riko and me and to pay necessary bills until my first paycheck arrives.

CROSSING THE FINISH LINE

You didn't just help me escape a dispiriting, life-threatening environment; you bought me the time to reclaim my career as an LPC. I am now just weeks away from being completely self-sufficient and returning to the frontlines to serve the LGBTQ+ and Spanish-speaking communities.

Please help me bridge this final month. If you cannot donate, sharing this update is just as vital.

Thank you so much, community. I would never have been able to do this without you, and I plan to spend the rest of my life making sure folks I come across don't have to go through what I've had to. :purple_heart:

• GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/85c9fb79e
• Venmo: https://venmo.com/ellisarcwolf
• CashApp: https://cash.app/$CeruleanArc
• Chime: $EllisArcwolf

Thank you for being the steady foundation I needed to start anew. Riko and I almost home.

#MutualAid #MutualAidRequest #Pittsburgh #LPC #Therapist #LGBTQ #HousingCrisis #EmergencyFund #DisabilityJustice #PTSD #COVIDRecovery #FoodSecurity #JobOffer #MentalHealthMatters #SiberianHusky #MutualAidPA #PovertyTax #Venmo #CashApp

A lot has happened in a few short days, and I want to be as transparent as possible about how your support is being used and why my immediate tactical needs have changed.

Day One: The Breaking Point

My hope was tested immediately. I had been staying with a host who, rather than offering a safe haven, demanded I act as a live-in nurse while I was trying to rebuild my own life. Worse, her heavy chain-smoking severely compromised my lungs, leading to a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Combined with my asthma, this environment was a direct threat to my life. After a final night of being kept awake by the host's psychological crises, I knew I had to choose survival. I chose my life, and I chose my dog, Riko.

Day Two: The Troll and The Exodus

I attempted to secure a permanent apartment for $425/month with a $155 deposit—what seemed like a miracle. Instead, it was a mirage. I fell victim to a predatory rental scam where the individual attempted to extort me for money and images the moment I sent the deposit. I have reported this to the FBI and the Pittsburgh Police, but the immediate result was the theft of $155 I didn't have.

However, the day ended with the power of community. My exodus from that abusive environment was made possible by:

• The Powerhouse Neighbor: An elderly neighbor who stood with me against the host woman until the police arrived to ensure I could collect my belongings safely.
• The Firebird Theatre: A friend from my Final Fantasy XIV community drove to Pittsburgh to help me move my things and Riko into a temporary sanctuary.

Day Three & Four: The Sanctuary and the Pivot

With the first disbursal of GFM funds, I secured a safe, quiet AirBnB in Pittsburgh. This was a tactical shift from my original goal of a permanent rental deposit, and here is why:

• Medical Necessity: I could not recover from COVID and asthma in a smoke-filled room or a winter shelter.
• Professional Continuity: This room provides the quiet I need to finish my LPC credentialing and attend job interviews undisturbed.
• The Long-Term Play: I am now working with Roots, a local organization for subsidized housing. I am approximately 2-3 months away from a permanent, stable home through this program.

The Current Need: Bridging the Gap

Because I had to use GFM funds to pay back the $155 stolen in the scam and secure this room, I am facing a critical bridge gap:

• The $155 Gap: I need to replace the stolen funds to ensure my full month here is covered.
• Food Security: My food stamps (SNAP) do not renew until February 9. I am currently out of food and need to bridge the next 48 hours without dipping into my rent money.

The Finish Line

I have a job interview this Tuesday, and I am finalizing my credentials to begin work as a contract therapist serving the LGBTQ+ and Spanish-speaking communities. Your support is "buying me time"—the time I need for my health to recover and the bureaucracy of my new career to catch up with my skills.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-an-lpcs-journey-from-homelessness-to-healing

If you can help with food or the $155 gap, please use the links below for immediate access:

• Venmo: https://venmo.com/joanburgos
• CashApp: https://cash.app/$CeruleanArc
• Chime: $EllisArcwolf

Thank you for being the heart that pushes me forward when my own fails. We are so close.

#MutualAid #MutualAidRequest #Pittsburgh #LPC #Therapist #LGBTQ #AbuseSurvivor #HousingCrisis #EmergencyFund #TransJoy #FFXIV #FinalFantasyXIV #SiberianHusky #MutualAidPA #PovertyTax #COVID19 #Asthma #SNAP #FoodSecurity #Venmo #CashApp

Today is a bad day.

I went in to get med refills, but I couldn't afford them because the fucking free doctor prescribed them wrong. So I haven't had my meds for a week. Went to get the correct ones today, and they were $40.

Awesome. So I had to do a walk in I didn't mean to do. Got the meds prescribed for the third fucking time, and I was so stressed out I left without ever picking them up.

Went back to pick up my meds, was going to celebrate with a vape. Vape mod is missing. I look for it everywhere. It's gone. I lost it somewhere in all the stress of trying to save $40.

This is the poverty tax. To save $40, I lost $80. It is the snake that eats itself.

Also I have a second job interview next week. Unfortunately I also have agoraphobia, and my vape was my safety signal.

I'm freaking out and I need to replace it now. I will do anything to replace it. But to prevent myself from engaging in desperate, self-destructive acts, I'm going to have to require myself to do nothing.

I'm so fucked. I was getting $100 from a friend soon and none of it matters because I can never get ahead and begging for scraps kills my fucking soul.

So I'm begging. Because a soul can't live without a body, and I've been a body without a soul long enough.

No GFM. This is an emergency. If I have to wait, I might as well go inpatient and fuck both job interviews.

https://cash.app/$CeruleanArc
https://venmo.com/joanburgos

P.S. Oh and next week I'll need new Adderall. So this is all hell. I get $20, it's gone. Beg for more. If you have anything, please spare me more hell. I am so close, but I'm so tired too. I can't take much more of this. At this point I feel like I'd lose less self esteem finding people to fuck me for money on Craigslist.

#MutualAid #TransJoy #PovertyTax #Agoraphobia #MedicalAbuse #Disability #EmergencyAid #Venmo #CashApp #ButlerPA #Pittsburgh #LPC #SupportArtists #MutualAidRequest

These have been really difficult days. It's easy to feel no hope when your locus of control is zero. When you have no income, your locus of control is zero. In a capitalist society, this makes you, by definition, little more than an NPC, incapable of anything but scripted responses (unless you want to be seen as a crazy person, which I am tired enough no longer to mind).

Also, I'm sure that if you die, instead of accountability, somebody gets experience points.

Your compassion and generosity have been a lifesaver in these days. The first time I tried to get into Pittsburgh, I learned the bus ran only in the early morning and in the late afternoon. Incredibly, it was only 10 AM, and already my day was ruined. That was Wednesday.

Thursday, I was broke. And it was Thanksgiving. On a day celebrating the genocide of American Indigenous people, I considered the ways in which capitalism is designed to force us to destroy ourselves when we can no longer serve in the people-grinder that is the American workforce. It is a day to remember all that we must fight for and against.

I'm not sure when I was reminded about Venmo's existence for the second time, but I was dissociating so intensely that I ended the night as Joan with Pip, Carmen, and Chaz so exhausted they passed out. And I started getting this really bad headache that hasn't really gone away since. But Venmo existed, and you had come through for me big time. I could end Thursday much better off than I started it. And now, I think maybe I'll be OK for a week or so. As long as I don't get hit by too many surprises like the transportation one on Friday (see below).

At some point I got half the Budget money back, but my account is now overdrawn by $400, and now by $35 less thanks to a new GoFundMe donation that just came through. (I'd talked about this before in short, but I fought so hard for this that I'm still tired about it.) I'm not optimistic we'll get that checking account cleared soon, but I'm happy it's not as daunting a prospect now. The GoFundMe goal is currently to clear this final $400 deficit so I can use my bank account again.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/ellis-emergency-fund

#MutualAid #Pittsburgh #PublicTransit #SystemicFailure #TransCrowdfund #WritingCommunity #Capitalism #ActuallyAutistic #BudgetRentACar #Solidarity #PovertyTax

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Memes R Us
[meme-maker unknown]

See the flaws in this oversimplified meme and read the comment by @jrefior

#economics #education #inequality #billionaires #college #taxes #press #meme #PovertyTax

https://www.propublica.org/article/fenton-louisiana-brought-in-1-million-through-mayors-court

#BrokenTaillightPolicing: Advocates for the poor say a reliance on fines, which they call “taxation by citation,” distorts the role of police departments. “It’s almost impossible to generate that much of your revenue without doing pretty abusive things,” said Joanna Weiss

#PovertyTax #AbolishPrisonsAbolishPolice