Hi! My name is Amber and I have a really hard time asking for help. I have been homeless for about 9 months. Like most people, I became homeless after struggling with alcohol for 10 years. I have 3 different diplomas for graduating 30-day rehab programs (although I did attend more than 3), and I have also been through most of the well-known sober living houses. I kept relapsing. Before alcohol took me over, I was engaged, had a 12-year career, cars of my own, apartments of my own, and sometimes I had a little extra money for fun. I do struggle with some mental health issues that were never treated most of my life, and it also took me over. Although my mental illness isn’t something I absolutely need medication or an institution for, it still was a struggle to find any peace of mind, and on top of it, I self-medicated with the most convenient drug, alcohol. To me, 10 years seems like 10 days, and I lost everything I worked for. I lost people I thought I never would, and I burned every bridge I ever built. If I didn’t 100 percent keep my own life together, my only other option for living was outside as “homeless.” I have no family, grew up in foster care, and the one friend who had offered help before, I burned the bridge and lost any chance for that again, but we are still friends. So, I have lived 9 months alone on the streets of Richmond and Henrico. I focused the winter on just staying alive in some of the craziest ways and on just finding peace and happiness in some way until it was warm, and I have been SOBER the whole time.
But now that it is warm, I found that I have such a hard time getting a job, and the way I have to live, I usually need daily pay for hotels or weekly pay if I can figure out help with that week first. Trying to think and plan for surviving, which is a job, and also work a 9-12 hour job is nearly impossible unless I had a financial cushion in place that would put me ahead enough and put me somewhere long enough that a biweekly pay kind of job would be possible. I have tried so many things, and I don’t see a way out. I don’t panhandle, I don’t do drugs, I don’t do anything that goes against what I value in myself. I still want to live, and I still have my head on my shoulders enough to value life and happiness.
I’m not asking for a handout because I am more than happy to work for it. I just need something that’ll give me the time and the space to get just a little ahead so I can focus on what is most important and move on with my life. I just need support, even if it’s a hotel stay, food, or some kind of housing that’ll give me time to get some money up. I really would appreciate anything at this point. Thank you. ❤️
