I am not running away and atm Im not homeless but soon I wil

[Guest]

I moved out my parents place because I just couldn't take my father anymore. He is verbally abusive and in the past has touched me inappropriately (although I've never told this). I moved into a room in a dormitory type place and the rent included everything and its very nice. Early this year I bought a car, a lil geo metro which has helped me a lot to get independent. I enrolled in college for the summer. I got a job but it was just temporary but it was all I could get, I applied everywhere it seems. Now the job ended but my bills are still coming in. I have rent and car insurance. I have paid for this month rent and I am doing everything I can to pay for next month's bills but I don't know if I will make it. I went to the state aid office and applied for food stamps and I will be receiving them, I qualified for emergency aid. I felt bad at first for trying to get them but in the end when I turned out to be qualified for emergency ones I figured I must deserve them and I am trying so hard to find work.

I applied for college in Tyler, Texas and was accepted. The college here (Baton Rouge, La) only had a summer course that I could take. I applied at many colleges actually and this one accepted me with out any problem (Tyler Junior College) . I am sure I will receive Financial aid for my classes but I don't know if I will for rent.

If I stay here I can't get into college for Fall. I don't have a job and sadly I don't see me getting one. I can babysit and earn a little cash but never much. I need and I want to move to Tyler where there at least I have school. But no where to stay and no job. I have a car but my little car can't make it to Tyler and once I get there I will have a hard time making it with out a car because it was so hard here with out one. I want to work I do. I am afraid I don't know what to do, I foresee my self in the streets soon.

[ccsmod8]

Re: I am not running away and atm Im not homeless but soon I wil

Hello,

We appreciate you taking the time out of what already seems to be a totally daunting situation in your personal and professional life and if at all we are able to help you redefine the way you look at the issues at hand, we want to continue to offer you the support you need in order for you to do your best to make life a bit easier. After careful consideration of the issues presented, we were able to come away feeling assured in your efforts to get things done in a manner that reflects your positive outlook at this time. Even after reading all that you have gone through, what resonates with us at the National Runaway Switchboard is your resilience and strength that you have displayed. You have surely done what many people cannot accomplish on their own without much help from anyone. We commend you for finding a way out from under your father because no one deserves that sort of treatment. We empathize with your past suffering and acknowledge you as a survivor. You are indeed capable of doing whatever you set your mind to, given that you attain the proper resources you need to get ahead.

From what you said and what we interpreted from it, it sounds like you are able to get ahead on some things but there are obstacles you face before you are able to get to another level. We sense that you are at a point where you need practical approach to the situation and not merely advice on what to do to start feeling more empowered. We can help with providing you information on what you might need to do to acquire transitional living/independent living or possibly a shelter. Have you thought about any of these as options? Shelters are not permanent but you can live in one, if available in your area, while you search for work and attend school. A shelter can even serve as a way to prove that you have an address because you need this sort of information when you are looking for a job. Transitional living can be more immediate in terms of setting up a formal place to live as you work on finding a job and setting up for school.

Looking for work, attending school, and paying bills can be overwhelming. Have you thought about calling us to speak to someone in person so that you have the chance to vent a bit. We are not here to judge you and we remain confidential throughout. What if you were to speak to someone in your financial aid office to see if it is possible to convert finacial aid in hard cash or check to help with your living situation? Have you consider applying for a small loan to hold you over until you get back on your feet? Do you know what your credit rating looks like and are you able to prove to a back that you are good for it?

We continue to respect your due deligence with finding work and balancing your life all at once. How do you spend the rest of your time? Are you able to get out while you search for work but allow yourself to find things to do to relieve some of these stresses? We imagine that stress takes it toll when so much builts up but you neglect the other things that's important to you. Are you able to reach out to friend and other relatives you can count on for support? You are deserving of all the help you can get, whether it be from the government or people in your life. After all, you have come this far on your own and continue to reach for more. Have you thought about applying for umemployment benefits? If you are out of work and need help, you can qualify but in some cases it has to be that you got fired from work and it seems that your last gig simply expired. But, we are glad that you can still get some emergency aid.

We want to congratulate you on your acceptance to college. Have you thought about the possibility of living on campus when you attend Tyler? Maybe things might start looking up after you move to another town. We hope that you can remain optimistic as you venture out into another world. We have resources here at our agency for you to call and try to qualify for in the upcoming months. For example, you noted that you have no one right now for family support and you live on your own. If you are younger than 21 and can set yourself up at a transitional living facility in a town where you intend to attend school, we can work with you to get you there. However, this is contingent on you getting into a program for independent living and meet our age range to qualify for a bus ticket. You are within the population we want to help but the process starts time. If you are strap for cash and cannot afford to pay for transportation to get to Tyler, once you secure a program, if you have no place to stay but independent living, we can work with you to see if you qualify to get you to one of these programs, if it is available to you in the town.

Please let us know how we can help and know that you are in our thoughts. There is a lot you are going to need to step foot in the right direction but hope is not lost, if you continue to apply yourself, just as you have been doing. The last thing we want to see happen is that you get landed on the streets without a safe place. If you need resources for shelter or information on transitional living/independent living programs, let us know if you need us to check into programs in Baton Rouge for you. We look forward to hearing from you and hope that you figure some things out soon, with or without us. Good luck.

-NRS

[Guest]

Re: I am not running away and atm Im not homeless but soon I wil

Thank you very much for your reply.

I had been searching online for some kind of solution. I was looking for a program that provided residence assistance but reached out a bit further because my problem really lies in the job department. If I could just find steady employment my goal is not to have to rely on anyone but myself. I ran across many sites but finding something particularly in Tyler, Texas seemed to be my problem. I found a program called "Children's Village"
[ http://www.residentialeducation.org/mem ... illage.htm , http://www.tylerazalea10k.com/childrensvillaget.htm ] but when searching for their website I didn't come up with anything except this http://www.childrensvillage.org/program ... -more.html , These two organizations share a name but mixed contact information that led me to believe they are not the same. This is very interesting to me "Emphasis is put on junior college or a four year college. Those attending Tyler Junior College are eligible to use a duplex apartment on the Children's Village campus for housing." But this is the page where the age limit is 18. The other sites age limit was 16-21. I am 19 and will turn 20 in August.

I am looking for something like transitional living where I can have somewhere to live, transportation to school and work as I really want a job. I just need some help getting started then perhaps I could have saved enough to send for my own things and get my own place again.

Because this is my first time in college and I have only went for the Summer session, my full pell grant was not awarded to me. I think I will get a refund but my adviser told me there is no way of knowing. I did fill out the necessary paper work to have it direct deposit into my account in case there is something. I wouldn't give me a loan, unless that loan didn't need to be paid back until the far future. I have no credit except the phone bill and internet at my mother's house is in my name although I do not think they report you to the creditor unless you do not pay.

I chat online a lot, I feel I have met a few people I like to call my friends. One thing about moving around a lot and not seeming to find fitting friends at school is I can carry my online friends everywhere with me. But that's it. I was working from 8am to 2pm and I've designated that time for job hunting until I get a job. I set up interviews but I have to find a job reasonable in this area simply due to gas prices even with my car being exceptional good on gas I still have to budget. The family I do have are all living on the edge. This may seem silly but moving out of my parent's place I had to leave my dog behind. He is a small little something but he brings me so much joy and I feel for him because he has to watch out for him self because of my dad's temper. He walks with a limp and I didn't see it for myself but I think its due to my dad handling him roughly. I just want to get to the place in life where I can live somewhere where he can join me and I have to work towards that and I'm trying. He is my family, hes been with me for 8 years and the last 8 have been the tough ones.

I am not sure about the dorms, I don't remember the pricing at the moment and sorry but I am so tired and have to get up early to get a paper from school and get it over to the state assistance office. So I'm not thinking to clearly, I apologize.

Since I was accepted at TJC I have been looking forward to a new start. Considering my pass I feel its just what I need. I think anyone who knew everything about me would definitely agree. I know when people meet me and students in my classes don't see or know how I am feeling. I guess I don't see any reason to let on, it would just make me uncomfortable anyway. But I hope to really make a friend eventually, someone to really share how I feel. I have yet to have that opportunity.

I was set back in money because I wear glasses and they are seeing glasses. I can't see a thing without them. They were very old but still serving their means. Until they just broke out of being past their time. I had to buy new ones (there was no help for these glasses). No place offers free glasses, no place I found at least. It cost me $236 for them and that's a lot when you don't have much.

I was doing so well and the job I had was supposed to last until mid August and I'd planed to move on August the 20th. Classes start on the 25th. My class here ends August 1st. I can leave soon as my classes are over, the sooner the less rent I have to pay for August. I would like to set my self up in the transitional living in Tyler. So you could help me by providing me with any contact information you have on programs in that area please. Again thank you for your time. Sorry for typos or just jumbled sentences. Today was a long day.

[ccsmod2]

Re: I am not running away and atm Im not homeless but soon I wil

Thanks for contacting us here at NRS again.

You are very impressive with the tasks you have completed so far to get more help for the situation you are presently in. It seems as if you are very organized and that you know what you want and where you want to end up, but that you are having some difficulties in getting there.

You mentioned finding the resource Children's Village. We were able to find that resource as well and view some of the things that they have to offer as far as programs are concerned. We found them at http://www.childrensvillage.org. From that home page, you are able t o navigate easily and find information about things in particular. We are not sure if that is a program located specifically in Tyler, TX. Actually, in searching in our database for resources the only thing we were able to come up with was a Salvation Army facility that serves persons 18 years of age or older. They may be able to put you in touch with some other services there in Tyler. Here is the contact information:
Salvation Army
717 N. Spring Street
Tyler, TX 75708
903-592-4361

Another resource is:
ETMC-BHC
4101 University Blvd
Tyler, TX 75701
903-566-0088
They provide emergency shelter to homeless.

Again this is a place that you can contact to discuss your situation with to see if they are the right program for you. I f not, again they may be able to direct you to the programs available that can help you. If you are not comfortable in contacting these places, this is where help from us may come in! We can do conference calling between you and these places and be on the line as an advocate as we find out mofe information together.

Hopefully everything works out for the best with your financial aid situation. It would really be nice to get the aid that you need to further your education so that that will be less of a burden to you. It was really important for you to bring up your dog and how much he means to you. This may be one of a few things that actually do bring you joy that you seemed real sincere in sharing.

It seems as if you have a lot on your mind and that you have some things to take care of in the morning. We wish you comfortable rest and have tried to provide the most we could. If ever you feel like talking things over with us, please feel free to call. We can be reached at 1-800-RUNAWAY 24 hours a day. We are confidential and we would be happy to hear from you and to assist you in any way possible.