[Signal boost] Fundraiser help needed!

[elialshadowpine]

So, a friend of mine is in a really bad spot. robertsloan2 is living in San Francisco in a residence hotel on $750 a month disability. His rent is $600. (Or something like this. My details may be off but it is ridiculous.) While he gets food stamps, this puts him in a place where he cannot afford anything beyond bare necessities, and sometimes not even that.

Robert's computer died this morning. We are looking at donating our working laptop, but it is six years old, and I'm not sure how much time it has left. The Internet is Robert's support network and more than that, his livelihood, as he is a writer and looking to self-publish. Without a working computer, he can't do any of this.

Because of complications with Social Security counting any money that Robert receives through his paypal as income (and will thus take it out of his disability checks), I will be acting as guardian for the collected funds and will arrange to have the laptop purchased and sent to him, and will make sure that he receives any funds leftover. My paypal is mistressnonny@gmail.com.

Every little bit helps. Please pass this around! Thank you guys! :)

(And if someone else wants to write a more concise version, please go right ahead. I am not so great at doing that, LOL.)

This entry was originally posted at http://nonny.dreamwidth.org/501833.html. Please comment there using OpenID.

Comments

[songblaze.livejournal.com]

Hey Nonny, would a desktop work for him? We have one in good condition that we have no real use for. It is not new, but it was pretty high end when it was.

[elialshadowpine.livejournal.com]

I'll ask but I don't think that he has a monitor, which is where desktops get tricky. I know that with him being in a resident hotel, space is also a consideration. But I'll pass it along and let you know what he says; thank you! :)

[elialshadowpine.livejournal.com]

Okay I have spoken with him and he says that desktops are a last resort because (as I suspected), he has no monitor, and also the size of desktop keyboards hurts his hands. Space is also a concern, and he doesn't have the money for the peripherals. (If we are able to raise enough money for a monitor plus other things I suspect he would prefer it to go to a cheap mobile laptop instead, knowing him as I do.)

But thank you, and we will keep it in mind if things don't pan out. :)

[songblaze.livejournal.com]

Well, the desktop we're getting rid of includes the monitor. We're really only laptop only around here.

My thought is, if the desktop (and monitor) is sent, then the remaining money that is being raised could be used for customization like a more suitable keyboard.

[songblaze.livejournal.com]

I know there is also a standard keyboard, and there is probably a well-used trackball and speakers (possibly a 'regular' mouse as well). I'm sure the speakers are in good shape, the trackball as I recall has a tendency to have the ball fall out too easily but I think otherwise it's good, too. We are getting rid of this beast either way, so Robert is welcome to have it. If he doesn't want it, we'll probably end up finding somewhere local to donate it, like a shelter or a kid's after school program or something. This is Blaze from the boards, btw. Tell Robert I say hello.