Back On Their Feet - Critical Needs

Back On Their Feet, Evanston IL  is a group of volunteers who work to connect people in need with resources.

As we are aware that many of our members are under financial strain themselves, we try to avoid fundraisers as much as possible. We are suddenly faced with several critical needs that can't be met with the resources we ordinarily help people access.

First, a mother and three sons was put out of their housing without being able to even access their belongings; they have only what's in the mother's purse and what they are wearing.  The mother has a friend who has temporarily accepted the financial burden of paying for hotel rooms to keep them from having to sleep outdoors. Because this happened suddenly, the mother lost her job and with it, her ability to access subsidized child care.

This family recently moved from out of state to be closer to family, but unfortunately is suddenly on their own, and can't access government aid until they get it transferred.  This is made even more difficult by a lack of phone service, transportation and child care.  She needs access to emergency food and personal supplies, a bus pass, a prepaid phone card and used phone (she is using free wifi and a phone with a cracked screen locked on the CMDA network to communicate) and funds for sleeping quarters (discount hotel rooms are about $85/night including taxes) until she can access the shelter system.

Second, a recently-housed family of 6 fell behind on bills when faced with a $1600.00 car repair.  We were able to help them with groceries, but just when they got the food, their electricity was cut off. LIHEAP won't be active again until September, the homelessness prevention program will take a week...and ComEd won't turn service back on without payment in full of $388.

We also work with a local program that supports homeless families, and they have 3 families right now without access to a mobile phone and service - we'd like to purchase used phones and prepaid SIM cards for them, as well. (The Federal program offering free phones - the Lifelne Cell Phone program - has become increasingly difficult to access under the current administration.)

New LG smartphones are available on Swappa.com for approximately $30.  Speedtalk prepaid SIM cards good for 30 days (with limited minutes) are available for $10.

Summary:

4 used smartphones:       $ 120
4 prepaid SIM cards:       $    40
5 days in hotel:                    $ 425 
Reinstate electricity        $ 388
Food & transportation   $  300