Support Steve's Journey Back to Stability

Our South San Jose friend and neighbor, Steve, is officially experiencing homelessness, and we need your help to get him his life back.

Steve is 70 and has Multiple Sclerosis, which means that he uses crutches and other support appliances that limit his mobility; otherwise, he's in good health. Last year, Steve's identity, cash, and retirement benefits were stolen, leaving him only with his monthly Social Security benefits and Medicare. As a consequence, he could no longer afford his apartment near us and was forced to move out on February 1. The only shelter that was available to him was with an older friend of his family, which was an ordeal for them both. He lost his dog, Bella, to cancer two weeks ago. He's been with us since - and, while better, our situation isn't ideal. We are on the second floor with no elevators, which is a challenge for Steve in his condition.

The plain truth is that all available sources of public assistance for Steve to find shelter have failed him since his referral for services last December. The cities in the San Francisco Bay Area have the third largest population of people experiencing homelessness (28,200) in the U.S., behind only New York City (76,500) and Los Angeles (55,200) and 68 percent of California's homeless are unsheltered, by far the highest percentage in the country. The primary cause: lack of affordable housing. Everything he's applied for in assisted housing is either unaffordable or has years-long waiting lists.

You might be asking yourself: "Who is this Steve Schneickert guy?" Geri and I know him as a bright, articulate, and entertaining friend. He's also modest, to a fault. Steve was enjoying retirement from a long career in business and the arts, which included deep experience in live and voice acting. Here's a taste of who he has been and is, as an artist. https://blendradioandtv.com/.../steve-schneickert.../

Now that he has a serviceable smartphone again, a Chromebase desktop, and reliable Internet access, we believe he can put those talents to use again to be able to reclaim his life. He has a car for transportation; we just renewed his registration. The problem? His total monthly income now is about half what he paid in rent and utilities for his last apartment.

Bottom line: Nothing will change for Steve without stable shelter.

We're setting a goal of $30,000, which is what we calculate is needed to buy a year of accessible and dependable housing here for Steve. Every dime you donate will be dedicated toward getting him a good lease for a year.

Thank you for your consideration. We welcome your questions, thoughts, and suggestions.