Urgent Request for Shelter

[chantalzola.livejournal.com]

((X-posted b0st0n.))

Bri and AJ were evicted from where they sleep today and have nowhere to go. Here is Bri's post about it on wordpress: http://bribroken.wordpress.com/2011/09/15/evicted/#more-441.



They desperately need a place to stay. They are currently outside of the Davis Square station. They have been sleeping in the area for about 6 weeks and can be seen every day selling jewelry outside of the Holland St. exit. They are lovely people and just really need a place to sleep where they'll be safe from the weather and from being robbed/attacked. Also a place where they can bring their suitcases as they don't have anywhere to leave their bags. Anyone who wants to contact them can email them at xjettx at gmail dot com or comment at the wordpress blog or go visit them. They will most likely be at the Holland St. exit of the Davis Square station until 10:00 or 11:00pm unless they are offered a place to spend the night earlier than that. They have access to a laptop, but the power is running low so they'll be checking email sporadically through the night. The best way to contact them is to go to the train station, but they will be able to read email.

Here again is Bri's post: http://bribroken.wordpress.com/2011/09/15/evicted/#more-441

Thank you. If this is inappropriate, please let me know and I will take the post down or modify it to make it acceptable to the community.

Comments

moderator note - post is just fine here

[ron_newman]

This is about as local as anything gets in our community. I'm upset that Harvard Vanguard treated them this way.

Re: moderator note - post is just fine here

[chantalzola.livejournal.com]

Thank you. Me too, it's really awful. I wish I could do more.

Re: moderator note - post is just fine here

[plittlergirl.livejournal.com]

Are they all set with clothing?

I have things I could drop off if they are in need. I can't seem to access their site with my phone.

Meredith

[enhf94.livejournal.com]

http://www.homelessshelterdirectory.org/cgi-bin/id/city.cgi?city=Somerville&state=MA

14 Chapel Street was described to me as "queer-friendly" some years ago, and is about two blocks away.

[chantalzola.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I will email this to them.

[molyflogs.livejournal.com]

I really, really want to let them sleep in our spare room that is completely empty, except for a bed and a few baby items. I asked my husband and he said that I am completely nuts for wanting to let a couple of strangers stay with us 6 weeks after having a baby. He's probably right, but it still hurts my heart.

[chantalzola.livejournal.com]

Ditto minus the baby and the husband. I'm childless, but live with my boyfriend. He thinks I'm nuts. It's really horrible, but it's not my apartment so I can't be like, "Well they're staying with us anyway."

[miss-jett.livejournal.com]

That's so sweet of you. Of course I totally understand where your husband is coming from. Thank you for caring so much.

[jac6787.livejournal.com]

If we have anything we'd like to donate to these people, where can we find them now?

[chantalzola.livejournal.com]

They are currently at the Davis Square station still (Holland St. exit).

I asked them about clothing and this is the response I got:

"We do need warm clothes. We have a few sweaters and a thin hoodie each, but that's it. I don't have any warm pants; AJ has a pair of jeans. He's about a 38/L-XL & I'm an XL-2X or about 24-26 in women's clothes. We also would both welcome boots that would actually keep our feet dry; my feet are size 9.5 & wide. I can also usually wear men's 7.5. His feet are usually a size 5 in women's or 6 in boy's, I believe. We also would be very grateful for warm sleeping bags, if anyone happened to have one they didn't need. We have one rain coat and a couple of umbrellas. A raincoat that would fit the sizes I listed for myself would be amazing. We also could always use clean socks & underwear, and I am in somewhat dire need of bras (2x sports bras are perfect)."

Thank you so much. Everyone has been really wonderful here.

[squirrelitude]

* How far away is too far for suitcase storage? We're a 15 minute walk from DS, but I'm going to ask my housemates if they'd be OK with Bri and AJ storing their suitcases in the alcove under our back porch, which can probably be made weather-proof.

* Do they still need a mailing address? (Is there even any risk in offering?)

* They might consider getting some baking soda (I can provide that if someone else hasn't already) since it is quite effective as both toothpaste and deodorant. I use it myself about half the time.

[chantalzola.livejournal.com]

Thank you so, so much! I just sent them the questions you asked. I'll let you know when I get an answer.

[lonelyholiday.livejournal.com]

I just moved out of state, so I can't really offer any help, but I want to say how heartwarming it is to see you guys offering up whatever help and suggestions you can.

I love that sense of community in the Davis area, and it's something I'll really miss and hope I can find in my new home. And probably the reason I haven't left this comm yet, despite now living 600 miles away. Keep it up, Davis.

[chantalzola.livejournal.com]

I know, the people here have been truly amazing. I moved here only two months ago and it's worlds different than Boston.

[chantalzola.livejournal.com]

As of right now, the Davis Square station on the Holland St. side. I will update if that changes.

Wow. You all are amazing.

[miss-jett.livejournal.com]

I haven't posted here in a long time because life has been insane. I haven't posted regularly in way longer. But I had to come post once we got a little more charge on the laptop battery.

Tonight, several people have come by to bring us things that we needed (including a gorgeous, brand new coat for me). Several others have helped us with monetary donations as well. We are beyond grateful to all of you. If anyone who did a run-by drop off would like to return sometime, I'd really like to be able to give you a small gift as a token of our gratitude -- nothing fancy; it wouldn't cost me much to make and could even just be a small blessed stone if you're not into my style of jewelry/art or are adamant about not accepting something that I could sell. I'd just really like to be able to help in return, if there is a way that good energy can do so for you. :)

Thank you so much, Chantal, for posting here & sparking this outpouring of support. We love being in this neighborhood, and the amazing people we've met and befriended while here are the reason for that.

AJ & I are trying to get out of Davis for the night; after 1:00, the only people that seem to be out in the square are loud drunks and scary crazy folks. In order to do that, we need to either find a place to stay for the night & a ride there, or we need to find someone to take some of our stuff so that we are more mobile and can go somewhere else. We don't know of anywhere in Davis that is relatively safe and protected from rain, other than the T station (crazy person central) and the place we are no longer allowed to be.

I'm sorry to ask so much of people that have already been so kind, but if anyone can help us in this way for just one night, we would be incredibly grateful. If you can help, please text or call 617-347-6219.

When I have more time & battery, I'll respond to questions & update more.

Blessings,
Bri

[zander05.livejournal.com]

I don't personally know Bri and AJ, but I've heard some really horrible things from trusted friends.

Without going into it too much in this one comment box, the long and short of it is they ultimately don't want to get back on their feet. Any suggestions or tips for them to help themselves have been turned down in the past and will be turned down again. They keep saying they want to improve their situation, but in almost two years they've not bothered to look into SHC's services (which have been excellent for me when I needed them from 2008-09, and are queer-friendly), any other shelters, SSDI or EAEDC, etc. They claim they have, but then AJ claims transphobia when government agencies like social security have to use his legal name.

It's really frustrating for me to have been somewhat close to where they are, busted my ass to get out of it even when I didn't think I could, only to see them not budging simply because they don't want to.

[educatedidiot.livejournal.com]

It is pretty seriously screwed up that you went out of your way to come on here to cast doubt on their situation when you don't even know these folks. Perhaps these friends of yours could speak for themselves. You're making some rather large assumptions about what they have done and are doing about their situation.

It's good you were able to pull yourself out of what you believe was a similar situation (of course, not knowing these folks means you can't be sure about that), and it's sad that your friends may have been burned by these folks somehow. Not sure discouraging people from helping these homeless kids will help make up for the bad experiences your friends had, though. If you don't believe assisting them will be helpful overall, perhaps you should come up with some alternate suggestions for folks who want to help those in need in the Davis Square community?

urgent request for shelter

[mark-shc.livejournal.com]

hi folks, Mark here from the Somerville Homeless Coalition. while i can't say anything specific (because of confidentiality and it wouldn't be appropriate anyway) I want you to know we are talking to Bri and offering what we can. the biggest problem is that there are not enough shelter beds for everyone who needs one; generally the system is at least 125% over capacity.

Totally sucks; housing is a human right, just like food is a human right. Thanks for your concerns and I'm sure Bri and AJ are grateful. Peace, Mark

Re: urgent request for shelter

[teele-sq.livejournal.com]

What about bathrooms / showers?

Quickie Update

[miss-jett.livejournal.com]

Just wanted to let folks know that I haven't had an opportunity to charge my laptop battery for more than a few minutes since last night, hence my silence... But your support is absolutely amazing, and we are beyond grateful. Many thanks to everyone who has reached out and helped in any way, including moral support. I will have the battery charged and will be able to update & respond to posts, emails, donations and everything else at some point this evening.

Blessings to all of you! :)

Re: Quickie Update

[miss-jett.livejournal.com]

A friend stopped by with her laptop, and I responded to as many messages as I had time for. I have to run to an appointment but will get some more responses posted/emailed later on.

Cheap room for a night?

[miss-jett.livejournal.com]

Does anyone know of anywhere that we could rent a cheap room for the night (under $60)? We'd really like to be able to shower, charge electronics, post updates, look for longer-term temporary solutions, etc... And of course not be out in the freezing windchill weather tonight.

Re: Cheap room for a night?

[littlecitynames.livejournal.com]

Have you tried hostels.com or couchsurfing.org?

[koloratur.livejournal.com]

God forbid that she express frustration about not being able to find a place to sleep and take a shower. WHAT A MONSTER. And on her own personal Facebook page, no less!

[miss-jett.livejournal.com]

I just wanted to quickly let people know that we are safe and not in Davis right now, though we will return soon. Many thanks & blessings to everyone who has been supportive to us in any way! Your help is appreciated more than you could possibly know. Here's what's going on with us right now: http://wp.me/p18ziH-7f. More soon!

We hid a comment in the 'Urgent Request for Shelter' post

[pingback-bot.livejournal.com]

User ron_newman referenced to your post from We hid a comment in the 'Urgent Request for Shelter' post (http://davis-meta.livejournal.com/38275.html) saying: [...] By mutual agreement of three moderators, we have hidden this comment [...]

[hahanonono.livejournal.com]

Yo, I know this is a few years late, but Bri Crofton is indeed a blatant scammer and has grifted people out of thousands of dollars and has destroyed a number of communities, both virtual and meatspace. On the off-chance somebody might run across this post and still feel the need to give Bri money, here's some information that will shed light on her actual activities.

http://scammingscorpios.wordpress.com/2012/09/10/bri-by-the-numbers-18112-and-5-houses/

http://findingtherightpath.wordpress.com/tag/bri-crofton/

http://baublesnblessings.wordpress.com/

I won't say "I told you so." I just don't want to see any more people get scammed out of their money.