It doesn’t matter who we are or what our station is in life, we should always expect the unexpected. Sometimes we may be on top of the world and in a moment, we can be looking up from the bottom.
One woman who understands how quickly life can change is Judith. At the age of 72, she was left homeless because of a no-fault eviction and for almost a year, she lived in her car.
Judith struggled to find some type of stable housing where she could live from day to day. Because she was living in her car, however, she had to begin each day with a routine that would allow her to make it through.
In the morning, she would start with a cup of coffee and then organize her car to prepare for the day. In order to do this, she would go to the St. Mary’s Cemetery, which is where many homeless people tend to congregate.
Judith understands how to be creative, as she has always worked as a visual artist. She worked on crafting and when she needed it, she would use her Social Security to supplement. She also worked part-time as a cashier.
Despite working hard, she found it difficult to afford to live in an apartment. The price of rent kept going up, so it wasn’t long before she found herself unable to afford it.
It’s difficult enough to live in an automobile but when you are in your 70s, the lack of stability can be very hard. Just meeting her basic needs, such as food and using a bathroom required that she plan her day out.
It wasn’t just a matter of finding someplace to live, she was struggling to survive from day to day. It took quite a toll on her, both physically and emotionally. It’s the same thing that is faced by many elderly who are suddenly homeless.
Judith did more than live out of her car, she stored all of her life in it. Everything that meant anything to her, including her precious memories was stored in a storage container.
She did have a budget of $2000 a month so she looked through the surrounding states to see if she could find someplace that would work for her.
Constantly getting rejected took its toll and eventually, she got the support of Community Teamwork Inc., a nonprofit based in Lowell, Massachusetts. They helped her find a new home, allowing her to get her dignity back again.
The journey that she took was shared on YouTube and millions of people have viewed it since then. It’s a story that is worth telling, not only for her benefit but for the benefit of everyone involved.