A friend of mine is looking for a roommate

[LiberalEsto]

or looking to move into a room in someone else's place.

Does anyone know of a good, reliable way to locate and match roommates? Or how to find some sort of supportive housing? I could really use some ideas because I am at wit's end.

My friend is 30, lives on disability, is barely able to hop around on a walker due to an accident, and has physical and psychological issues that made her eligible for SSDI. She lost custody of her 10-year-old son to an abusive ex-husband a few months ago, and is deeply depressed. Unfortunately she also smokes.

Her parents won't subsidize half of her rent payment beyond October 31. Originally they stopped paying half the rent July 1 because they didn't want to enable her. I pleaded with them to give her a couple of extra months, since she is recovering from a bad car accident that wrecked her left leg. She was going out of her mind with worry and this was not helping her recover. She couldn't even stand up to pack. They reluctantly agreed but they are constantly harassing her about moving to a cheaper place and getting a job -- when she can't even walk, let alone visit places and interview potential roommates.

I will take her in if we can't find anything else, but the only room I can put her in is too small for her to get around on her walker, let alone the wheelchair. She can only afford about $450 a month for rent and Montgomery County, Maryland is expensive to live in.

[OneGrassRoot]

1. Maybe you can try this?

If you've already tried this, obviously just disregard.

I just learned of 211 recently, so I'm trying to become more familiar with it, as I intend to work with it a lot at Wishadoo.

If you haven't heard of it, go to 211.org and enter the appropriate zip code in order to get the appropriate phone number for the area in question.

Supposedly there is someone on call in each 211 network (they're all independent, under the umbrella of a United Way Initiative), and your question is just the sort to be posed to them to see what's available in your friend's area.

Please let me know how it goes!

Best wishes to your friend. :hug: :hug: :hug:

[Kind of Blue]

3. Can you use this, OGR?

Tech help for non-profits http://home.techsoup.org/pages/default.aspx
About TechSoup

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[OneGrassRoot]

4. Thanks, KoB! :)

:hug:

[Kind of Blue]

5. Ju wekom, as my little niece would say.

:hug:

[LiberalEsto]

7. Thank you!

I will give her the information.

I tried our local 311 county government info number, but she ended up back in the tangled mess of county social services with everyone passing the buck, as usual.

[OneGrassRoot]

8. Is that different from 211?

Like I said, I'm trying to learn about this service -- and how it differs from area to area.

Thanks. :)

[LiberalEsto]

10. I think 211 is state and 311 is county nt

[OneGrassRoot]

11. You are so good.

You're like Obi-Wan Kenobi!!!

:bounce:

:yourock:

:hug:

[Kind of Blue]

2. I don't exactly remember why I have these

Independent Living Research Utilization - this link is for Maryland.
http://www.ilru.org/html/publications/directory/maryland.html

and http://national-resources-for-low-income-indiviuals.app-just-trying-to-help-1.aidpage.com/

This is in San Diego, but it might give you some ideas of how to search for help.
http://www.crisishouse.org/chpage2.htm

Good Luck, LiberalEsto! :hug:

on edit: LUTHERAN SOCIAL SERVICES of National Capital Area http://www.lssnca.org/ if they can't help, I think they have a lot of resources, as well as Catholic Charities http://www.catholiccharities-md.org/

[LiberalEsto]

6. This is great information

Thanks, Kind of Blue.

[Kind of Blue]

9. Ju wekom!

I remember now. When my sister was still in Maryland, our parents were driving her crazy. She's autistic and I was desperately searching for a place she could live.

I'm so glad I kept the info and the links still work!

Good luck to your friend. Sending that she gets the exact help she needs and you can have your home back :hug: