Sonya and Darius Need Your Help

photo © 2008 Dimitri N. | more info (via: Wylio)

I met Darius and Sonya the weekend after Thanksgiving last year.

She was laid off from the Burger King where she had worked for years. Luckily, she had gotten unemployment, which was not great, but was enough until they found something else. Darius looks like a thug, but has a huge heart. Sadly, when he applies for work, all the employers see is a huge black man with a felony history from the last century. As a result, he is consigned to day labor pools, making between 35 and 75 dollars a day when all is said and done.

One day the end of October the unemployment benefits did not show up. Sonya called, but no one was able to explain why the money did not show. They told her it would no doubt show up tomorrow. Next week at the latest.

It did not come.

The car they owned was being financed from a used car lot with weekly payments, so when their payment was not made that Friday, the car was reposed on Sunday. Monday, Darius was unable to go to work for the first time in years. Their power got cut off two weeks later. Every day Sonya either calls or goes up to the unemployment office, trying to find someone to talk to her, to explain why the money is not there. Every time, they have blank looks on their faces, and say they cannot understand it, but it will probably be there tomorrow. Next week at the latest.

It did not come.

Thanksgiving they spend in a cold apartment, with no electricity and no food. That weekend they meet me, and I take them lots of food and on Monday, we paid for their power to get turned back on. On the 15th, the landlord evicted them. Seems when they signed the lease, the landlord also got them to sign a waiver of notice, meaning they had no redress in the courts as tenants.

The two of them and their black German shepherd moved into a Motel Six, where they could get a room for $198.00 a week – they borrowed the first week from Grandma. Since then, they have been plugging away, Sonya applying for jobs and trying to get an answer at unemployment, Darius walking the 2 miles to the labor pool to be there at 5AM, hoping he goes out that day. About half the time, he does.

In the eighteen weeks they have lived at the motel, six different times, we covered the weekly rent because they did not have quite enough. We have bought dog food and work clothes and a few grocery store gift cards, so they could get the toiletries that food stamps won’t cover. We invested a bit more than normal in this family because almost every week, the unemployment office assured her they had it figured out, and the money would be there Tuesday.

The money never showed. Now the amount of back pay due is almost seven thousand dollars. Two weeks ago, she spoke to a supervisor who assured her she had it solved. They would cut her an emergency manual check for one thousand dollars, and the balance would be deposited to her account. They had it solved – just come in Monday to get the check.

Monday, the lady was not there. The check was not there. The lady was out for a family emergency, would be back next week. That is the day Sonya tells me that she wants to die.

The next day, she gets the call that she is hired at Waffle House as a server. Starting the 25th of April. Two weeks away.

Every day this week, she has sat in the unemployment office, every day getting a different reason why she is not getting her money. There is always a supervisor who needs to sign off that is not there, or she needs a new card, or [insert random excuse here].

Today the rent was due, and they just do not have the money. She starts work in eight days, but it will be another week after that before she gets paid. The rain we have had lately has kept Darius from the labor pool. They call me, and we are tapped out. Our benevolence budget for April is gone. Actually, it is gone for part of May, too.

Today is Friday. I paid their rent until Monday at noon, the uttermost limit of what we can do. On Monday at noon, they hit the streets. They have no family that can help, no friends. All they have is me, and people like you that help me help people like them.

How You Can Help

If you want to help, here is what we need. There is the basic goal, and then there is the huge goal.

Basic Goal: We need at least $600 to pay their rent through her first pay check. Another $50 or so would help with dog food and toiletries, etc.

Huge Goal: If we had $1500, we could help them acquire a small apartment with a monthly rent of $500 a month. We would cover the move in costs (utility deposits, etc.) and the first month’s rent and rental deposit. Then, when the rent is due the first time for them, she would have three paychecks behind her, and they could save Darius’ checks as well. And if Unemployment ever actually pays what they owe her, then they have a heck of a savings account.

Will you help us help Darius and Sonya? If so, go to this page and send whatever you can. Either donate by credit card and let us know by email, or send us a check to the address on this page and write “Darius and Sonya” on the memo line.

For whatever amount you can send, you will have our eternal thanks and, of course, a tax deduction at the end of the year. Thank you for reading, and if you pray, please pray for Sonya and Darius. In fact, please pray for me too – I am going to need it.

Update: Because of your help, Sonya and Darius are now housed!