Charlie Needs a Home

Here's an email I received from a friend ... all legit and true. Inother words, not one of those scammy shitty emails you get that turns out to be BS. It's a reall person, in real trouble, trying to find a real solution. You can read the email below:

2012 Maine Special Olympics - Charlie got 3 medals (2 bronze and a silver)

This is my friend Charles, currently of Berwick, Maine. Charlie just turned 51 years old this past December, he lives with his sister Sandra and his twenty-two year old niece, as he has since 1999. I met the family in 2001, back when Sandra and I were both heavily involved in humane work. We quickly developed a friendship that, over the years, has morphed into family.

After a string of weather-related bad luck (two rounds of flooding, which included a raw sewerage issue, she ultimately was financially on the hook to clean up and repair from), Sandra lost her home in South Berwick, Maine back in 2008 to truly the most bogus foreclosure via bankruptcy I have ever seen (and that’s saying something in my line of work). Sadly, neither was I as educated as I am today, nor was our company, Stellionata Consulting, LLC, in operation. Had I then possessed the knowledge and connections that I am fortunate enough to have today, I strongly feel that they would not have been displaced.

Needing to stay in the same town to ensure continuity of education for her then teenage daughter & continuity of care for Charlie, after losing their three-bedroom home Sandra rented a two-bedroom apartment where they stayed for 3 years. She slept on a pullout sofa in the living room for the entire time because it was far more important to her that the needs of her daughter and Charlie were met. Finally in October 2011, Sandra found a lovely three-bedroom house for rent one town over and gladly relocated the entire family (three humans, two dogs and a cat) there.

On Monday, January 14 Sandra called me to say that her landlord came over earlier in the day and informed her he is placing the house on the market and wanted her out in 7 days (not a typo). After some discussion, he finally admitted he knew that it was not possible or reasonable to expect her to relocate her family in 7 days and grudgingly gave her 30, although Sandra strongly feels he may take her to court in an attempt to get her to vacate more quickly (despite her rental agreement clearly stating she would have 30 days).

In addition to having Down syndrome Charlie has several other serious medical conditions, including permanent catheterization, which has become a serious medical concern over the past few months, that essentially necessitates full time care. Sandra must stay in Maine to ensure Charlie’s continuity of medical care and benefits and in the same general area they are in now to ensure Charlie’s continuity of care providers in the day program he has attended since roughly 2007. An additional layer to all of this is that in the weeks prior to learning she was losing the rental, Sandra had made the decision to open her home and family up to a person similarly situated to Charlie and provide for them the same loving and caring environment she has provided to her brother for years.

The family is in need of an immediate hand up in the form of either a guaranteed long-term rental in the same area of Maine or, preferably, a mortgage loan to purchase a home, which would give them long-term security. Despite the fact they have the income to support payment, the reality of the lending world is such that I do not believe any conventional mortgage lender would take a chance on them. On their behalf I am seeking an “angel investor” or a philanthropic lending program designed to help families like them purchase suitable housing.

Moreover, if I can find a philanthropic program, grant or other mechanism to assist in funding their immediate need to relocate (i.e. – covering moving costs, storage fees if they need it, money to cover getting into a new rental), I wouldn’t snub my nose at that either.

Please feel free to contact me directly at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling me at (603) 685-4301