Community comes together to help Rhode Island woman after her home, her car, was impounded after crash

We found this letter on social media from “Friends of Central Falls Animals”. This story can restore your faith in humanity and is courtesy of ACO Charlene. Over $12,500 has been raised.

As fate would have it….

I was leaving a property on Dexter Street today. I parked my patrol vehicle across the street by the lot on Sumner Ave. As I got into my vehicle and looked up, I saw this woman pushing a shopping cart with two dogs in it. She noticed me as well and motioned asking if it was okay that she approach me.

We got to talking. Before I go any further with this story, I want you all to know that I’ve been given full permission to share these pics, her story, and her phone number with you all.

This is Jessica, her dog Crush (Pittie) and her little dog Chica (Chihuahua). Crush is (😎 years old and was neutered while they were living in Florida. Chica is (7 1/2) years old and has been spayed through the RISPCA. Both dogs are said to be current on their vaccines that were given through the RISPCA.

Jessica, like so many others, has found herself to be homeless. She has lived in Rhode Island for a year this past September. She did have an apartment in Pawtucket, RI… but from what what I understand, she and her roommate could not afford it. Jessica DOES have a job but most will agree that with times as they are and rents as high as they are, majority of folks are just not having it easy. The reality is that most folks are just a paycheck away from being in her place, so it’s best never to judge!

After losing her apartment, she took to living in her car with her dogs. About a week ago, Jessica got into a car accident. She didn’t only lose her car, she lost her home (the car that was being used as her home) for what would be the 2nd time. She has since started sleeping in a tent with her two dogs. She has two blankets to help keep the (3) of them warm.

She has a storage unit in Central Falls and that’s why she was in the city. I like to think that it was fate that put me at that spot at that time she was passing by.

I get calls from people all the time in her situation. The thing is, her story just hit me different, I guess you could say.

Have you any idea how difficult it is to maintain a job while homeless? When I told her that I would do my best to get her dogs into a rescue, she said she’s had these dogs since they were little puppies. They’re the only family she has and even if she could get into a shelter herself, she won’t leave her dogs behind, she’ll stay in the tent with them.

What I also noticed about the cart is that it was mainly all for the dogs. She has bottles of water, a large container with their food and treats. She has a bag at the bottom with a blanket in case they get cold. She keeps a sweater on them. Even with always struggling financially, she managed to make sure they got their vaccines and were spay/neutered. That is more than the majority of folks that I meet ever do for their pet(s). I get calls all day from folks wanting to give up their pet at the 1st bump in the road. Jessica is doing all she can to hold her family together. I can’t tell you how much I admire that!

I wanted to do whatever I could to help her, so I reached out to my friends Meaghan and Sue Levasseur. Meaghan was a HUGE help to when tent city in Pawtucket, RI hit the news and the people there were made to leave the woods.

For the next (4) nights, thanks to Meaghan, Sue & Bridget….Jessica , Crush and Chica will be staying at the Hampton Inn in Pawtucket, RI. The photos show Crush exhausted and already in bed. Chica just looks so happy to be out of the cold. It was heartbreaking to see her trembling. Jessica, I know to be just grateful about being safe, warm and able to shower and sleep in a comfortable bed.

I’d like to try and raise money to buy them more nights there. I’m trying to think of a plan to help get her car out of impound. As of tonight, the price to get it out is somewhere around $650. That goes up each day. The car cannot be driven but it could be used as a base camp. It would need to be towed but the problem with that is finding a spot to put it so it would not get towed again.

I also didn’t know if anyone on here may have info they could give her for maybe renting a room etc. I’m not sure what her budget would be but if anyone knows of a room, place etc. that is not too expensive, please call her and let her know. She welcomes the help and the calls.

I have zero room to store any donations for her, but she does have a storage, so if you connect with her by text/calls and she is in need of something, I’m sure she could put it in her storage.

The Hampton Inn is allowing her dogs to stay with her in a room. Fb no longer allows us to take in donations through our donation button without taking a percentage. I would like to try and raise as much money as possible and allow her to stay there until we can come up with a better plan. If there is an uneven figure raised, another words if we were to raise four nights and $50, we would purchase $50 worth of supplies for the dogs. Hope that makes sense to everyone! Everyone on here would be seeing exactly how much is raised.

I’m going to attempt to get the donation button on here. It may take just a bit because it always gives me trouble getting it on here. Bear with me!

I want to give a special thank you to Meaghan, Sue and Bridget! Meaghan is over at the hotel now getting them settled. She went to price rite to get them some food and snacks.

I sometimes throw myself into projects such as this. One of the things I love about it, aside from the obvious that it’s helping someone is, I love how we all come together. These ladies today didn’t hesitate. They jumped right in! Often time you’ll see on here the heartbreak, the issues we come across in the city etc. What most don’t get to see is this is a 1 square mile city with a HUGE heart! If you’re out here trying to do right and survive, we’re gonna do what we can to lift you up!

Hit that donate button if you can!

To contact Jessica on housing info etc. Call #401-205-4924

UPDATE: PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE HAMPTON INN TO PAY BY PHONE FOR A NIGHT. THEY ASKED THAT ANYONE THAT WANTED TO PAY DIRECTLY EMAIL Kelly.gil@hilton.com.

~ ACO Charlene #61