Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: Who needs help this holidays?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

131–140 of 216 posts

Re: Ask HN: Who needs help this holidays?

#131

Post by brirec »

I’ve been struggling with finding work this past year (really since Covid hit, but I was working somewhere alright in 2021 for 8 months until I got laid off due to lack of work). Queens, NYC.

We haven’t been able to afford rent or electric, and we have nowhere to go, and we have no family that can help us.

Our electricity has been on a shut-off notice for months, and we are in a holdover eviction case with a conference date of this coming Monday, 12/4.

We’re working with social benefit services, and there’s a chance we will be able to get a housing voucher, but there’s no guarantees and we haven’t even been able to begin the application process for it yet because they won’t answer the phone or call us back…

It’s very likely we will be forced out in the beginning of 2024, with nowhere to stay but streets or a homeless shelter.

I really just want to find work, to be able to take care of my partner and I (and our cat!)

I don’t really want any sort of handout, I just want to find a way to know my family will be safe.

I doubt there’s anything that can be done to directly help us, but I honestly don’t know what else we can do.

My email is on my profile.

Re: Ask HN: Who needs help this holidays?

#134

Post by iamthejuan »

I just would like to say you are all awesome for helping a brother or sister in distress especially this coming holidays. I have a lot of problems but I see a lot of people need more help than me. I can't help but I will pray for all of you guys you get on your feet again.

Re: Ask HN: Who needs help this holidays?

#135

Post by lnsru »

extasia wrote: post #100
lnsru wrote: post #95

Looking someone to discuss my development progress (bi-?)weekly. I have promising validated idea. However without funding and with full time job it is tough. And I find myself too tired to continue development. My e-mail is in the profile. The topics: 3D sensing in elderly care.

What sort of input are you looking for in particular?

More or less project controlling/management with regular progress reviews.

Re: Ask HN: Who needs help this holidays?

#136

Post by gigatexal »

spdgg wrote: post #109
gigatexal wrote: post #107

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How much is the window? How can I chip in to help?

I believe it is $200 for the window motor replacement. The most help I could ask for would be food. If I can get help with food it will free up what I have to address the other stuff ($70 of food would pay my registration for example.) I can be reached at spdgg@fastmail.com. I'm also just interested in connecting with folks who: are dads, have gone through divorce, work in IT, live in New England, or anyone also just…

Email incoming

Re: Ask HN: Who needs help this holidays?

#137

Post by UncleEntity »

teddysc wrote: post #97

Thank you Alexander! I'm a graduate student in the US, I need some major dental procedures done but am put off by the potential bills (even with a good dental insurance, it would still cost thousands of dollars; a lot of dark patterns, they can't give you a rough quote before doing an expensive checkup). I did some research myself on where to find more affordable quality dental care in my area, and found that a top d…

> ...and found that a top dental school nearby would offer care from students at a lower rate, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea.

My parents have been doing that for years at the dental college down the street from their house and have nothing but good things to say. Same college also does eye doctoring and they also go there for that.

IIRC, the format is a newer and more experienced student work on them while an instructor supervises two or three of these groups.

Re: Ask HN: Who needs help this holidays?

#138

Post by Beijinger »

neilk wrote: post #110
Beijinger wrote: post #82

What an incredibly great man you are. My buddy Travis in Vancouver needs help. But I have no idea how to reach him. Seems not to access his Facebook profile anymore. Supposedly he lives on the streets.

If you mean Vancouver, Canada, that’s where I live. A friend of mine used to work with a social service agency. He might know where I could put up flyers or something. It is common to see these sorts of things just pasted up on lampposts, too. Do you have a picture? Other details? Email me at the address in my profile if you want to be more private.

I will try to contact you

Re: Ask HN: Who needs help this holidays?

#139

Post by wolverine876 »

pipeline_peak wrote: post #45
wolverine876 wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nobody should downplay this very vital need. Isolation is worse than almost anything; better to be hungry with friends/family than fully fed and isolated. It's not easy, but if you share what you've tried, people might have suggestions. If you share where you are (I completely understand if not) then you might find neighbors.

I’ve tried clubs/meetups they feel weird and inorganic. Like they aren’t how you’re supposed to make friends. I should probably get back into music, I’m just worried it’ll lead towards drug use since that’s my past. That and the music I like isn’t very popular.

Some ideas: Find things that feel natural to you, and you'll find your people.

Also, making friends isn't chit-chat or magic. Just listen and have compassion. Actually be interested in the other person as themself, in their own universe, not as an object in your passion play of need. Do that with everyone.

Some won't want to engage - accepting that is part of being interested in them as separate beings; that's where they are at the moment. Read the situation a bit - how they look, what they're doing, etc., and respect them, have compassion for their difficult day. Some will engage more, people will fit with you more or less, some will become friends to varying degrees. Accept however it works out and you'll have a variety of relationships.

Some will objectify you as an object in their passion play of need - those are relationships to avoid. You aren't really a participant; they only see you as what they need (or as a failure to be what they need). Learn about objectification - important for understanding oneself and others.

Re: Ask HN: Who needs help this holidays?

#140

Post by unnouinceput »

Thank you Alexander for opening this thread here, it's a great initiative.

Recently (like a month ago) I got involved in helping old people that are in villages around my town. We are a group of ~10 friends, which have relatives in those villages and as such we found out that there are old people, 70+, whom have low income pension and live alone. Their neighbors provide some help with physical activities around their house but that's all, since all are poor as well. Their pension provides them with minimal food to survive, but nothing more, basically they just wait to die.

We started to get money to help them with their medication, mainly arthritis and rheumatism, therefore our goal is to raise ~4k USD. Between us we raised ~1.5k USD, which covers the more stringent needs of their medications and that's all. The people we help are scattered around villages around Timisoara, Romania (my town) and with upcoming holidays season we feel that we'll have way less time to dedicate to this task.

Any help is appreciated. I never done anything like this before, I have 0 experience on raising money or setting up web portal, bank account or as such. I did made a mail address at helpvillagers@protonmail.com, so feel free to help me with advice, or questions there.

Thank you in advance.

Post reply on HN