Daphne, we're here in Florida. We're out here homeless. Tell me about it.
Things got complicated. We got laid off. Unemployment got cut off. And it's just rough.
How long have you been out here?
I'd say about maybe a month this time. Prior to that, it was about six to eight months.
Like I said, things got complicated. I tried to stay with my parents and things didn't work out there.
So we ended up back out here in the woods again.
And you live out here with your husband?
Yes, I do.
It's a nice camp now, but people brought you these tents. What was it like before?
Things were a little rough. We had a tent. The zipper got broke on it. It wasn't able to zip it closed.
So the mosquitoes and spiders got in there. It was bad.
This is homelessness. This ain't camping.
No, it's not.
What's the difference? People are going to say that this is like camping. What makes this different?
What makes this different is because you don't have running water to be able to take a shower.
You don't have heat when it's cold out. You don't have air conditioning when it's hot out.
And it's not a fun tour.
And it's a choice. I mean, you don't have the choice. We're a camp and you can always get in your car and drive to your apartment or home or wherever.
Yes, you can.
What are the challenges of living out here?
Watching for snakes and other dangerous critters.
Heard you had an alligator?
Yes, we did. I was feeding it for a while. I was told not to because they lose their fear of you, so I stopped.
Oh, you were feeding it?
Yeah. It would eat bread and rolls and bagels and it started to lose its fear of us.
So we stopped and then it would come but not as close as it used to. And then just all of a sudden we seen that it passed away yesterday.
How do you survive?
Live day by day. Trying to make ends meet. We have St. Vincent de Paul's church that helps us when they can. Food stamps when they're available.
Showers. We can go to friends' houses where once in a while we use a hose over at harvest time. Other than that, it's not easy.
This is no way to live.
No, it's not.
What's your future like?
Things are starting to look up again. Unemployment is starting to kick in again. I went to the I-Dignity program today and have them sending for my birth certificate and marriage license so I can start to look for a job.
So you didn't have any ID?
No, I used to but my driver's license got suspended so they took it and told me I needed to get an ID.
And that prevents you from getting work and just about everything else?
Yes, it does.
ID's are so important?
Yes, it is.
So once you get your ID back, you're going to look for work and try to get out of here?
Yes, I am. That's the goal.
If you had three wishes, what would they be?
Good health, a roof over our head and a good paying job.
Thank you very much for talking to me.
You're welcome.
