About this fundraiser

My name is Veronica Delgado, and I am writing to share the challenging circumstances faced by my disabled 61-year-old father and myself over the past year. We have endured significant hardships, including falling victim to a scam that resulted in the loss of our fully paid mobile home valued at $98,000, leading us to confront the harsh reality of homelessness. 

As we attempted to recover from this misfortune in 2024, we encountered further difficulties. Just when we believed we had begun to regain some control over our situation, an unimaginable event occurred on November 9, 2024, at approximately 4:00 AM. My father and I were abruptly awakened by thick black smoke, making it difficult for us to breathe and causing us to cough uncontrollably. The entire home was engulfed in smoke, and we found that there were no functioning fire alarms or extinguishers. Upon contacting the Kern County Fire Department, we learned that the electrical wiring and codes in our unit were dangerously inadequate and rendered it uninhabitable. The fire had been set by homeless individuals who had taken refuge in a vacant unit nearby. 

Despite our numerous attempts to alert our landlord about these issues, he chose to disregard our concerns. He accepted our first and last month's rent along with a deposit, promising to address the severe infestation of cockroaches and other pests, which were exacerbated by his workers improperly disposing of trash on the property. I possess supporting evidence and witnesses who can corroborate my account. Furthermore, the landlord failed to provide us with a copy of the signed lease and required us to pay his employee for work that should have been his responsibility, resulting in approximately $1,500 in out-of-pocket expenses for materials that not including all the damage done and destroyed to our belongings.

On the day of the fire, I reached out to the landlord to inform him of the incident. Despite the gravity of the situation, he approached my father in an aggressive manner, insinuating that we were to blame for allowing his hired employee on the property, and demanded that we vacate immediately without any notice or consideration.The traumatic and life-threatening experience we have endured, coupled with the absence of family or friends to provide support, has left us feeling isolated and devoid of human compassion. Without the assistance of the Red Cross, we would likely find ourselves homeless, exposed to the cold and danger. The anguish and stress that my father and I are experiencing is profound, particularly as we face uncertainty about our plans for Tuesday and the remainder of the week. It breaks my heart to witness the toll this situation is taking on my disabled father. I feel as though I have exhausted all available resources and am at a loss regarding where to seek help, which is significantly impacting my mental and emotional well-being. I sincerely hope you can assist us in navigating this distressing situation, as we currently have no idea where to begin in the reconstruction of our lives . 

God bless and thank you for your time .

Sincerely,  

Veronica Delgado. My email is [email protected]  and cell numbers 661-331-9168

Organized by

Veronica Delgado

Bakersfield, CA, USA

Organizer