(written in May of 2023) 

This project was started as way to help someone known as Frenchie. He is 70 years old as of 2023, & is at-risk of losing his home of 22yrs because of rent hikes beyond his Social Security retirement amount. He has no one to help him besides one friend who has now lost all their savings too in trying to keep him cared for. That's me, Alxzndii. I have my own issues as well, yet I have been trying my best. 

For all his life, certainly most all of the past 50yrs or so, Frenchie worked full-time in local factories. Due to special needs & lack of proper education, he never fully learned to read & write, just maintaining only a kindergarten-level overall. But he was quite good at picking things up, taking them out, helping sort material, etc. So that became his niche. 

When his longest factory got closed in 2016, it was so difficult. Especially as more bad luck piled on. Yet we persevered, & 18mths later I finally found him a new job, at a much smaller but similar place. That lasted until March of 2020, when the covid shutdown actually just cemented the already-inevitable closing of that business. Which was truly unfortunate, because he loved it, plus it was close to his home & easy for him to get to. 

Frenchie's chronic fatigue has dramatically worsened over the last decade. He isn't good at standing for long periods of time, & at that last job he ended up injuring himself *twice* when something (likely a pallet or other low object with pointy corners) stabbed him in the front of his left shin & both times he never noticed until the area developed cellulitis infections which lead to hospitalizations & ongoing clinic visits for months each time. He also has Type 2 diabetes & that's been a struggle for him as well. 

Nowadays, while nothing serious has happened in recent years (thankfully- *unjinx*), he is having a really difficult time dealing with the frustrating onset of cataracts (& I with the hoops of health insurance & doctors appointments for him, I'm so overwhelmed). Fingers crossed we can get them taken care of (& covered! as much as possible) asap! 

Compounding all that stress, a few years back, Frenchie's home lost its longtime owner, also his longtime friend, to cancer. She was kind of like the "big sister he never had", as she was also of Canadian heritage so they spoke French together often (including during frequent disagreements, even bickering almost like real siblings). He misses her all the time now, moreso with the place already being on its second new owner since & they are raising rents at ridiculous rates, which they were doing even during the height of the pandemic! The way things are looking lately, they may be aiming for pricing out ALL the oldest tenants, & without even including any utilities.. disheartening. 

Anyways, you're probably wondering, "but why make a merch store? why ask for regular support from 'members'?" & it's simple.. I just wanted to try out various other things ~beyond GoFundMe, because that hasn't really been going anywhere, & the bills are still piling up but my savings are already long gone. 

While GFM was the main inspiration - especially after seeing the wave of elderly workers helped by miraculously viral vids on TikTok! - the more I read about "how to get help", including the many comments on philanthropic channels about how various people feel so positively towards helping folks in need, it seemed like it'd just be a neat option for anyone who might be interested. This way, people have the ~choice to actually get something in return, as opposed to merely donating to a random stranger, & Frenchie will get an average of at least $5-10 per product sold! (sometimes more, as each item varies) 

Yes, I'm getting rather ahead, we don't even HAVE a video to try to make viral yet (as of May2023) since my tech is sooo limited that I'm constantly running out of space just editing images on my tired (& beloved) Galaxy S7, but still- why not.. *just in case*! (I will definitely return to update this space as soon as we get such a video posted!) 

Sorry for the long background, & thank you so much if you read it all. Your kindness is everything!! 

~ Alxzndii 💛

UPDATE! (June 2023) 

As promised - got the video! Click here to open Frenchie's plea on TikTok.. be sure to like & share as every interaction helps too! 💙