Community Rallies To Support Homeless Veteran Couple Who Are Having A Baby -- Any Second
VENICE (CBSLA.com) — Richard Campbell and Catherine Schultiz served their country and now some Good Samaritans are helping to serve them.
The two veterans are homeless. And, as KCAL 9's Erica Mandy reports, the couple is soon going to become a trio.
Catherine is due any minute.
They've been homeless for two years, living on the streets of Venice.
The couple says after serving in the military, their lives went downhill. He lost a job, she suffers from PTSD related to an abusive childhood.
"I haven't been able to see a doctor this pregnancy," she says.
Richard has made his own sacrifices.
"I go hungry at times to make sure my wife and baby eat," he says.
The fact they have dogs also made it difficult for them to find apartments and get services.
Catherine sells art and poetry on the Boardwalk but it hasn't been enough. With each passing day, they've become more worried about their baby.
That's when Chaplain Regina Weller of the Homeless Task Force stepped in to help.
"I thought it was life-threatening so I told the officers we would take care of them," sas Weller.
The LAPD also reached out to help the organization, based in Venice.
Regina and Steven Weller put the couple up in a motel in Hollywood that accepted pets. They also found them a trailer in Hemet they could live in.
"I think this is going to be awesome for us," says Richard.
That will be the place they bring the baby. Their new home.
"Just to give them a kick start, a new start, which means some stability," said Weller.
The couple is excited.
"I have an opportunity to start over and get things where they need to be, and the help up Regina has given us, will help me, stay off the streets," said Catherine.
The couple needs clothes, baby supplies and money to keep renting their trailer space
They're doing what they can before the baby arrives.
" I'm actually happy, for once, in my life," Richard says.
RELATED LINKS:
To donate clothes, baby supplies and grocery store gift cards:
Venice Foursquare Church
1400 Riviera Ave, Venice, CA 90291
(310) 452-4328
To find out more information about the couple, click on their GoFundMe link, click here.
