North Port Community Helps Local Family Get Out of Homelessness

NORTH PORT, Fla. (WWSB) - A North Port family who found themselves suddenly homeless is getting the key to their future. The community came together to raise a total of $3,286 for this family of five, including a one-month-old baby.

Elidieu Boge, his wife, and their two sons Chris Lee and Jamie arrived from Haiti about a year ago. They were living in an apartment with relatives when their newest family member, Jayden, was born in December. They were suddenly told they had to move out right after Christmas and had been living out of their car.

“I’m not going to do nothing, and just leave my family like that. I’m going to do the best that I can to make my family good,” Boge explained.

The family connected with Elaine Emrich and several other members of the community, and asked for help in reaching out to local services that provide housing.

“What they told him was go find a place, and we’ll help you with first, last and security. He did exactly what he was told to do, but guess what… it’ll take a few more weeks for them to come up with the money,” Emrich told us.

That’s when social media posts began to spread - getting the family set up with food, clothes, diapers, but the they still needed so much more.

“Of course we were in shock. You can’t read this and not be touched. I think this is why their story gained so much attention and so much of a reaction from the North Port community,” Tatiana Boohoff, the owner of Boohoff Law, said.

Elidieu had enough money for one month’s rent for this house, but the community raised enough money to pay the rest of it in about eight hours and then the Boohoff Law Firm matched it.

“Everything in life is a surprise. Sometimes you’re not ready for things, but something is going to happen every time. I don’t want to worry about that now, but I have a nice family and I’m not going to quit,” Boge said to us.

The Boge family left Monday with not only the means to move into a home, but with gratitude to live in a place like North Port.

“I’m looking forward to seeing them smile, feeling secure and knowing they have a roof over their heads, and focusing on their children,” Boohoff expressed.

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