Effort underway in Bridgeport to save 85-year-old grandmother from eviction
The crisis began this week when State Marshal Heather Goulet arrived at a multi-family house on Bunnell Street to carry out an eviction on the second floor.
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It's a race against the clock in Bridgeport as the community rallies around an 85-year-old grandmother who is facing eviction.
Dorothy Davis-McKenzie, known affectionately as "Miss B" to everyone who knows her, has spent her lifetime caring for others.
Now she is facing the threat of homelessness.
The crisis began this week when State Marshal Heather Goulet arrived at a multi-family house on Bunnell Street to carry out an eviction on the second floor.
However, once Goulet saw the woman she was tasked with removing, her mission changed.
"I just felt so bad," Goulet said. "85 years old, I'm like, 'what am I supposed to do, just put her on the street?' I can't do that."
The "marshal with a heart" teamed up with Bridgeport City Councilwoman Eneida Martinez to intervene.
They soon discovered that "Miss B’s" situation wasn’t a matter of simple neglect, but of exploitation.
According to Martinez, "Miss B" became a victim of elder abuse while she was in Jamaica last year burying her son.
"She trusted some individuals who she gave money to, who were supposed to pay her rent, but did not," Martinez explained.
While "Miss B" was away, her $9,000 rent balance was spiraling out of control.
Now an effort is underway to raise the remaining funds needed to clear her debt.
Donors have contributed $3,000, leaving a balance of roughly $6,700 as of Saturday night.
The goal is to clear the eviction status from the state’s judicial website.
Once that record is clean, two local nonprofits are standing by to help "Miss B" navigate the process of securing new, permanent housing.
"We just want to clear Miss Dorothy up with this balance and get her moved out of here," Martinez said. "It’s God’s blessing, and I want to thank each and every person that has stepped up."
For "Miss B," the community support is the difference between a life on the street and a future with a roof over her head.
"I would like to say thank you and may God bless you," Davis-McKenzie said. "I appreciate it and you'll all be in my prayers. Homeless is not a nice place to be."
Martinez set up a Zelle account to help Davis-McKenzie. Martinez says donations will be tax deductible and she will furnish a receipt.
The Zelle account number is 203-650-2249.
