Richard Frizzle underwent heart surgery in April 2017 and applied for disability that August. Ten months later, Frizzle was still awaiting approval. With no income and no idea whether he’d get disability, Frizzle had turned to panhandling. 

In order for Richard to finally be approved for disability, he had to give up most of his worldly possessions-and that included his home.  The approval process took many months and during that time, Richard was unable to work-which left him unable to make rent. 

Richard has been living on the kindness of strangers for several years now.  The disability money he receives is too low to allow for a living space, so he panhandles to be able to rent a hotel room near the Chick FilA on 86th St near Michigan Rd, which is his main location where he has been asking for support from people who drive by.  But, because so many families are in need, Richard sometimes gives up a room at this hotel that largely caters to the local homeless so that families with children aren’t sleeping outdoors at night in the winter.  That decision led to a very serious turn of events early this year (2025) when Richard realized he was desperately ill and sought help at Ascension St Vincent.  Doctors discovered that frostbite on his foot had become gangrenous and he was in danger of losing his life.  Fortunately, the surgeon was able to take part of Richard’s foot and save his life.  He has been at a local rehabilitation center where he is awaiting a second needed surgery.  

Richard can no longer walk unassisted and truly needs to come off the streets and have a place to call home for his survival. With the help of several people he has touched the hearts of, we are looking to get him into a low income senior housing situation where he can be out of danger.  His current income is simply not enough to keep him in housing, utilities and groceries.  We are hoping, with the help of more kind people, we can get Richard a place to land, some basic furniture and household goods, as well as supplement his disability income enough to keep him fed and the utilities on. We have help and have found an apartment that will give him a senior/low income discount-we just need to raise the first/last/deposit amount and raise enough to simply furnish his place. 

Richard is a good man with a heart for God.  He attributes God with saving his life, both during his heart event and during this most recent health crisis.  He is a funny, polite, kind and caring person-who cared more about others than his own welfare.  He is grateful and a joy to be around. His evangelization and prayers have been a joy to experience by so many of us.  Please help us get Richard a stable place to live for the first time in years so that he can live in dignity knowing he is a loved child of God.