Unemployed Navy Veteran Debt Relief
Donation protected
I humble myself in writing this and appealing to everyone who reads it. My name is Michael Petrillo and I am a partially disabled veteran of the U. S. Navy. I have been out of paid work for over two years now, since October 2014. I left New Jersey for a better opportunity with a Military Contracting agency in California that went bust within a few months after it started. The nice salary and benefits that were finally so close to becoming a reality were suddenly snuffed out. I've been reading through many other people's campaigns on GoFundMe to learn how to write my own and it's heartbreaking to feel other people's problems in such depth. We are all opening up our lives to the mercy of the world and I wonder how much less sad and less deserving of help my situation is compared with so many others, but at this point in my life I have nowhere else to turn. In all humility I turn to the generosity of you who are reading this
At 43 years old, the shame I feel at not being able to support myself and pay off my debt is sometimes overwhelming. There's nothing wrong with me, no reason I can't work and be successful, but there are times when I really question that because of the lack of responses to even the most humble of job applications I fill out daily. I know that HR departments are overwhelmed with applicants, but not even receiving a human response is just cold. Yet I can't give up, I wasn't raised that way. There is always another layer deeper inside to dig into and find the motivation to keep the applications and follow-ups with employers going, but I can't support myself and pay my debt off with job applications.
I was blessed with 6 awesome years in the Navy, and gained invaluable experience for my hard work and volunteering for missions, before being honorably discharged in 2002. Anyone would think that would be coveted by any employer, instead it doesn't seem to make any difference. "Veterans Preference" seems to be a joke. I worked while completing my BA in Anthropology at Seton Hall University (where I made the Dean's list every semester, also through hard work) because my GI Bill only covered so much, and still had to take out college loans (I haven't been able to afford to make a payment since 2013 and with late fees and fines is now up to $27,000). I graduated Seton Hall and was laid off from a really great job as a military contractor 2 years later, and graduate school went further away than the back burner.
Currently I have a volunteer job to keep my professional skills current and sharp, I am the Director of Public Relations for my Knights of Columbus Council. I also volunteer with many ministries at church as well. I give what I have: my time, efforts, and labor. However I cannot support myself through volunteer work. My Council has been kind enough to waive dues for me for the time being but I'm a grown man and should be able to participate fully as all of my fellow Knights do.
Additionally I owe my Navy buddy's girlfriend for a repair bill ($3000) she and her family were kind enough to pay for me in 2015 so that the local Ford dealer didn't put a mechanic's lien on my car. I owe my Mom a great deal of money for paying my car off to avoid repossession ($4000). I have a loan ($17,000) and a credit card ($9000) that are now in default and in collections. Yesterday afternoon I received more bad news that I did not make the cut for the next stage in the hiring process of a really good job, I can't believe that after 3 weeks I'm no longer in the running for it and my disappointment is second only to my desperation. This military contract would have had a salary of $60,000 per year, pretty much my total debt but that doesn't account for taxes so I would still have been in the hole. Being buried in debt is hurting me in being hired. It's a vicious cycle: I need a decent job to get out of debt but I can't get a decent job because I'm in debt.
Right now I am only asking for a modest $10,000 so that I can get 3 immediate debts taken care of: to satisfy the bank, my Navy buddy's girlfriend, and one particularly aggressive bill collector. I would also like to start building my credit back up. Of course if somehow this appeal inspires everyone reading it to help me wipe out my entire debt then I would be eternally grateful. Thank you for your consideration and any help and kindness you are able to give. If nothing else, please post this on social media to raise awareness so that my GoFundMe reaches more potential donors A prayer would be greatly appreciated as well. Thank you again and may God bless all of you.
At 43 years old, the shame I feel at not being able to support myself and pay off my debt is sometimes overwhelming. There's nothing wrong with me, no reason I can't work and be successful, but there are times when I really question that because of the lack of responses to even the most humble of job applications I fill out daily. I know that HR departments are overwhelmed with applicants, but not even receiving a human response is just cold. Yet I can't give up, I wasn't raised that way. There is always another layer deeper inside to dig into and find the motivation to keep the applications and follow-ups with employers going, but I can't support myself and pay my debt off with job applications.
I was blessed with 6 awesome years in the Navy, and gained invaluable experience for my hard work and volunteering for missions, before being honorably discharged in 2002. Anyone would think that would be coveted by any employer, instead it doesn't seem to make any difference. "Veterans Preference" seems to be a joke. I worked while completing my BA in Anthropology at Seton Hall University (where I made the Dean's list every semester, also through hard work) because my GI Bill only covered so much, and still had to take out college loans (I haven't been able to afford to make a payment since 2013 and with late fees and fines is now up to $27,000). I graduated Seton Hall and was laid off from a really great job as a military contractor 2 years later, and graduate school went further away than the back burner.
Currently I have a volunteer job to keep my professional skills current and sharp, I am the Director of Public Relations for my Knights of Columbus Council. I also volunteer with many ministries at church as well. I give what I have: my time, efforts, and labor. However I cannot support myself through volunteer work. My Council has been kind enough to waive dues for me for the time being but I'm a grown man and should be able to participate fully as all of my fellow Knights do.
Additionally I owe my Navy buddy's girlfriend for a repair bill ($3000) she and her family were kind enough to pay for me in 2015 so that the local Ford dealer didn't put a mechanic's lien on my car. I owe my Mom a great deal of money for paying my car off to avoid repossession ($4000). I have a loan ($17,000) and a credit card ($9000) that are now in default and in collections. Yesterday afternoon I received more bad news that I did not make the cut for the next stage in the hiring process of a really good job, I can't believe that after 3 weeks I'm no longer in the running for it and my disappointment is second only to my desperation. This military contract would have had a salary of $60,000 per year, pretty much my total debt but that doesn't account for taxes so I would still have been in the hole. Being buried in debt is hurting me in being hired. It's a vicious cycle: I need a decent job to get out of debt but I can't get a decent job because I'm in debt.
Right now I am only asking for a modest $10,000 so that I can get 3 immediate debts taken care of: to satisfy the bank, my Navy buddy's girlfriend, and one particularly aggressive bill collector. I would also like to start building my credit back up. Of course if somehow this appeal inspires everyone reading it to help me wipe out my entire debt then I would be eternally grateful. Thank you for your consideration and any help and kindness you are able to give. If nothing else, please post this on social media to raise awareness so that my GoFundMe reaches more potential donors A prayer would be greatly appreciated as well. Thank you again and may God bless all of you.
Organizer
Mike Petrillo
Organizer
Crestline, CA
