Help a Social Worker learn from England

Hello Friends;

I know these fundraising sites are still a new phenomena to me and to many of us.  The idea of asking people for money, without giving them some sort of product is strange but the truth is that I need help (a hard thing for me to admit) so to all those who give and all those who post your causes on crowd funding sites my hat is off to you!

Here's the pickle I'm in - I had hoped to attend a study abroad program at the University of Bristol for two weeks this summer, but my student loan fell through. Because I (like most of us) live pay check to pay check, I don't have the funds to pay for tuition or get the airfare, necessary train travel, books and board at the University of Bristol. 

I'm currently working (note the studious picture of me above) on my Master's in Social Work at Azusa Pacific University (here's a link if you're curious: http://www.apu.edu/bas/socialwork/msw/).  I have finally found my calling, and I can't even begin to express how passionate I am about social work and doing something to bring social justice and compassion to under-served populations.  APU has been a fantastic school and I've been lucky to be able to keep my day job and go to school at night (though sleep is a rare luxury these days).  

The University Bristol program looks at social justice through a comparison of the British social work and criminal justice systems and their US counterparts.  Here's a link to the program: http://www4.uwm.edu/hbssw/international/bristol.cfm

If you can help out or just want more information feel free to contact me.  I know finances aren't good for most of us these days, times are tough, so believe me no hard feelings if you can't contribute!  This is really just if you have some spare change and want to help a social worker learn more about how to improve the social safety net, and social justice system here in America.  Just your emotional support is a gift, so thanks for sticking by me friends, and thanks for giving this a read!

Also if you're curious about costs of the program here's a rough breakdown: $3,500 for tuition and board (they put us up at the U of Bristol dorms), $1,500 for RT airfare from LA to London, $300 for train fares to field sites, $400 for food, $100 for books and $200 for necessary medical insurance fees.  That's not a complete list of costs but it's close.

You may be asking, what's in this for me?  Well the feeling that you've helped someone achieve an important goal in their life, and contributing to the education of a future Social Worker of America.  We are the people nobody likes but everybody needs in a crisis. Plus I'll send you postcards from abroad! 

Thanks for your time and support my friends.

XXOO
Libby