#ISAMERICA - help me stay in the USA!

Friends.

If you're reading this letter know that I love and appreciate our friendship. As many of you know, working with Invisible Children has been a dream of mine for the last 6 years, and the 10 months I've spent serving this organisation have been some of the best months of my life.

Here's the thing. I've been given an incredible opportunity to continue working with Invisible Children over the Summer as the Event Production Intern for our upcoming event, the 2013 Fourth Estate Leadership Summit. Not only is this event going to be life-changing for all of the 1400 social activists who are attending but also a phenomenal opportunity for me to grow professionally and personally - I couldn't be more excited or honored by this! The only problem? This internship is unpaid and I've been an unpaid intern for 10 months now; therefore, I am all out of cash. Literally.

I need your help like I've never needed it before.

These are the hard costs of me staying for the Summer:
- Changing my flight to go back home to Australia in August: $902
- Renewing my travel/health insurance: $827
- Extending my visa to stay in America: $290
- Personal expenses while in America over the summer: $200
Total expenses: $2219 (let's call it an even $2200)
- Processing fees (I originally didn't calculate this into my overall costs -- they're unfortunate but necessary to facilitating this incredible fundraising bonanza): $70


TOTAL: $2270
-$700 fee taken off by the airline (YIPPEEEE!)
(UPDATED TOTAL: $1470)

The challenge:
Step 1. Raise $902 by THIS Friday - May 17th - so I can change my flight and stay in the country (read: if I don't raise this money I have to go home). - This goal can be met if 45 people each donate $20 by Friday

Step 2. Raise $1098 by next Tuesday - May 21st - so I can renew my travel/health insurance (so I can go to hospital if need be- my current travel/health insurance expires on this date), and apply to renew my visa (so I don't get deported)!
- If a further 55 people each donate $20 by Tuesday this goal will be reached

Step 3. Raise the final $270 within the next couple of weeks (so I can eat).
- This can be done if 18 people each donate $15

Like I said before, I really need your help. If you can donate more, incredible! Less? Still incredible. Literally every bit counts.

Gamechanger: My birthday is in less than 2 weeks. Helping me stay here and continue pursuing my dreams would be the biggest, best, most INCREDIBLE present you could ever give me. (Other than birthday hugs and kisses-- I'm accepting all the above).

We can do this. Support team #ISAMERICA, give what you can, spread the word by posting this to every possible social network, and help me stay in the U.S.A!

Sending so much love and appreciation to each and every single one of you, thank you, your support means the world to me.

Much love,
Isa