Update:

Hello,

Some of you have read my story below. For those seeing this page for the first time, please feel free to read the original post beneath this update.

I took a little time before writing this because I wanted to be honest , not just about where things are, but about how this has actually felt.

Reaching my initial goal meant more to me than I can fully express. It gave me breathing room during a moment when everything felt like it was collapsing at once, when I was very close to losing it altogether. I am deeply grateful to everyone who supported me, shared my story, and stood by me.

I truly thought I would be okay by now.

But the reality has been different.

I’ve continued my job search every day , applying, interviewing, following up, networking, doing everything I can to move forward. But like many former USAID colleagues, a significant number of whom are still without jobs, I remain in this in-between place, and the transition has taken far longer than I expected.

Over time, that uncertainty has started to show up in ways I didn’t anticipate.

The stress has begun to affect my health. I’m managing a thyroid condition now, and more recently, I had to deal with serious and urgent dental issues caused by prolonged teeth clenching. What started as stress became something physical that required immediate care , bringing significant, unexpected costs I simply wasn’t prepared for.

At the same time, I’ve been carrying something deeply personal that has made this period even harder.

My immediate family lives in Iran. Over the past month, internet and phone lines have been cut off, and I have had no way to reach them myself , no calls, no messages. The only contact I’ve had has been rare, brief moments when they were able to reach out and let me know they were okay.

Not knowing whether your family is safe, and having no way to reach them, is something I don’t think I can fully put into words. At times, it has felt like hell , just waiting, hoping, and not knowing.

This Nowruz was especially hard. It was the first time we couldn’t even connect virtually to celebrate together.

Being here, physically far away, without any family support in the U.S., while carrying that kind of uncertainty in the background , on top of not having stable work , has taken a real toll on me, both mentally and physically.

Financially, I am still working through the debt I accumulated over the past year, and these past months, including putting rent on my credit card just to stay housed.

Because of all of this, I’ve made the difficult and very humbling decision to increase my goal by $8,000. This will help me cover medical and dental expenses, reduce some of the debt I’ve taken on just to get by, and allow me to continue meeting basic needs while I keep searching for stable employment.

I want to say this clearly: there is absolutely no expectation for anyone who has already given. What you’ve already done has helped me more than you know, and I carry that with me every day.

If you’re seeing this for the first time, or if you feel comfortable supporting or sharing, it would truly help me get through this chapter and move toward stability again.

This isn’t where I thought I would be. But I’m still trying, still showing up, and still doing everything I can to move forward.

Thank you for being here, and for standing with me.

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Hello, my name is Anahita.

I am a former United States Agency for International Development (USAID) employee, served as a Humanitarian Officer. In that role, I worked to protect and support vulnerable communities facing conflict, disasters, and displacement. My work involved managing complex emergency relief operations, securing life-saving resources, monitoring the well-being of affected communities, and partnering with other organizations to strengthen access to food, clean water, hygiene, shelter, healthcare, education, and safety. I advocated for people who had lost everything, often working in high-pressure environments to ensure aid reached those most in need. Humanitarian work requires empathy, resilience, and a deep commitment to protecting human dignity. It was an honor to serve America in that capacity.

Unfortunately, 2025 has not been the year I expected. In April, I lost my job when my agency was dismantled. Overnight, I lost not only my career, one I dedicated years of my life to, but also my sense of purpose, my income, and the professional community I loved.

I have been actively searching for a new job, but the transition has been extremely difficult. I’ve used all my savings and resources, and the unemployment support we received from the DC government ended in late October. For the past five months, I’ve been paying rent on my credit card just to stay afloat.

I am asking for your help to raise $10,000 so I can get back on my feet. These funds will help cover part of the credit card debt accumulated from rent and allow me to afford groceries and essential bills while I continue my job search.

This holiday season, please consider supporting displaced federal workers like me who are doing their best to rebuild. Any amount, no matter how small, truly makes a difference.

Thank you for your kindness, compassion, and generosity.

For those who know me personally, you can also contribute via Venmo or Zelle.