Short-term help for living expenses
This is the most embarrassing thing I think I have ever had to do. Story in short: I got laid off in 2008 after working in the IT Tech Industry for 34 years, right around the time the economy tanked. I started a consulting business that did well for ~3 years, then I was diagnosed with PAD (peripheral artery disease) in both legs. 4 surgeries in 2013 have left me with limited mobility, and the SSA denied a disability claim. Right now, I can't work.
What I am hoping for is to raise enough for living expenses until my health improves enough to be able to either catch on somewhere full time or at least be able to bid on a decent IT contract. We are definitely not living a champagne life -- more like Kool-Aid and Hamburger Helper.
My wife and I are barely hanging on. Any 401K savings have been exhausted, and we lost our house of 17 years in September of 2013. My wife is trying to catch on with local companies, but the best she can expect is (maybe) $12/hour. Our medical bills from my surgeries are approaching $85,000, with virtually no hope of getting close to paying them (yes we've considered BK, but we haven't been able to do that yet -- ironic that we can't even afford to file bankruptcy). We have sold everything of value that we owned, and are living in a small rental house that we can barely afford, and are behind on rent at that. On food stamps, utility assistance, etc.
Any help would be appreciated more than you could imagine.
Joel