A Real Girl Asking for Real Money

Hello!

My name is Abby Clark. I'm starting this fundraiser to relieve myself of the debt that I have accumulated over the years from things like medical bills, car repair bills, and dental bills that I could not afford at the time and had no other choice but to put these kinds of expenses on my credit cards. As much as I wish this was a joke, it is very much not a joke, unfortunately. It is bigger than me.

I don't come from a wealthy home but rather a home where money was always tight. Because of this, no one ever took the time to teach me about money and how to manage it. These issues carried over into my twenties and as much as I have learned about managing my money now and distributing it accordingly, I cannot get myself out of this mountain of debt.

I'm using this platform to reach anyone who is either wealthy or debt free and is looking to give. If you have a low income or have massive amounts of debt and feel trapped just like me, I ask that you please do not donate to my fundraiser.

Maybe this feels silly and maybe a bit desperate, but the truth is that I am desperate. If 90 people gave $100, it would change my life. I could get a hold of my debt and start saving for an emergency fund, my future and invest. I could get health insurance. I could be a healthier version of myself. And maybe, just maybe, for once, I could feel at ease.

For those of you who don't know me, here's a bit about myself:

After I graduated high school, I attended college right away with some help from my parents for the first year. From there I took out school loans to pay my way through the rest of my college years. I transferred several times until I landed where I am now pursuing my BFA in Graphic Design. I worked part-time so that I could go to school full-time. I sacrificed sleep for projects. And though I successfully finished my design program with only 4 studio classes left to graduate, I became incredibly unwell when it all came to a stop. I had the most intense brain fog and headaches, so bad that I didn't feel like I was not in my own body. I had confusion, weakness and body aches. I felt like my body was turning against itself. It took me 4 years to really recover from that. It was through therapy and acupuncture throughout the years that I found real relief.

Anyways, 4 years later I am back in school. My goal is to finish my BFA in Graphic Design and graduate in August of 2023. I only hope from there that I can land a job in graphic design/illustration where I can learn and grow and become a better artist and hopefully become debt free in the meantime.

If you have made it this far, thank you so much for taking the time to read my story.

And thank you in advance for anything you can give.

All the very best to you,

Abby