I am in need of financial support for housing and basic needs. I am transgender and disabled, and my chronic illnesses have set me back financially because I was not able to work for 3 months and have not recovered since.

I have been living off of credit card debt that will be soon maxed out. I work 2 part time jobs (that don’t cover my cost of living) and one unpaid internship so that I can be a Speech Language Pathologist Assistant (SLPA) to have a more sustainable career. I have put so much heart, love, blood sweat and tears into my caregiving for the past 12+ years, and it is making my body break down. I am severely burning out.

My disabilities are such that I cannot work full-time. I have been denied disability benefits. In June I sprained my ankle and then got sick, and couldn’t work for almost 3 months. I blew through my meager savings, lived off of my small tax return and credit cards, and I have not recovered financially ever since. When you’re poor and lose work for that long, the ripple effects last for a long time. I have medical bills, student loan debt and car payments etc. to worry about. I am very close to maxing out my credit cards. I am extremely stringent when it comes to how I spend my money. It goes to bills and basic needs, I don’t “treat myself.”

I am one chronic illness flare away from having less than nothing. When (not if) I get sick next, my housing will be even more in jeopardy. My car is starting to make weird noises, and I need it for work. I have no idea how I’m going to get through this without significant help. I need support while I finish my unpaid internship, so that I can get my certification and work towards financial stability.

More about me: I have Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, EDS, autism and ADHD. I am passionate about community care and disability justice, it’s my entire life! I care for an adult with cerebral palsy and a 2-year old and I love them both very much. My internship is working in public schools, doing speech therapy with disabled children with high support needs. I’m an herbalist, I love singing, playing piano, reading comics, my cat, and making art. My intention as a future SLPA is to work with autistic children to support their self-expression, and to work with trans people for gender affirming vocal transition.

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