BF's Family Needs Help re: Job Loss, Heart Surgery

My name is Renee, and I'm starting this fundraiser for my best friend, Jennifer Stewart. Jen and I have been BFF's for over 30 years. She and her family are now facing medical and financial crises and are in critical need of financial help.

Jen is the single mom of five kids (four of which are still at home). She was a CPS Investigator for 17 years, supporting her large brood alone for most of that time. In March of 2022, Jen had an unexpected and near-fatal heart episode that led to a diagnosis of atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, ventricular tachycardia, and supraventricular tachycardia. Since then she has had five heart-related surgeries and three emergency surgeries due to internal bleeds. She has also endured 14 hospitalizations (9 of which were for two weeks or longer). She was forced to take extended leave from work, first on FMLA, then unpaid medical hiatus. She was thankfully able to keep her family afloat during that time using her savings and banked overtime from work. But that only lasted so long.

Jen was relieved to return to work on September 1st this year. On September 15, she was hospitalized again for a week, and underwent emergency surgery for another internal bleed. She was again hospitalized in November, at which time she learned she will require another heart surgery in the near future. But that wasn't the worst news: Her ongoing medical absences meant that she had exceeded her lifetime maximum of leave at CPS. At the beginning of October, she was formally let go from her 17 year career. Her savings was dried up, and there was nothing to save her and her family right now from losing everything. Jen's friends helped her through those two months as best they could, but there is of course a limit to everyone's capacity. Jen applied for food stamps, as feeding her kids was top priority. But she was denied because she has a car, one that she is currently two months behind in payments on and is worried about it being repossessed. The state told her that it is considered an asset, but if it is repossessed, then she will qualify for food stamps. Really?! Jen was also denied unemployment, because her job loss was due to medical leave; until and unless she is released by a doctor to return to work, she cannot receive unemployment benefits. But she cannot be released to work until after her next heart surgery. She is at risk of sudden cardiac events, with no warning. There is no help for her or her family from state resources at this time. She is scared and as of today, only has less than $100 to her name. Rent, utilities, and most importantly, FOOD for her kids are not within her reach, and she is beginning to despair.

To make matters worse, the heart surgery that she needs to be cleared to return to work is supposed to take place in mid-January. Jen has had ACA insurance, but right now she cannot pay the premium of $170, and will lose her coverage. Even if she manages to pull together the premium, the out of pocket amount for her surgery will be over $3000. There seems to be no way to make any of this happen, so we are now reaching out to the world at large and asking for help to get Jen and her family through the next few months. Between rent, utilities, surgery, and the six weeks of recovery, she believes that $8000 will see her and her kiddos through. Can you help us reach this goal? She has always tried to do her best for her community, between her work as a social worker with Child Protective Services, her volunteer work at Operation Turkey, Star of Hope Mission, foster services, and local food banks. She will pay it forward every chance she gets. Help me to help her get well, so she can get back to taking care of her kids -her own, those in the community, and those she hopes to return to at CPS- as soon as possible.

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