Help With New Vehicle

Hi friends and family,

On Sunday, July 14th 2024, I suffered a devastating and unforeseeable financial hardship!

A fast-approaching monsoon (there was a tornado WARNING and rotation caught on radar) with unprecedented wind speeds and heavy rain/hail forced me to attempt to get off the main road and onto a side street to wait out the storm. There was little warning, as Tucson, AZ is not prone to SUSTAINED hurricane force winds of 85mph+! Due to poor visibility, I misjudged the amount of water I was driving into. Within less than 45 seconds, my car stopped traveling forward and stalled out. I would later learn that she "hydrolocked" and was a total loss. The mechanic gave me a quote with parts and labor (for a used engine) totalling nearly 7k! To add further to the devastating situation, I learned my insurance would not cover the repairs or even reimburse me for the value of the car. I was not carrying comprehensive/collision insurance, and only had liability... Which is pretty standard with my clean driving record, a vehicle of that age, and living in an area not typically prone to natural disasters of this sort. The real icing on the proverbial "cake" is... I had JUST spent nearly my entire emergency savings fund ($3,500) to make necessary repairs on my girl, just a month prior to this event! As a single mother who lives paycheck to paycheck, I was very proud to have saved that $3500, and it took years of personal restraint to build that fund. To watch it just VANISH has been the most painful financial experience, I have yet to encounter. I'm struggling with a lot of anger at myself for making that turn, for not having the correct insurance, etc. My mind is stuck in "woulda, coulda, shoulda"

The bright side: I have found a new vehicle, thankfully! However, I now have a car payment I truly do not know how I will maintain (never had a car payment). I have no emergency savings left either. So I am asking, if you are in a financial position to donate, if you would consider this cause, it would help alleviate the anxiety I now face about making the new payments timely. Thank you to everyone who has reached out to me with kind words and donations! I know not everyone is in a position to give monetarily, but you cannot imagine how much your private messages mean just as much! If you know me personally, you know that this is not an isolated rough patch for me, and that I've been dealing with all kinds of issues from domestic abuse, to a custody battle, black mold, and the list continues! I NEED your kind words if that is all your financial situation allows for you to give . And I thank each and every one of you who has messaged me and or donated already!

With gratitude,

Ann Marie and Olive