Education for Elijah: A Second Chance

Hi, My name is Elijah Elmore I am from Massachusetts and I am 29 years old, turning 30 by the end of this year.

I grew up as the youngest of five boys raised by a single mother. While my father was present in my older siblings lives, him and my mom divorced when I was 1 years old and he took a step back from a lot of my childhood and up-bringing.

While I was never without love and dedication within my house I grew up in poverty. Being the youngest and growing up in with very little and a mother who went between working 1-3 jobs, I got the last pick or the remainder of what was left, leading me to grow up at a very young age to get necessities I needed. While I am eternally grateful for all my mother did to keep us alive I have never not known survival, especially to be able to get by in this world.

Growing up further education was never really a thought as I knew me and my family could not support it. I did attempt at 18 to go to college but had to drop out before the first semester even ended due to finances.

I was 18 years old and on my own. To me the only reality that seemed feasible for someone who looked like me and came from a background like mine was to immediately go into the work force, but with no specialization I found my options slim and unstable, despite my talents.

Last year I was working a government job within the city of Santa Monica and my life was really starting to come together. I didn't have to worry about rent for the first time in a long time, I had work, good pay, and it was a career opportunity in which I excelled and had potential for growth. Yet, with the unstable economy and job market I was laid off due to budget cuts and the job planning to turn my position into a one person operation. Me being the newest hire meant I was the first to go. While I felt a wrench had been thrown into my life I immediately began looking for work but was not able to find a job, and despite my extensive history and training my lack of education barred me from many opportunities where I was told I was a great fit but just didn't meet some of the requirements (a degree). At almost 30 I realized I had just spent my childhood and early 20s trying to survive and climbing the ladder only to be kicked back down to the bottom again.

As the months went on I was still unable to find livable work and wages. I was able to get a job as a busser at one point but because of how they staffed was only getting 2 hours at most a week and making minimum wage. It quickly snowballed into me falling behind on my rent, to me couch hopping to then basically being homeless. The only thing that saved me from being on the streets until I could gather enough money to fly back to Massachusetts was my girlfriend and her mother who graciously allowed me to live with them while I tried to build my life back up.

If I am being honest, even with this great opportunity nothing was falling into place. I would somehow always make it to the last round of interviews for jobs, but it would come down between me and a person who studied the field or had seniority on me and more years in the field. For me it always felt like it came back to my education.

A few months ago while discussing with my girlfriends mom about my worries she brought up to me a community college in California called Orange Coast that has dorms and also a specialization that had always fascinated me but I never thought could be a reality, Radiological Technology. While at first I didn't think much of it due to knowing I could not afford education of any kind, my girlfriend who had gone to school and was more familiar with the process than I had ever been explained FASFA, Scholarships, Grants and more and for the first time I had genuine hope. I always dreamed of being a doctor one day and working in the medical field, and what used to just be me watching youtube videos on radiology as a side interest was now starting to feel attainable.

I immediately started the process trying not to let my hopes get too high. I applied to the school and housing, I filled out my FASFA, applied for scholarships and housing assistance and even started trying to apply for jobs out in Costa Mesa where my school is located. I am proud and happy to say that not only did I get into the college and my chosen path, I was also rewarded a scholarship for my books to be paid and for the first 2 years of my schooling to be free. Additionally I was rewarded Housing Assistance in the form of $500 a month towards my dorm costs. However even with all this aid the last barrier I face is the remaining cost of my dorm, with $500 off the remainder I am left to pay $1,100 every month.

While I am grateful to all the help Orange Coast has offered I'm still actively looking for work in the area, which proves difficult as I do not have a car and currently live near Hollywood with my girlfriend. On weekends I'll take a train or have my girlfriend drive me down to Costa Mesa to try applying in person but have yet to have luck. Additionally, I am planning to try and take out student loans but have been unable to do so due to the system I use through my school notifying me that there was an error. I of course have called the school and financial department to sort the issue but was told the system needs to sync and it may not be till mid or late July when they open and even then its not necessarily guaranteed which has left me extremely stressed regarding my finances for dorming as I start school Mid-August. I have even resorted to donating Plasma to try and build what little I have in savings to ensure I can go to school.

I created this Gofundme in hopes I could at least have roughly the amount for the first three months of my dorm rent so that I can focus on getting a job in the area and most importantly my studies. If you have read this far I am extremely grateful. I am not someone that wants to rely on others to help and I try to avoid it as often as I can, however this is my future and it can change everything not just for me but for my family. I want to have the opportunity for education I was never afforded and I want to be able to give back to my Mom who in turn gave up her goals and dreams for my brothers and I.

I do understand that this is a lot to ask especially from a stranger but I truly have my back to a wall. I have never wanted something more in my life then to be able to go to this school and open my opportunities and life, I want to be out of survival mode and be able to truly platform my talents and potential.

Anything helps and I am eternally indebted to those of you who can help me get a head start on my life. Thank you so much.