Tom's Bypass Surgery Fund

"Help Tom and Jim keep their home...during, and after Tom's Open Heart Surgery."

Many of you who know us personally, know the financial struggle we have been dealing with for the last two years.  Both of us lost our careers with the same non-profit Arts Organization, less than a year apart.  Tom had been the Culinary Supervisor for 16 years, and I was Operations Manager & Volunteer Liaison for 10 years.  The same story that’s happened to many others across this country, but no less devastating.  I was let go on Monday, June 3rd 2014, the day after returning from our wedding…my position was suddenly “eliminated”.

It's not easy telling the world about personal things especially when it involves money and financial problems.  We are a proud couple and have always been able to take care of ourselves financially.  Asking for financial help from friends and family is embarrassing, and we only ask those of you with disposable income or other means, to help us financially.  We know that almost everyone is having trouble these days keeping afloat.  For those who can’t help financially, your prayers for Tom’s successful bypass surgery & recovery are equally important to us.

Our current need is to keep up with our mortgage payments which are $1,937.69 a month, as we’ve been unsuccessful refinancing our mortgage which has a current rate of 6.85%.  We also owe $38,000 on the property we purchased next door six years ago for Tom’s catering business.  We’re getting close to completion, but it will take several thousand more dollars to complete the renovations.  These are the major expenses…however, there are other outstanding obligations.  (We had to cash in all of our savings and retirement funds just to stay afloat until I found another job, and Tom’s catering was sporadic with long spans of no work.)  I have been going through debt consolidation (so no credit cards) since 2014 and my monthly payments are $566, which will be paid off in December of 2017.  Tom is also consolidating his debt which comes mainly from the renovation of the property next door, with a current balance of $11,500.  Then there are the monthly utilities, insurances, and living expenses.  My paycheck will cover most of the living expenses and utilities…I bring home $1600 per month.  I’ve also had no health care insurance since June of 2014.  Luckily Tom has Medicare which, hopefully will cover most of his bypass surgery costs…we just don’t know yet.

For the last two years, I have been selling everything I can on Ebay which helps, but it is not consistent and very time consuming.  Tom plans to sell his car (he won’t need it for several months) which will hopefully get us two mortgage payments.  Your donations will help us make our mortgage payments until Tom is back to work (hopefully at the end of August), and will also help to pay his medical bills that Medicare won’t cover.

Those are pretty much the facts of our current situation, and I hope it doesn’t sound like a ‘sob story’.  Believe me, we’re fighters and we wouldn’t ask if we didn’t have to.  We are very thankful to have the support of our families, friends, and our community.  We appreciate your prayers and any help you can give. 

God Bless, we will keep you posted.
Jim Zock and Tom Kurtzhals