Help MsRenee regain her stability

The t-shirt actually says, I’m a Montessori teacher. What’s your superpower? I’ve written this a dozen times in my head. But I don’t know where to start when I sit here at my laptop. God has blessed me through the years, always had a way of providing even through challenging times, loss of a husband, the visual challenges of Blepharospasm, loss of a home, and medical needs. It is completely out of character for me to ask for help. But I need to reach out before it’s too late. I need to lay it all out there and see what happens next. The short request is for financial assistance until I can get on my feet again. I know these are difficult times for so many people. If you have the means, please donate what your heart leads you to give.

A long explanation to how I got here follows. Prior to March 2023, I was set for retirement, paying my bills and didn’t have any debt other than my car payment. As a teacher, there have been many times that I’ve worked two jobs to pay my bills so that I could do the work that I felt called to do. I love teaching. It has been worth the sacrifice. I could have continued in my accounting career and fared so much better off financially. But I wanted to make a difference in others’ lives. It started at the beginning of 2023, when I learned that I needed a total right knee replacement. In May, I lost my home. That was a personal loss that I’m still healing from emotionally, but I don’t want to give more details as it would violate the privacy of loved ones. Fortunately, an educator friend had a room to rent me. Determined, I finished the 2022-2023 school year rolling around on office chairs to manage the pain at night. I had total right knee replacement surgery on July 11th. By the end of August, I moved into a two bedroom apartment.

I made it through the summer. The two months when teachers do not get paid. North Carolina teachers only get paid 10 of 12 months a year. Usually, I’m prepared. The summer of 2023, I was not. Instead of asking for help then. I hid my needs and used my good credit. By August, I had three high interest credit cards, a personal loan, lots of medical bills, and credit card from my bank. Throughout the 2023-2024 school year, I’ve paid off the personal loan and have been paying on credit cards, medical bills, and my monthly bills. My payments to the credit cards have ended up only being the minimum payment which barely covers the interest charged monthly. I owe about $7,500 in high interest credit card debt and about $5,000 in medical bills still. Recently, I realized that I should have been paying more toward the high interest credit card than the medical bills. That’s a lesson learned for the 2024-2025 school year.

Now, here I am with no income for July’s and August’s monthly bills, with July rent quickly approaching. I’ve been trying to find a summer job. I really thought it would be easier than it has been. I’ve considered getting a roommate. I do have two bedrooms. I am looking if you know of anyone hiring, please let me know. At this point, I will work two jobs if I can find them. I am reaching out to family and friends in hopes of getting some support. You’ve always shown me love and lifted me in prayers. Please continue to pray for my situation. I will be 62 years old on my next birthday in December. I could consider retirement at that time. But I’ve got to get these bills paid and get back to where I was financially more stable. You don’t know how hard it is for me to ask for assistance. But I greatly appreciate every prayer and every gift given.

Peacefully yours,

Renee’ Baity