Dear friends, family, and kind hearts,
We are a queer couple who, along with our beloved senior dog, sought refuge in San Francisco from Lebanon in 2018. We found joy and acceptance here, marrying on Christmas 2018, a moment that felt like a dream come true. For ten years, we’ve faced life’s ups and downs together: health scares, a global pandemic, and the constant challenges of financial instability.
Leaving everything behind to build a safer life in the US has been incredibly difficult. The cost of living has become a crushing weight. Our parents, who were our lifeline, are now struggling themselves due to the economic crisis in Lebanon.
We are a hardworking couple, but recent events have pushed us to a breaking point. I’ve been seriously ill twice since January, losing crucial wages. My partner also faced significant health issues last year, and we are now facing the uncertainty of potential repayments from the EDD.
For years, we've relied on credit cards to survive, accumulating $20,000 in debt. We’ve managed to pay down half, but the remaining balance of $10,000, including a high-interest personal loan, is overwhelming. The recent surge in prices has made even basic necessities like food and pet care a daily struggle, forcing us to accrue even more debt.
The constant stress has taken a devastating toll
on our mental and physical health. We haven’t been able to afford any activities to nurture our relationship or mental well-being; every moment is consumed by financial worry. I work a minimum-wage job at a struggling small business, facing the constant threat of job loss. Finding a better-paying job has been a year-long, disheartening struggle.
We feel like we’re running out of options. Returning to Lebanon is impossible; our marriage wouldn’t be recognized, and my partner’s safety would be severely compromised. My dreams of growing my freelance video creation business are on hold, as we can’t afford the necessary equipment.
We're reaching out to you, our community, as a last resort. Any contribution, no matter how small, will make a difference. Your kindness can help us stay afloat until we can find stability. Thank you for reading our story and for your compassion.
update: funds are being held on Gofundme as I upload my identification and begin a transfer. All this fund will be used towards credit card debt in order to alleviate the financial strain and help us move forward. We couldn't have done this without all who donated and shared our story!