Dear friends and family, I am reaching out because I’ve found myself in a desperate financial situation after a series of setbacks that were completely beyond my control. As a self-employed artist, I rely on my van to transport painting supplies for my paint & sip events. Unfortunately, my van developed serious trouble with the radiator and thermostat, which forced me to take out a loan from my credit union in Portland just to cover the repairs. After getting it fixed, the same issue happened again, and I managed to keep it running by stopping to fill the radiator with water every few miles. Eventually, it broke down for good, and the repair estimate was nearly $7,000. I had no choice but to trade it in for a newer van, which meant another loan. Things seemed to be improving until a parking mishap in a construction area destroyed the radiator on my new van, leading to yet another loan. With my income being pretty much fixed, I had to take out a couple of credit cards just to make ends meet.

The final straw came when my landlord raised our security deposit by $2,000. After 14 years in my apartment, my deposit was quite low, but now I’m unable to cover the increase due to my credit rating and the mounting debt from the van troubles. I checked with the local rental assistance group, and unfortunately, the landlord is legally allowed to do this for month-to-month renters. Now, I am at risk of eviction and losing the home I’ve worked so hard to maintain. Any help at all would be deeply appreciated. Your support will go directly toward paying the increased security deposit so I can stay in my apartment, and any extra will help ease the burden of my loans. Thank you so much for considering helping me through this difficult time.