Help Bridge the Gap: Medical & Job Transition Assistance

Friends: due to a mid-year job transition, significant health concerns this past year, and some unexpected car repairs, I’ve found myself in a financial struggle that I need urgent help with.

Since 2022, I’ve worked to help support youth, young adults, and families experiencing homelessness. It was a grant-funded program and it ended 3 months earlier than expected. While I have a job offer (also helping young people) and start date in the future, I’ll have 6-8 weeks of no income (largely from a long administrative process that is incredibly important but also went slowly).

It’s hard to know what to say about my health. This year, something(s) new has been happening and it’s been very disconcerting. I’ve had about 12 ER visits, a few MRIs/CT scans, and so on. I keep having to push things off (and I have to start over when it comes to deductibles and meeting my out-of-pocket maximum). Earlier this summer, I was weighing whether I needed to go to the ER as my blood pressure and pulse were high, I was profusely sweating, my chest hurt a little, and my legs felt numb. But, like many Americans, I held off (and things eased off after a while). But with some other symptoms, I probably should have gotten it checked.

My car repairs include replacing two flat tires at once (after trying to just get them fixed, I ended up buying used tires to get back on the road) and a broken A/C during the hottest summer on record. The car has a hatchback that won’t close and the hatchback’s handle has broken and often falls off, dangling by a wire from my car - though, to be fair, that’s just how life is for most of us in the 2020s ! While I need a reliable car for me and the kids, in my now current job, I will need to drive a lot, often on short notice, and occasionally will need to transport someone somewhere else to help them find a safe home.

I’ve been doing what many of us do when times are tight - stretching out groceries or medications and eliminating the expenses I can. A few weeks ago, I had to call the radiologist to reschedule a test for some troubling symptoms that popped up. The scheduler asked if they were correct in thinking that I wanted to move it up because of the symptoms worsening. I had to tell her that I’d like to get it checked sooner but I am out of work and without insurance.

The water is and has been “over my head”, metaphorically. I want to just push through and not be vulnerable, or ask for/need help. In the past, I’ve had some help from friends who saw what I was going through - and I’m incredibly grateful for that generosity. And I wish that was it and I could take care of things on my own. Right now, I can’t. I feel stuck and I’m feeling scared. I don’t know if I can get out of the hole I'm currently in, particularly on my own.

For me to take care of the important things that need to be addressed before my next paycheck (such as rent and utilities, the car repairs, food, etc) for July-Sept, I would need around $8,000. My first check from my new job will arrive just before September - and I know that the position to which I'm moving comes with a pay-cut of almost 20% (so I'm trying to navigate a major restructuring - while also knowing that I'm out doing good but heavy work to support children and families). The current goal ($5,000) would be enough to relieve much of the heightened anxiety of not being able to pay rent (and other bills) for this month and work on some of the car issues. I also understand we may not be able to meet my goal—but any (and all) of it helps right now.

If you’re here reading this, I’m so grateful for that and for you. I’m sending lots of love/caring support to everyone out there - the past few years have been so rough for so many. Thank you for being present in my life and reading through this to hear some of what’s going on. It means a lot. Thank you.