Help Caitlin Overcome Hardship

Hello friends,

Growing up, money had always been at the root of my family's struggle, and for years, it felt as though we were running a race where we could see the finish line, but never were able to cross it. When my mother and I ended up living out of an Airbnb and a month away from total homelessness, I made the difficult decision to break out on my own in a new place, sight unseen.

I moved to Vermont as a means of restarting, thanks to very kind friends, to give myself a chance to heal and build a new life for myself, almost from scratch. Considering where I had been, any stress or trial was something I pushed through with determination to succeed and find peace. Over the past year and a half, I took on two jobs and a handful of side gigs in order to find a level of comfort. Within the last year, illness, taxes, and soaring pricing have decimated any savings I had put aside for myself. In May, I was laid off from my highest-paying job, and finding work to cover the lost expense has been challenging to say the least. Still, I've been doing my best to push forward and remain optimistic. Then, at the beginning of July, we discovered my mother had suddenly passed away.

Barely scraping by already, I had to pass on interviews and work in order to fly home to be with family in this difficult time. Two days after returning home, flooding once again took its toll on my community on the anniversary of last year's horrific deluge and affecting my already-struggling employer. Now, my cat is showing signs of distress and potential illness, and I can't afford to take her to the vet. I feel as though I'm drowning with no end in sight, and I desperately need help for myself and my beloved cat, Toodles. I genuinely appreciate any contribution to my efforts to help pay for my mother's funeral services, and for me to rebuild and succeed. Thank you in advance for taking the time to consider this.

With hope and gratitude,

Caitlin