Help Donta Overcome Financial Struggles

Image description: a selfie of Donta and Jesse from 2016? Jesse is making a silly face and D is smiling warmly.

Photo cropping did not work well lol!

Image description: Donta and Jesse at the beach in like 2009?

For 20 years, Donta has been a fixture in North Carolina’s social scene. His contagious joy, sociability, and great taste in music is famed from Wilmington to Asheville.

During all this time, Donta has been struggling to pay his bills. Despite diagnoses of severe anxiety, neurodivergence, and Long Covid, Donta never gets a break. As costs for basic needs like groceries and a vehicle have skyrocketed since the beginning of the pandemic, Donta’s wages have stagnated.

Meanwhile, Donta’s immediate family is now reeling with their own urgent medical needs. Donta is traveling every day he has off to care for his family member who is currently bedbound after their recent Covid infection. This family member has been the primary support for the rest of Donta’s family for years, and while they’re in the process of applying for government assistance, they have bills due immediately.

Donta is helping his family however he can, but money is tight under normal circumstances, and he doesn’t have anything left over after bills, forget supporting a whole additional household.

For almost 20 years, Donta has been my best friend. I cannot help enough to really lighten his load, so I'm asking for your help. All funds will go towards Donta's bills (rent, car, utilities, groceries) and towards supporting his family as they go through the profoundly difficult process of applying for public assistance.

Donta does not have paid time off--if he doesn't work, his bills don't get paid. I'd like to ensure that Donta has consistent access to the medical care he needs to stay healthy. I'd also like for him to be able to call out of work if he is sick without worrying about being able to pay his bills.

Basic needs (housing + groceries) - $1000/mo

Regular medical appointments - $200/mo

Transportation costs - $300/mo

Mutual aid for Donta's immediate family - $400/mo

This $10k goal will help support Donta for the next 5 months while he helps his family out and gets much-needed medical care for his chronic illnesses.