Hello. My name is Elaine Bach. I am 55 yrs old, and actively and earnestly searching for work.

I have a son who is 32, Autistic and partially blind, whom I've been the sole support for due to his mental health issues.

I've been a long-haul trucker for 16 yrs, working 70 hr weeks non-stop, all alone, away from family. Life on the road has not been good for me. My health has started to go downhill dramatically. But I haven't had health insurance for 6 yrs due to the high cost of insurance. When I watched 3 close trucker friends pass away at the wheel of their rigs (literally) over the past year, I knew I had to act or I would be next. I prayed hard about the choices I needed to make and then, I made the drastic, but necessary decision to get out of trucking. It petrified me, but I walked away, with the intention and hope of getting a local job that would help me get healthy, see my family more, and just have a life again.

After getting on Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and WorkSource Oregon, submitting 38 applications to all sorts of jobs, I still do not have decent work.

Instead, my son and I are running for DoorDash and Instacart. He lives in Hubbard, OR and I live in Salem, OR, 38 miles apart. We've been using his old Ford Focus wagon. He dashes 10-12 hrs all night, then comes to get me. Then I take him home and I dash 10 hrs all day, with some Instacart mixed into the dashing. Then go get him, and we repeat the cycle 5-6 days per week each. The poor car never gets a break! But it has finally broken. The fan quit working, so it overheats all the time. And it has a bad oil leak, a blow-by issue, the suspension is bad, the brakes are metal to metal. We've had it towed home by AAA twice in a month.

We then borrowed his friend's VW Bug. The 2nd day, the shift linkage came apart. And reverse is now a forward gear, not sure how that happened???

The only other vehicle we have is my 1998 Chevy 4x4, V8 pickup. Useless for DoorDash, but I have tried it with Instacart. 7 mpg is NOT good! If we could get 2 good used cars, 4 cyl. or V6, economical, we could each keep working until I get a real job.

I do not believe in handouts, and have never asked for any before, but sometimes in life we all need a hand UP. I want to work. I can drive anything. I will do anything. If you know of a good job, I'll take it!! My only limitations: I'm no longer able to lift more than 30 lbs repeatedly, and I cannot drive nights (because I fall asleep, not because I'm restricted). I would really love to become an on-site manager for a manufactured home park. I'd be great at it, I think.

Or if anyone has a car they would be willing to part with that doesn't need work, my son and I could share it. Two cars is what would be ideal, but we can share one. We can make it work.

I don't like asking for money if I cannot work for it. But we need help. I'd rather have a job. My savings and 401k have been depleted, and I have 4 weeks to make rent, utilities, and phone, car insurance. My rent is $850.00, his is $300.00. Utilities are $280.00 for him. Phone is $645.00 and car insurance is $280.00. My other bills are behind (and accruing) but are not important. We are only paying the bare essentials to not lose our homes and keep working.

If anyone can find it in their heart to help us with one (or two) cars, or enough money to purchase them, and pay the basic bills, we would be forever grateful and in your debt!!!

But I ask that you pray about it first. Make sure God wants you to help us. He has been providing for us this whole time, and we believe He will continue to do so through your generosity.

Thank you all so much for your kindness! Any and all help you give will be very much appreciated and used wisely.

God bless you all!!