Hi. My name is Haley. For those of you who know me, you know that I am stubborn, and I hate asking for help. I don’t ask for help unless I really need it, and unfortunately, I really need it.

In November, I lost my full-time accounting job and have struggled to make ends meet ever since. The job market has not been kind to many, including me. I have been applying for jobs since I lost mine, and I am lucky when I can even get an interview with how this job market is going. I have worked with multiple recruiters, in addition to submitting applications on my own. This is the largest gap I have had in traditional employment, despite my efforts to change that. For the past 9+ months, I have tried to quietly get back on my feet by accepting freelance accounting gigs, performing at shows, teaching drum lessons, and selling off a significant amount of my instruments and musical equipment.

Earlier this summer, I left my last band after a ton of promised paid work fell through. The stress of everything caused a bit of a medical emergency this spring and summer. In mid-April, I noticed a lump in my breast which resulted in a multi-month saga to get tested, receive an ultrasound, and get my first mammogram 10 years before I was due for one. Thankfully, the test results show that I do not have breast cancer. I have a benign tumor that developed due to the immense stress I have been under. Recovery from the physical pain of the biopsy took longer than I was told it would, not including the mental recovery from all of this. Even with the relief that comes from not having cancer, the entire ordeal has still taken a toll on my health and finances.

This year has been hard for most people, and I hate increasing the burden for anyone else. I would appreciate any financial relief you can provide.