Help local entrepreneur get on her feet

Hi, my name is Sarah (she/her), and I am a queer entrepreneur in Birmingham, AL. I started my small business, a gender-free consignment store called rEVOLVEr resale, last year with a mission of sustainability for the environment and also creating safe spaces for our community. I have poured everything into this business, a dream I had for nine years before coming to fruition. I quit my full-time job in mid-2022 to focus on launching my brick-and-mortar, which finally happened in September of 2023. I also have hosted numerous community events, especially for the LGBTQIA+ community—events that many have told me they want to see continue (but I haven’t had the capacity lately because I’ve been too exhausted from working all the time).

Before quitting my full-time job, I had almost paid off my credit card. Now it is maxed out from numerous months where I didn’t have enough income to cover things like groceries and surprise car, pet, and health expenses. In addition to running my business (which I work at least 40-50 hours a week doing), I am also working two other part-time jobs driving with Uber and helping another small business with bookkeeping. Most weeks I work probably 70-80 hours a week without an off day and can barely stay on top of my own basic needs like cleaning and meal prep. I live alone and can’t afford to move, and even if I could, the research I’ve done looks like there aren’t any other apartments in this price range in Birmingham.

On top of this, I have now had hives almost every day for two months since November 24th. What started as an allergic reaction to nickel has turned into what my doctor thinks are hives that are now stress-induced. I also have two autoimmune diseases, so it’s possible there is something autoimmune related happening as well, but I have not had the financial capacity to get the healthcare I need. In 2023, I was in 3 car accidents that each were 100% the other drivers’ fault, and while I was able to get medical care I needed last year covered for the most part through a settlement, that ran out in October, and I have been unable to afford the continued healthcare I need for what are now chronic neck and back issues including severe degeneration in my neck vertebrae that were aggravated by those wrecks.

I can’t work more than I already am and have been doing everything I can to try to get caught up, and my health is suffering as a result. But despite all of this, I seem to still be crippled under the weight of capitalism and can’t seem to get ahead with more financial things that keep coming up. I have asked my community for help more than I would like over the last couple of years, but I also don’t know what else to do. I pay myself a very small salary from my business (not even what you would pay a regular part-time worker), and it is still just getting started, so until it really takes off (which I have faith it will!), I need a miracle to help me get caught up on some things. I am behind on several bills and will lay out what my current financial situation is below.

Any help is much appreciated, more than you could possibly know! Those who know and support my business tell me how needed it is in this community, and if it is to continue, I really need my community’s help. These things are only successful when the community really shares them, so even if you can’t give, please share and help me get the word out! Algorithms on social media are the worst, so I am truly grateful for any help!

Bills I am behind on:

Bills I will incur in the next week or two:

My current outstanding personal debt:

My monthly bills that I’ve been struggling to pay including groceries, gas, etc.: $2,550ish plus monthly/bi-monthly pet meds for two chronically ill cats: $106.63

Healthcare I need but haven’t been able to afford (estimated): $5,940