Hi friends -- as difficult as it is to ask for help, we rely on our communities in times of need.

Yesterday 10/30 I got into a bicycle accident. While I am largely okay (scrapes and bruises -- I'm pretty sore, have some road rash, and am definitely hobbling around), there was significant damage to a parked vehicle. I immediately went to the home of the owner and told him what had happened. Fortunately, he was incredibly understanding and made sure I was okay, too. We agreed to settle things out of pocket. He followed up quickly with an estimate from the body shop, and insisted that I didn't need to pay the full amount, but rather we could split it in half. That total bill was $3200 (!!!), leaving us with a surprise $1600 bill. While it could have been a lot worse for everyone (especially me), this has put a lot of stress on us. I was also going to use some of this money to fund start up costs for my new business, and for our wedding next year, which is no longer a possibility.

I know money is tight for everyone. Any amount you can contribute really means a lot to me. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!