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Help Renea Keep her Home!

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Update:  We are almost there!  We are $400 left to meet our goal.  Renea has sold personal items from shoes to furniture to raise money. S  We have had some cash donations and only $400.00 left.  Please consider helping out.  She has about 6 weeks left to keep her home!  She has still be unable to find work in Traverse City.  I revised our goal to what we need now. THANK YOU in advance.


We know 2020 has been challenging for every citizen in the United States.  However, there are some that have had more challenges than others, one of our friends is in that situation.  Renea Pender, lives in Traverse City, Michigan. I have had the honor of knowing Renea since 1974.  Prior to the COVID shutdowns in March 2020 Renea lost her job due to health-related reasons.  She lost her health insurance and her income at the same time.  While she was healing and seeking medical care, she was not receiving an income and ultimately tapped into her savings to cover her expenses. Renea applied for unemployment.  Then COVID hit across the country and many others also applied for unemployment.  While relief came for those unemployed due to COVID (unemployment + $600 a week COVID benefit), it did not come for Renea as she lost her job prior to COVID. She did not qualify for the extra COVID unemployment benefit.  In addition, because of the surge of unemployment applications, hers got lost for several months.  This meant she had to continue to tap into her savings just to make ends meet.  When she received her unemployment, she used it to make up for bills past due.

She has cut her expenses; she has tapped into local resources to help with groceries and utilities.  Fortunately, her parents Lee Pender (Retired USCG) and Kinney Pender left their house to Renea which has been a blessing during this time. One of her most prized possessions in her home is a built-in bookshelf her Dad made for her Mom.  However, for those that are not aware, taxes in Traverse City are extremely high.  For Renea’s modest home, she pays $2900 for winter taxes and $600 for summer taxes.  Through this time, she has been unable to completely pay her taxes. Therefore she had been paying $100 a month, but the penalties cost $88 a month leaving her paying $12 a month towards the tax.  Unfortunately, making a minimum impact to her taxes owed.

She has been searching for work in Michigan as are many others and jobs have been elusive.  She has started to sell her furniture to make her tax payment to keep her home.  Unfortunately, with penalties Renea now owes $3800 in taxes by March 30, 2021.  Failure to pay the taxes will result in her home being put up for auction. To save money she was forced let her home-owners insurance go, this amount is $690. 

This GoFundMe is set up to help Renea pay her taxes by March 2021 and keep her home as well as reinstate her home-owners insurance. We are trying to raise $4490 to pay the taxes, penalties and insurance.  Please consider a donation to help someone in a situation that is totally out of her control.  She has a home; she is just trying to keep it. A donation of any amount is a blessing to Renea.

Organizer and beneficiary

Jennifer Thomas
Organizer
Greenwood, AR
Renea Pender
Beneficiary

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