HELP save PENSION after 32 years of SERVICE

I was too young to understand what my mother meant when she said, "When it rains, it pours." Later, I understood. Presently, it feels like it's pouring and my boat is slowly sinking, as I manage to stay afloat with what resources I have left.

Over the past 2½ years, it has been hard to escape the medical, personal, and emotional horrors that Covid-19 has had on individuals and their loved ones, leading to some form of despair.

For me, it started in March 2009, when I lost my dad, and my mother's life was never the same. They were like two love birds. They had been married for over 35 years. Then, in October 2014, I lost my mom. I could still remember, in her older years, how she used to love going with me to church, and afterward, we would go to Wendy's to have lunch together. It was a mom-and-son date. I especially loved that when it snowed, she would go outside with me to play with the snow. I loved it.

In March 2019, I lost my spiritual mother. She and her husband were an amazing couple. I was 15 years of age when I met them. They became my spiritual parents while teaching me the true meaning of family, as they made me a part of theirs.

In September 2019, I lost my older brother. He was quite a character and he loved people.

After having been homeless for 3 years, at the beginning of the pandemic, in March 2020, I was desperate to find a place of refuge, so I reached out to my spiritual father for help, and he offered me a place to stay, which turned out to be longer than I expected. He would often share stories from his youthful days and he missed his beloved wife. And as I became his driver, he would look forward to getting out of the house. It was quite refreshing for him.

In October 2020, I lost a dear friend of mine. He was my spiritual brother in the Lord, an amazing teacher of the word of God, a mentor in so many ways, and he was my Pastor.

Then, in November 2021, I lost my job after 32 years of service and now my pension hangs on a thread. And now, I am at a standstill.

And just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, in October 2022, my spiritual father, in his 90s, went home to be with the Lord. It was an honor serving him.

I was supposed to have retired officially in December 2016. Still, because I had an outstanding contribution balance of $105,593.27 toward my pension, my retirement was postponed until this balance was paid in full. I didn't mind the delay, since I had no other choice and the overtime had been approved, giving me the leverage I needed to settle this outstanding balance within the next six to seven years to retire naturally, as of December of 2022, which would have been my next set retirement month.

But, after further review of my outstanding balance, it was determined that the calculations were incorrect. The new outstanding balance was $87,776.14 as of July 23, 2020. Since then I managed to pay off a good portion, bringing it down to a final balance of $34,819.06, while employed.

But then, I got TERMINATED most brutally.

Could it be that after three decades of toiling, it would all have been for nothing? Is there any hope? I never (not in a zillion years) imagined that I would need to rely on this type of assistance, but here I am, humbly asking for your help.

Why? Because I choose to believe there is HOPE, and that's why I am here.

Please HELP.

A Quick Rewind

It was the spring of 1988, and I'd just started my first volunteer job. At the time, I was 26 years old. A singular act of selflessness and giving back that not only made me feel good but fortunately landed me my first job.

It was a thrilling period for me as I was eager to receive on-the-job training while serving as a volunteer.

Ten months later, I rounded off and formally applied for retainment. The department manager invited me for a talk and thanked me for my services but told me that there was no opening at the moment.

I, therefore, left to explore other possibilities. A month or so later, the manager called to let me know that the Director had inquired about me and had requested that I come in for an interview. I was on pins and needles and deadpan nervous but amazingly, my previous work performance of excellence got me the position against the odds of competing with other applicants.

I was hired to work in the Data Center Operations division towards the end of the winter of 1989, at 27 years old. We were a team of more than 20 employees doing shifts and my responsibility was to assist with the installation, maintenance, and provision of hardware and software support, including networking.

It was an exciting time for me, as I was always challenged with new projects and assignments.

I quickly connected with everyone. And they all took the time to break me into the routine of their daily activities. I was like a sponge, absorbing everything as I went along. One co-worker tended to call me, "goffer", because I was quick to do as I was instructed by the manager. I just wanted to learn.

To work as an operator in a data center, a bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering, information technology, or a closely related field is required. I possessed none! So, to enhance my already-existing job knowledge and skills, I took part in lots of educational programs and workshops.

But, between 2018 and 2019, the warning signs that the IT department was downsizing, were becoming a reality. Our operations department was being eliminated, as we were being outsourced. We were removed from our official working area and stationed in another room, located within the Data Center department, used for training during the day.

Our day-to-day work was decreasing, as we were down to three staff members. Our manager had stopped delegating work to us, since two of us were up for retirement, including myself. It was clear that our time was coming to an end.

Truth be told, it goes much deeper than that...

I just never expected to be treated so unjustly when they finally decided to TERMINATE me. I tried reasoning with Human Resources, but they were inconsiderate. I even pointed out that I was up for retirement, and that I was paying toward my pension, to retire in one more year, but it didn't matter. They were heartless.

The fact is: that life does not always play out the way we planned it, but as it stands, this experience has brought me to a point of testing, making me bitter or better.

I choose to become BETTER, and I refuse to accept defeat and give up. I will persevere and overcome overwhelming odds to get back on track, keeping HOPE alive.

Time is of the essence...

March 30, 2023, the Retirement System has recalculated the balance owed. The amount currently due is $35,676.53, due to the added interest of $857.47.

It is not lost on me that each contribution reflects not just someone’s well wishes, but also the acknowledgment that something in this situation is not fair or just.

Please if you can find it in your heart to help, HELP ME!

Any gift amount would be a blessing.

I truly believe FAILURE is never FINAL.

Thank you for your heartfelt contributions...

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