Hey, I'm Shannon. I honestly hate asking for help so even doing this is a little more than difficult for me, but like many, I find myself in a financial situation I never thought I'd be in.

For the first time in my life, rent won't be paid on time. Worse, I've been unemployed for three months now. My retirement and meager savings have been exhausted to take care of bills in the interim (as Florida's unemployment system is effectively a joke). Unemployment also has, at the time of writing this, 5 weeks of payment on hold as they review my distribution from my retirement as income (a process which I have been informed could take MONTHS to reconcile).

I applied for assistance, something I was also struggling with approaching, only to be approved for a whole $23 a month in food assistance.

I am grateful that I have a landlord that is working with me as much as they are able within in the confines of the laws and regulations that are in place, and though I have had multiple interviews, nothing has culminated in a viable offer of employment, traditionally speaking.

I have started down the path of building my own business as a 1099 independent contractor, but it will take some time to generate enough clientele to support my financial responsibilities while I continue to explore options for full-time, W-2 employment (in case the 1099 arrangement doesn't work as anticipated).

So, I started this to essentially assist me in getting through this month in the hopes that I won't need further assistance come November, and so I can stay on top of current obligations without falling into arrears.

The first item to be taken care of is rent. Anything raised beyond that amount will be used to cover other monthly expenses (insurance, car payment, phone/utilities, etc., and food)

Anything contributed is greatly appreciated, and I wish there were a way I could repay the generosity. I am the sort that feels I should be returning value for money "earned".