Why is it so much easier for me to help others than it is for me to ask for help?

Hi I'm Iris. I'm an award winning dedicated community organizer, entrepreneur, volunteer, board member and a single mom. Despite all of my efforts to stay afloat during and after Covid, with Santa Cruz now officially the most expensive place to live compared to income in the United States, I have had to make the tough choice of giving up my home in Santa Cruz, and traveling to recuperate at my family's home in Washington State.

Please support me in healing, rebuilding and reuniting with my young son after losing my family's home due to Covid related financial ruin.

We all have a 'Rona story. Mine ends with losing my home of nearly 11 years after working harder than I’ve ever worked in my life since March of 2020, when Covid shut down my industry. Throughout the past 3 years I have pivoted constantly, doing my best to remain afloat, yet with Santa Cruz city schools closed for over 13 months I struggled to keep up with the daily changes in my industry while I was required to stay home caring for my son. I even opened a bakery from my kitchen, selling bagels, bread and other handcrafted goodies because it was something I could do from home, while managing his zoomschooling. 

By the summer of 2021, I was baking for a local farm delivery box, working three 36-hour shifts a week to fill my orders, barely sleeping or even being able to think beyond what was in front of me at the moment. Yet, no matter how much I tried to keep afloat I continued to slip further and further behind with each passing day until December of 2022 when I was forced to give up the rental I was in, without a place for me, my son, our 15-year-old cat, 4 chickens and dog to go. 

During the pandemic and continuing to today I have been a victim of multiple instances of identity theft, including having someone file for unemployment in my name, which caused me to be denied pandemic unemployment benefits and required 18 months to be corrected at the state level.

I can't afford health insurance and was denied government aid because of complicated calculations and loopholes in the welfare system that allow someone like me to be denied, even with little to no income.

I was unable to get housing support for similar reasons. 

I have dedicated my life to the Santa Cruz community and to the global coworking community over the years, I’m contributing positively towards the future of our society by raising children who are responsible, self aware, self confident, loving and willingly act in service of others, and now I'm asking for your support.

I need funds to cover my moving costs, travel to my family's home in Washington, recuperate and rebuild my consulting business and my life.

Beyond Washington , I don’t know what’s coming next, or when or how. But I know I’ve built a big community. And I know I need help to get back to my son as quickly as possible.

So with the encouragement of friends, I am gathering my courage and reaching out to ask for mutual aid, generosity and support.

If you have the means, your generosity will be appreciated. 

Please reach out if you have any questions or you want to connect further.

Thank you for paying it forward.