Jonny’s College Fund

Hi! My name is Jonathan and I’ve recently turned my life upside down in pursuit of an education with the intention of becoming a professor in the field of Cultural Anthropology and / or Sociology (still figuring that out)! A brief history of me for those who don’t know me: my life hasn’t been easy; I’ve had to work for everything I’ve ever gotten. I was a foster child who ended up being raised and then adopted by an Evangelical “family”. Church was my entire life until I was outed by someone in the congregation. Upon finding out I was gay I was immediately shunned and eventually kicked out of the house. This led me to learn survival skills pretty quickly… which included being forced into selling my body for money. At 20, I was in a near fatal car accident that upended my life even further. My best friend passed away on top of me and I was hospitalized for 40 days. I was unable to process that loss and turned to drugs to numb my pain. I used for the following 14 years. I was a total mess. Thank god for my therapist and that I’ve healed from that pain. When the pandemic hit, I decided to leave New York and moved to Chicago, where I still reside. I went to recovery a few months after arriving here and have been drug free for almost four years now! I’m beyond proud of myself. During that time I reentered a career I thought I wouldn’t be able to do, and did quite well, but I was not feeling like my life had much meaning. I decided last year that I would attempt to go back to college, and I started classes in January of 2024 (and I’m loving it!). Having to leave my career wasn’t easy but I knew that by expanding my mind and getting an education I could make a real difference in the world. I assumed I would be able to easily find restaurant work to cover my expenses and tuition but I assumed incorrectly. It’s been really hard finding a good fit. While school is going well (I actually just got my midterm grades and I’m getting straight A’s!!!), the financial stress of not being able to even pay my rent has caused me to struggle emotionally, and my sense of hope is dwindling. I am seeking funds so I can payback rent I owe, purchase a laptop, and pay for basic needs such as groceries and transit fare, as well as tuition for the summer and fall courses I plan to take. I believe that I really can make the world a better place and touch a lot of minds and hearts if I can complete my education. I am humbling myself to do this but I don’t know what else to do.