Prevent Auction of Paul's Last Belongings

UPDATE 12/26: Goal reached and my storage unit is saved.

Thank you again for those who have helped out!

Paul

Dear Friends and Supporters,

I find myself reaching out in a time of deep distress, and I need your help to prevent a devastating loss. My last remaining storage unit is scheduled to be auctioned off on December 27th, and if I can’t come up with the overdue balance of $2,568, everything I have left will be gone. This unit holds the final remnants of my belongings after losing four other storage units in previous auctions over the last three years.

For those who helped me last summer, I want to update you on my situation. I did get the 5th grade teaching job, but I was let go at the end of the first quarter in October after refusing to change my students' grades. The school wanted me to inflate grades to make things "look better," taking all of the Cs, Ds, and Fs, and change them to Bs, but I couldn’t do that. Unfortunately, because my Florida teaching license couldn’t transfer to Missouri, and I was hired through a staffing agency, I had no union protection, and I was fired.

Now, I’m without health insurance and have been unable to take my medications, which is exacerbating my depression and suicidal ideations. I’m struggling to cope with the thought of losing everything I have left—family heirlooms, personal mementos, and irreplaceable documents. Per auction guidelines the winner is supposed to return all personal items. However, in the four units I have lost to auction so far, that has never been done. Photos and urns of the ashes of my kids (dogs/cats) have been part of those lost items. After a wrongful eviction in 2021, I lost 80% of my belongings in four previous storage auctions. If this unit is sold, I’ll lose what little I have left.

Currently, I’m relying on unemployment and food stamps, which don’t cover my rent or utilities. I start a new job on January 6th, but my first paycheck won’t come until February, so I’m in a tight spot financially. Once I begin receiving my monthly paychecks, I will be able to cover all my expenses and move my things out of storage, but I need help now to avoid this auction.

The total balance I owe to prevent the auction is $2,568. I made the goal for $2,700 to cover the transaction fees from GoFundMe. I know this is a significant amount to ask for, but without your support, I risk losing everything I have left.

If you can contribute—no matter how small—it would mean the world to me. If you’re unable to donate, sharing my campaign with your network would also make a huge difference.

Given the GoFundMe deposit schedule and the Christmas bank holiday, I need to reach my goal by Tuesday, December 24th, to ensure I can make the payment before the auction on the morning of Friday, December 27th. I have tried every other option I could think of to prevent me from having to do this GoFundMe, however, nothing has worked.

I won’t forget the kindness I received from those of you who supported me last summer. Once I am back on my feet next year, I fully intend to pay it forward and return the generosity.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. Your support, in any form, is a blessing.

When one is in a hole, sometimes one needs help getting out of those.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Paul