Get my work horse out of impound!
Donation protected
It's sad but true. My truck was impounded and I need your help.
It's taken a LOT of pride-swallowing for me to launch this GoFundMe, but I have to get my truck back asap, and I can't do it without your help. Below I'll summarize: a) what happened and why this is urgent, b) what my plan of action is, and c) ways that I will give back to anyone who steps up to help. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this and for considering the help.
WHAT HAPPENED?
In short, my truck was impounded by San Francisco police yesterday morning. I drove to SF to perform a concert the previous night, and the next morning I stopped to grab a coffee before making the 2.5 hour drive back home to Auburn. I walked back to my truck, coffee in hand, and found that a tow truck had been called by SFPD to haul off my ride because of my expired registration tags.
Why were my tags expired? As many of you know, I'm currently an apprentice in the electricians' union. Apprentices make very little money - though we get raises as we progress through the apprenticeship, I've not yet reached a pay grade that allows me to make ends meet. I supplement my meager income by using my truck (which is also my only means of transportation) to do small jobs on the side hauling hay, furniture and so on. I work and hustle 6-7 days a week with the goal of keeping up with monthly expenses, as well as finally paying off my backed registration. I'm getting close, but having my truck held hostage by the City of San Francisco is obviously not helping.
Why is this urgent? Not only have I missed out on important work opportunities this weekend because I wasn't able to get to them (I’m currently stuck in the Bay Area), but I'll be missing work back home this coming week until I'm mobile again. Impound alone is going to cost $700+ (the cost increasing dramatically for each day it stays in impound), and I'll have to pay my backed registration + penalties. This is on top of the $200-300 of work I had lined up for this weekend, let alone lost wages from days missed at work this week.
MY PLAN OF ACTION:
This part is simple on its own: on Monday morning when the DMV and the Hall of Justice (irony of ironies) is open, I get right to work going through the necessary motions to liberate my truck from impound. I've received clear instructions from the City, so hopefully that part will go smoothly. The challenge, of course, is having the money they want to get my truck back.
HOW I PLAN TO GIVE BACK:
I want to demonstrate my gratitude for your support - I know you bust your ass for your dollars like I do and I do not in any way take it for granted! I'm also going to kick in every dollar I have to my name, it's just not much. Below are my 'Gratitude Packages'.
For contributions of up to $20, I'll make a public shout out on my social media, which reaches several hundred people. You'll also receive a personalized thank you note. It's the least I could do :).
$20-$49: I will send a personalized, physical thank you note along with a signed photo print and Mike Hellman music swag. And of course you'll be included in my shout-out's cuz you rock.
$50-99: The above, plus:
- being on the guest/VIP list for my shows for the rest of the year
- shout out by name in a video recording of me playing the song of your choice, to be posted to my social media sites
$100+: Package includes the above, plus your choice of either:
- me volunteering for a community or labor organization (the organization and extent of volunteer hours to be agreed upon mutually)
- cooked dinner at your place, because I'm a damn good cook! (good for Auburn/Grass Valley/Nevada City area, Sacramento, or the Bay Area).
Larger contributions: a combo of the above, plus:
- in-person personal performance where possible, or video performance with personal shout-out sent to you and posted to my social media sites
- got your own idea? I'm definitely open to other ways of reciprocating within my abilities, agreed upon mutually!
Lastly but certainly not least-ly: THANK YOU. Your help will make all the difference to me and will be rewarded. Please help if you can, and share and re-post either way.
Much love,
Mike
It's taken a LOT of pride-swallowing for me to launch this GoFundMe, but I have to get my truck back asap, and I can't do it without your help. Below I'll summarize: a) what happened and why this is urgent, b) what my plan of action is, and c) ways that I will give back to anyone who steps up to help. Thank you in advance for taking the time to read this and for considering the help.
WHAT HAPPENED?
In short, my truck was impounded by San Francisco police yesterday morning. I drove to SF to perform a concert the previous night, and the next morning I stopped to grab a coffee before making the 2.5 hour drive back home to Auburn. I walked back to my truck, coffee in hand, and found that a tow truck had been called by SFPD to haul off my ride because of my expired registration tags.
Why were my tags expired? As many of you know, I'm currently an apprentice in the electricians' union. Apprentices make very little money - though we get raises as we progress through the apprenticeship, I've not yet reached a pay grade that allows me to make ends meet. I supplement my meager income by using my truck (which is also my only means of transportation) to do small jobs on the side hauling hay, furniture and so on. I work and hustle 6-7 days a week with the goal of keeping up with monthly expenses, as well as finally paying off my backed registration. I'm getting close, but having my truck held hostage by the City of San Francisco is obviously not helping.
Why is this urgent? Not only have I missed out on important work opportunities this weekend because I wasn't able to get to them (I’m currently stuck in the Bay Area), but I'll be missing work back home this coming week until I'm mobile again. Impound alone is going to cost $700+ (the cost increasing dramatically for each day it stays in impound), and I'll have to pay my backed registration + penalties. This is on top of the $200-300 of work I had lined up for this weekend, let alone lost wages from days missed at work this week.
MY PLAN OF ACTION:
This part is simple on its own: on Monday morning when the DMV and the Hall of Justice (irony of ironies) is open, I get right to work going through the necessary motions to liberate my truck from impound. I've received clear instructions from the City, so hopefully that part will go smoothly. The challenge, of course, is having the money they want to get my truck back.
HOW I PLAN TO GIVE BACK:
I want to demonstrate my gratitude for your support - I know you bust your ass for your dollars like I do and I do not in any way take it for granted! I'm also going to kick in every dollar I have to my name, it's just not much. Below are my 'Gratitude Packages'.
For contributions of up to $20, I'll make a public shout out on my social media, which reaches several hundred people. You'll also receive a personalized thank you note. It's the least I could do :).
$20-$49: I will send a personalized, physical thank you note along with a signed photo print and Mike Hellman music swag. And of course you'll be included in my shout-out's cuz you rock.
$50-99: The above, plus:
- being on the guest/VIP list for my shows for the rest of the year
- shout out by name in a video recording of me playing the song of your choice, to be posted to my social media sites
$100+: Package includes the above, plus your choice of either:
- me volunteering for a community or labor organization (the organization and extent of volunteer hours to be agreed upon mutually)
- cooked dinner at your place, because I'm a damn good cook! (good for Auburn/Grass Valley/Nevada City area, Sacramento, or the Bay Area).
Larger contributions: a combo of the above, plus:
- in-person personal performance where possible, or video performance with personal shout-out sent to you and posted to my social media sites
- got your own idea? I'm definitely open to other ways of reciprocating within my abilities, agreed upon mutually!
Lastly but certainly not least-ly: THANK YOU. Your help will make all the difference to me and will be rewarded. Please help if you can, and share and re-post either way.
Much love,
Mike
Organizer
Mike Hellman
Organizer
Auburn, CA