Help Me Raise The Bar?

Hi, it's Elayne!

Thanks so much for taking the time to read my story.

As you may know, after attending seminary in my early 20s, I dedicated the majority of my life to public service as a pastor of what became a prominent church in Darien, CT.

At the height of the ministry's success, with thousands in attendance, we lost our 7-year-old son in a horrific accident and my life was shattered.

After taking a 'survival sabbatical', I had many questions regarding my faith. As a result, I left the role I once cherished, sensing that heaven intentionally intervened to lead me on a different path.

Pursuing a wrongful death suit and advocating to have several amusement park safety laws passed in New York kept me alive that first year, believing justice would somehow help me heal. I don't know how I would have survived without the compassion and support of my legal team.

As tragedy forced me to come to grips with my own human frailty, I recognized I was not fit to be the 'voice of God' in anyone's life so I left my position as pastor to work on myself. When I began to confront my human condition through the study of psychology, pursuing my bachelor's degree at Fairfield University, I also began to recognize the flaws inherent in many unhealthy religious systems, and the potential for abuse therein.

In my quest for understanding, I discovered many faith-based entities void of healthy accountability present weaknesses that need attention. It has been both encouraging and devastating to realize that my instincts, even in the midst of trauma, were not wrong. My initial sense that the exploitation of unsuspecting souls is more common than most realize has been revealed over the years and most recently exposed by popular documentaries such as "Hillsongs Uncovered" (Discovery), "Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey" and "God Forbid" (Netflix), all revealing good religion, gone bad.

My unique first-hand experience with the inequities lurking in leadership roles easily translate to those found in everyday business dealings and political abuses of power, all inspiring me to become a zealous advocate in pursuit of "liberty and justice for all".

So, at the height of the Covid-19 outbreak, I took a giant leap of faith and stopped working to attend the Charleston School of Law. With social justice and civil rights at the forefront of my aspirations, my legal education has me all the more passionate and compassionate, to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. Now, more than ever, my greatest desire is to bring justice to those who deserve it and hold accountable those who consistently prey on the weak.

Miraculously, my daughter and I will graduate within a week of each other this May. As a single mom for much of our journey, obtaining my J.D. after rebuilding a devastated life and getting us both through college is something that I am incredibly proud of. I am eternally grateful for what I believe to be Jon-Kely's gift to us.

Despite all that we have overcome, a sudden and unexpected financial obstacle has arisen as we both approach the finish line. Completing our final months of education and then studying full-time for the bar suddenly feels like an insurmountable hurdle.

As a strong, independent woman, I am so humbled by this unforeseen circumstance, but I believe it takes a village and it's ok to ask for help in our weakness. If somehow you are inspired to participate and support this effort, I can promise that your investment will help raise the bar for countless multitudes and empower me to move mountains for decades to come.

With sincere gratitude, I thank you for considering...and most of all, for being my friend.

With gratitude,

Elayne