Hi, my name is Josh Wilks, and I urgently need some help covering bills for this upcoming September.

I recently graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago in May 2022 with a Masters in Business Analytics. This was my fourth degree after already having an Associates degree in Business Admin, a Bachelors in Finance, and a Bachelors in Management with a focus in HR.

With all that attainment and my long working experience (ranging from Project Management, Human Resources, Accounting, Customer Service, Retail, Grocery, Maintenance, and Warehouse), I have not been able to secure employment. Numerous rejection emails, ghosted from recruiters and employers I have been on several interviews with, many technical assessments and presentations, and I have found myself still unable to find a job. I have finally put aside my pride and decided to pursue other jobs that will bring in income (part-time/contract work back in retail, warehousing, hospitality, customer service, etc). However, I have yet to hear back from those opportunities and will still need help until those income streams begin and are consistent.

To put my situation into more context, since 2020, I have experienced the sudden deaths of my mother and one of my eldest sisters a month from each other, the suicide of a close friend, the murder of a friend I have had since I was a teenager, 2 COVID infections, the sudden death of one of my older cousins, and tons of depression and crippling anxiety. I recently shared an apartment with one of my older brothers, who is diagnosed with Schizophrenia and a learning disability. In March, he stopped taking his medicine and has been in the midst of a full manic and destructive mental episode that has seen him roam the streets rather than stay at our home and sleep in shelters and group homes without contact with anyone in the family for weeks on end. My family is currently trying to get him into an extended care facility to get him back regulated on his meds and get back into a safe and healthy routine.

I have had to cover all the housing costs and bills on my own the entire summer. I have resorted to selling anything I have of value (shoes, clothes, electronics, jewelry, etc), asking family and friends for assistance (who I am grateful and thankful to have every day), limiting my outside social interactions, asking for extensions on my bills to create wiggle room, and whatever else necessary to maintain shelter, feed myself, and still seem presentable. I have lived in constant worry and anxiety of if I will continue to make it everyday. This has truly been the worst period of my life and sometimes, I do not see an end.

I am asking for assistance covering September rent, utilities (gas, electricity, internet, cell phone), and many missed credit card and consolidated debt loan payments (CapitalOne, PayPal, Happy Money).

I try my hardest every day to be present and to keep fighting. I know my life is currently in a valley, and challenging times are temporary and often laced with lessons I need to learn before I can get out of them. I take on that challenge to wake up, be grateful for the love and support people show me, that I still have good health to rely on, intelligence and morality to propel me forward and on to greater heights.

I just need a bit of help until then.

I thank anyone who can share this, contribute, give me encouragement, prayer, and keep faith and belief in me.