Help Me Keep A Roof Over My Head
Donation protected
Hi, my name is Dave and I’m a 55-year-old single guy living in San Diego, CA. What started out as my life’s next chapter in “America’s Finest City” has turned into something far less exciting. For many this economic recovery has been uneven and unfair, impacting the lives of many individuals in our communities. As a volunteer at a local social services organization, I see first hand people from all walks of life who go without proper food, shelter, and essential medical care due to a variety of factors including low wages, job loss, injuries, illness, age, domestic violence, or divorce.
I’ve always considered myself to be one of the lucky ones as I never had trouble finding a job, was able to save money, and support of my family and a network of friends to fall back on. There are many that are less fortunate, especially children and the elderly which I guess now includes many of us aging baby-boomers. I understand how it feels thinking you have no one to turn to for help. Over the past 4 years I've had several friends ask for help until they could get back on their feet and couldn't say no. In return, I only asked that they help out or contribute in some way. Now it’s my turn to ask for their and your help.
My story is this … I moved back to San Diego in May 2011 to start over; a new life as a single guy, a new job after being unemployed for 2 years in Atlanta, and have new adventures with new and old friends. Eighteen months after my job, I was once again unemployed due to a lack of project work. For more than three years now, I have been searching for work; either project work as a lab planning consultant under my own “shingle” or full or part-time employment with another architecture firm. During that time, I have had a few small consulting assignments and several job interviews with firms who showed considerable interest in my resume and career background. However, every time I thought a job offer may be close at hand, the position would either be canceled, put on the back burner, or left unfilled due to changing project needs, delayed time frames or postponements, or projects being completely cancelled.
My unemployment ran out the end of December 2013 so I have been living off my savings and since September 2014 government assistance in the form of Medi-CAL (health care) and CAL-Fresh (food stamps). I am in process of filing for Social Security Disability for which I qualify. I have just about exhausted what funds I have available that I invested when I was working for my retirement (the market ups and downs haven't helped either). Your contributions to my campaign since its inception helped me immensely to stave off eviction from my home that I have rented for the last 5-1/2 years until landing my job at Cumming Corp. in May and starting work as a Senior Design Manager (Contract Professional) with the LA Unified School District on May 23rd.
I had such great promise for the start of a new chapter in my life, moving to LA, and being a working, contributing member of society again. However, as the saying goes, if it looks too good to be true it probably isn't. While working as a contract professional isn't easy balancing the needs and demands of both your employer and your client and having two bosses to report to, working for a county government agency is the most difficult. The layers of bureaucracy, political posturing, and outdate processes and methods of doing work opened my eyes as to how government works. Because of a differences of opinion for doing the right thing on a elementary school air conditioning upgrade project, I got dismissed without prior warning or disciplinary action because I apparently stepped out of line. Because I was hired by Cumming Corp specifically for that position at the District's request and no other contract to which I could be reassigned, my last day was August 31st.
So unfortunately while making a good salary while I was employed, most of what I was able to earn and save went towards catching up on other bills and paying for my weekly stays at budget and extended stay motels, food and traveling expenses because I was not being reimbursed as I was to move to LA. That itself was something of a godsend as the LA rental market is not as high as San Diego's, the fact that LA population growth was the highest of all CA cities. So finding a place that was affordable, relative close to work, and a safe environment to live was often at odds my budget or aspirations. It was all for the better anyway as I would have been in worse shape had I made the move and then been laid -off. At least I have somewhat of a support network here in San Diego.
However once again I find myself in a very difficult spot and need everyone's help in the next 14 days. I face a court date of January 5th and possible eviction if I don't come up with the $4,800.00 for November and December rent. So I am once again pleading for your financial help, support, and most of all prayers. If I get evicted or work out some sort of settlement, I really will have no place to go and to be homeless and on the streets here in SD is not an alternative.
Sorry for the long update but I needed to update everyone who helped me in the past by contributing and hope that you will again and ask others you may know to help out. As discussed with the Legal Aid Attorney yesterday, it is my best interest to get the case dismissed by either paying up the amount owed or working out a settlement and repayment plan. But the last thing I want or need is to have an eviction on my record which kills any chance of renting a place. Please help make my goal of $4,800 in the next 14 days and give me the best Christmas and Birthday gift I could ever ask for; your support and donation to keep a roof over my head and hope in my heart. Thanks again to everyone who reads this and have a Happy Holiday and a very prosperous New Year!
Very respectfully yours,
Dave
I’ve always considered myself to be one of the lucky ones as I never had trouble finding a job, was able to save money, and support of my family and a network of friends to fall back on. There are many that are less fortunate, especially children and the elderly which I guess now includes many of us aging baby-boomers. I understand how it feels thinking you have no one to turn to for help. Over the past 4 years I've had several friends ask for help until they could get back on their feet and couldn't say no. In return, I only asked that they help out or contribute in some way. Now it’s my turn to ask for their and your help.
My story is this … I moved back to San Diego in May 2011 to start over; a new life as a single guy, a new job after being unemployed for 2 years in Atlanta, and have new adventures with new and old friends. Eighteen months after my job, I was once again unemployed due to a lack of project work. For more than three years now, I have been searching for work; either project work as a lab planning consultant under my own “shingle” or full or part-time employment with another architecture firm. During that time, I have had a few small consulting assignments and several job interviews with firms who showed considerable interest in my resume and career background. However, every time I thought a job offer may be close at hand, the position would either be canceled, put on the back burner, or left unfilled due to changing project needs, delayed time frames or postponements, or projects being completely cancelled.
My unemployment ran out the end of December 2013 so I have been living off my savings and since September 2014 government assistance in the form of Medi-CAL (health care) and CAL-Fresh (food stamps). I am in process of filing for Social Security Disability for which I qualify. I have just about exhausted what funds I have available that I invested when I was working for my retirement (the market ups and downs haven't helped either). Your contributions to my campaign since its inception helped me immensely to stave off eviction from my home that I have rented for the last 5-1/2 years until landing my job at Cumming Corp. in May and starting work as a Senior Design Manager (Contract Professional) with the LA Unified School District on May 23rd.
I had such great promise for the start of a new chapter in my life, moving to LA, and being a working, contributing member of society again. However, as the saying goes, if it looks too good to be true it probably isn't. While working as a contract professional isn't easy balancing the needs and demands of both your employer and your client and having two bosses to report to, working for a county government agency is the most difficult. The layers of bureaucracy, political posturing, and outdate processes and methods of doing work opened my eyes as to how government works. Because of a differences of opinion for doing the right thing on a elementary school air conditioning upgrade project, I got dismissed without prior warning or disciplinary action because I apparently stepped out of line. Because I was hired by Cumming Corp specifically for that position at the District's request and no other contract to which I could be reassigned, my last day was August 31st.
So unfortunately while making a good salary while I was employed, most of what I was able to earn and save went towards catching up on other bills and paying for my weekly stays at budget and extended stay motels, food and traveling expenses because I was not being reimbursed as I was to move to LA. That itself was something of a godsend as the LA rental market is not as high as San Diego's, the fact that LA population growth was the highest of all CA cities. So finding a place that was affordable, relative close to work, and a safe environment to live was often at odds my budget or aspirations. It was all for the better anyway as I would have been in worse shape had I made the move and then been laid -off. At least I have somewhat of a support network here in San Diego.
However once again I find myself in a very difficult spot and need everyone's help in the next 14 days. I face a court date of January 5th and possible eviction if I don't come up with the $4,800.00 for November and December rent. So I am once again pleading for your financial help, support, and most of all prayers. If I get evicted or work out some sort of settlement, I really will have no place to go and to be homeless and on the streets here in SD is not an alternative.
Sorry for the long update but I needed to update everyone who helped me in the past by contributing and hope that you will again and ask others you may know to help out. As discussed with the Legal Aid Attorney yesterday, it is my best interest to get the case dismissed by either paying up the amount owed or working out a settlement and repayment plan. But the last thing I want or need is to have an eviction on my record which kills any chance of renting a place. Please help make my goal of $4,800 in the next 14 days and give me the best Christmas and Birthday gift I could ever ask for; your support and donation to keep a roof over my head and hope in my heart. Thanks again to everyone who reads this and have a Happy Holiday and a very prosperous New Year!
Very respectfully yours,
Dave
Organizer
Dave Hronek
Organizer
San Diego, CA
