Trying To Go Back To School
Donation protected
I experienced serious hardship in my life. My troubles began back in 2013. I was on disability and it was my only source of income. In December 2013, my disability benefits were terminated. I scrambled to find work, but was unable to secure steady employment due to having a disability despite the fact that it wouldn't have impeded my ability to perform the required job duties. I experienced eviction several times over. Never able to secure a job, I eventually found myself homeless in July 2014.
For the next two years, I was homeless. The shelters were all full and had no room, so I slept wherever I could. It's difficult to get a job or apply for assistance when you have no address, so it was really hard for me when I would find jobs and then lose them because I was unable to provide an address. I couldn't even afford a P.O. box. I managed to make it work for myself as best I could, but I really needed help. Just about everyone I was close to abandoned me when I hit rock bottom.
.t wasn't until I reached out to a "friend" for a place to sleep during the coldest winter I'd ever experienced. The friend assured me that it was okay for me to stay, so I made the trek in the snow and the cold to have a place to sleep. I finally got to the friend's house and before I could come in, the friend demanded money that they knew I did not have. When I informed the friend that I had no money, the friend told me I couldn't stay. I begged to be able to stay at least for the night and met with a slammed door in my face. At one in the morning and having nowhere else to go, I left and simply walked to the nearest bus stop and slept under the bench to keep out of the snow.
It was then that I realized I was truly alone and completely on my own.
I tried everything I could to get out of my situation. I met with rejection and refusal and had a bunch of doors slammed in my face. I literally lost everything I had in the world. I was stunned at the lack of support, especially since I'd been there for all of those people when they were down on their luck. The future loomed ahead and I forged on, unknown and unsure of what was in store for me. I continued to try, but I just wasn't making any headway. Luck of a sort finally came to me when I was able to stay with someone for a while, in December 2015. After nearly two years, I finally had a stable place to stay for the first time in a long time. I needed to put forth some serious effort to turn things around for myself, so I went out to look for work immediately after moving in. I put in applications and pounded the pavement for several days. Within two weeks, I managed to find a job with a facility who was willing to give me a chance and I started working immediately. I put in long hours and worked hard as I could. After about four and a half months, I finally got an apartment and was no longer homeless. I'd made it through. I'd overcome my hardships.
Or so I thought. Only four days after moving into my new apartment, my hours were cut at work. So now I wasn't earning enough to cover my new living expenses. So I took a second job. It was only part-time. I was getting a lot of hours and so I decided to try to return to school and pick up where I left off. Unfortunately, this job was experiencing a major reduction in force through attrition and I was laid off. Back to square one. I was terrified of losing my apartment and ending homeless yet again.
So I had to scramble to quickly find another second job. This job paid very little but offered tuition assistance. So I decided to hang in there with it. But then I ended up losing my first job due to having a second job, which was against policy and for a while, this second job was the only income I had. Three weeks later, I found another job. It paid better than the previous one, so I felt better. I began to focus on maintaining myself: covering the rent and bills, taking care of my life and my children. During this time, my health took a turn for the worse and of course, my income took a huge hit. I lost my second job because I was out for so long and then I was down to one job.
When I recovered, I put in tons of overtime at my one job. I was saving up for school when my hours were cut down to a few days a week. So I ended up using my savings to cover my living expenses and put school on the backburner for a while.
Now I am trying to go back to school. I am working and trying to save money, but it isn't enough. Because of some bureaucratic issues with a school I never attended but somehow was enrolled and received financial aid for me, I cannot apply for financial aid until the matter is resolved. I simply want to attend a vocational nursing program for now and then go back to school later. This will get me started. I am doing as much as I can for myself; I just need some help. Any contribution would be greatly appreciated and would aid me in realizing my dream.
I will need to cover my books, uniform, and equipment. I will have to cover lab fees and parking pass as well. The costs are as follows:
36 credits x 152.93 = $5,505
Course fees $1,233.98
Parking fees $140 for the program
Evolve PN Package (books for the entire program) $1,600
HESI Software Package $565
Stethoscope/uniforms $75
I would be so appreciative if I were able to realize my dream. I am working hard to get the money to realize my dream and I would be so grateful if you could make a donation today. All donations, large and small, would be deeply appreciated. Please make a donation today and if you are unable to make a donation, please share.
Thank you for reading.
For the next two years, I was homeless. The shelters were all full and had no room, so I slept wherever I could. It's difficult to get a job or apply for assistance when you have no address, so it was really hard for me when I would find jobs and then lose them because I was unable to provide an address. I couldn't even afford a P.O. box. I managed to make it work for myself as best I could, but I really needed help. Just about everyone I was close to abandoned me when I hit rock bottom.
.t wasn't until I reached out to a "friend" for a place to sleep during the coldest winter I'd ever experienced. The friend assured me that it was okay for me to stay, so I made the trek in the snow and the cold to have a place to sleep. I finally got to the friend's house and before I could come in, the friend demanded money that they knew I did not have. When I informed the friend that I had no money, the friend told me I couldn't stay. I begged to be able to stay at least for the night and met with a slammed door in my face. At one in the morning and having nowhere else to go, I left and simply walked to the nearest bus stop and slept under the bench to keep out of the snow.
It was then that I realized I was truly alone and completely on my own.
I tried everything I could to get out of my situation. I met with rejection and refusal and had a bunch of doors slammed in my face. I literally lost everything I had in the world. I was stunned at the lack of support, especially since I'd been there for all of those people when they were down on their luck. The future loomed ahead and I forged on, unknown and unsure of what was in store for me. I continued to try, but I just wasn't making any headway. Luck of a sort finally came to me when I was able to stay with someone for a while, in December 2015. After nearly two years, I finally had a stable place to stay for the first time in a long time. I needed to put forth some serious effort to turn things around for myself, so I went out to look for work immediately after moving in. I put in applications and pounded the pavement for several days. Within two weeks, I managed to find a job with a facility who was willing to give me a chance and I started working immediately. I put in long hours and worked hard as I could. After about four and a half months, I finally got an apartment and was no longer homeless. I'd made it through. I'd overcome my hardships.
Or so I thought. Only four days after moving into my new apartment, my hours were cut at work. So now I wasn't earning enough to cover my new living expenses. So I took a second job. It was only part-time. I was getting a lot of hours and so I decided to try to return to school and pick up where I left off. Unfortunately, this job was experiencing a major reduction in force through attrition and I was laid off. Back to square one. I was terrified of losing my apartment and ending homeless yet again.
So I had to scramble to quickly find another second job. This job paid very little but offered tuition assistance. So I decided to hang in there with it. But then I ended up losing my first job due to having a second job, which was against policy and for a while, this second job was the only income I had. Three weeks later, I found another job. It paid better than the previous one, so I felt better. I began to focus on maintaining myself: covering the rent and bills, taking care of my life and my children. During this time, my health took a turn for the worse and of course, my income took a huge hit. I lost my second job because I was out for so long and then I was down to one job.
When I recovered, I put in tons of overtime at my one job. I was saving up for school when my hours were cut down to a few days a week. So I ended up using my savings to cover my living expenses and put school on the backburner for a while.
Now I am trying to go back to school. I am working and trying to save money, but it isn't enough. Because of some bureaucratic issues with a school I never attended but somehow was enrolled and received financial aid for me, I cannot apply for financial aid until the matter is resolved. I simply want to attend a vocational nursing program for now and then go back to school later. This will get me started. I am doing as much as I can for myself; I just need some help. Any contribution would be greatly appreciated and would aid me in realizing my dream.
I will need to cover my books, uniform, and equipment. I will have to cover lab fees and parking pass as well. The costs are as follows:
36 credits x 152.93 = $5,505
Course fees $1,233.98
Parking fees $140 for the program
Evolve PN Package (books for the entire program) $1,600
HESI Software Package $565
Stethoscope/uniforms $75
I would be so appreciative if I were able to realize my dream. I am working hard to get the money to realize my dream and I would be so grateful if you could make a donation today. All donations, large and small, would be deeply appreciated. Please make a donation today and if you are unable to make a donation, please share.
Thank you for reading.
Organizer
Shannon Nealey
Organizer
Hilliard, OH
