AJ Dionne

Hello fellow JoCoNauts and Team Dello members! As you know, I organize the Team Dello hotel blocks for JoCo Cruise as a volunteer effort so our community can stay together at affordable group rates before and after the cruise. One of the hotels (TDW3 - Hilton Garden Inn) required that we reserve at least 80% of our contracted room nights. This is a hotel contract clause called attrition, which protects the hotel if a group block doesn’t fill. Unfortunately because of a few last-minute cancellations, we ended up 7 room nights short of that 80% requirement, which means the attrition clause is now being applied. The current costs are: • $1,616 in attrition fees for the unused room nights • $300 cleaning fee for the private function space we reserved at TDW1 so our group has a dedicated place to gather that isn’t the lobby Total: $1,916 (If you happened to reserve a room at TDW3 outside of the group rate, please reach out to me, there is a chance we may be able to apply your reservation toward our block and reduce the attrition amount.) I am not a professional meeting planner; I organize these hotel blocks as a volunteer gift to the community, and I unfortunately can’t absorb these costs personally. If you’d like to help offset the remaining expenses, I would be deeply grateful. Every contribution helps close the gap. If more funds are raised than needed, any remaining funds will be used in service to Team Dello West, such as helping offset the cost of getting me to San Diego to coordinate things on-site or supporting direct mutual aid within our community. I will always communicate transparently about how funds are used. Thank you for helping keep Team Dello strong. I’m incredibly grateful for this community. -AJ

Hi friends. I never thought I’d be here asking for help again, but next year is bringing some big challenges. In 2026, my health insurance premiums are set to explode, reaching about $700 a month. That’s because the pandemic-era insurance premium tax credits that kept coverage even remotely affordable are expiring at the end of 2025. Congress could extend them but as we all know, right now, Republicans have kept the government shut down rather than agree to a deal that protects affordable health insurance for millions of Americans just like me. Democrats are (as of now) holding firm, and I really hope they succeed, but in the meantime, people like me are left in limbo. Because I’m not eligible for any ACA subsidies under the standard rules, that means I’ll have to pay the full premium out of pocket or go on Medicaid, which isn’t a real option since most of my doctors don’t take it. (Though I will 100% go on it to avoid INSTANT medical bankruptcy in case of emergency.) My goal is (currently) $8,250, which would help me: Cover several months of 2026 premiums so I can keep my care uninterrupted Pay back my mom, who’s been covering my premiums since my layoff (she’s truly a saint) Bridge the gap until I can secure a new job with benefits Health insurance isn’t optional for me. It’s how I manage the chronic pain, mobility challenges, and other Stuff Going On that affects nearly every part of my day. Losing coverage would mean losing access to the doctors and treatments that keep me functioning. If you’re able to contribute or share, it would mean so much. Every bit helps, whether it’s a few dollars, a share, or just a hug sent my way. (If you’d prefer to help directly or want to make sure every dollar goes straight to coverage instead of GFM fees, you can also contribute via PayPal: @athebunny) Thank you for helping me stay covered and cared for while I get back on my feet. P.S. I loathe the dystopian hellscape that requires me to post this, but here I am. If you see me in person, please offer to hug or fistbump me. I'll need it.