Hi there, and thank you for even clicking on this. I don’t want to bore you, blame anyone, or look backward. I’m not here to tell a sob story—I’m here because I’ve hit a wall, and if I don’t ask for help now, I may not be able to continue doing the work I believe I was put here to do.

A breakup threw my financial balance off in a way I didn’t expect. I’ve been doing everything I can to stay afloat, but I’ve found myself unable to crawl out from under a pile of short-term debt—two high-interest loans I took to cover an emergency vet bill, and utility bills that have snowballed into a crisis. I learned some hard lessons, and I’m trying to move forward. But I can’t do it alone anymore.

I am trying to raise a total of $7,500. Any help will be greatly appreciated.  

$1,500 to get completely caught up on essential utilities—electric, gas, and water. And $6,000 to pay off two short-term loans I took when I had no other option. They come with a crushing 149% interest rate, and I’m drowning under them. 

I’ve tried to find other solutions, but due to a bankruptcy a few years back, I no longer qualify for affordable loans. I wouldn’t be asking strangers if there were any other option left.

Right now, I serve as a mental health court coordinator. I help people navigating the justice system who also live with serious mental illness—people who’ve been overlooked, warehoused, and discarded. Our court does things differently. We provide treatment, structure, and real second chances instead of jail time. It’s working. We’re saving lives and changing how the justice system responds to mental health.

And the truth is—we’re just getting started. We’re beginning to gain the attention of people in power—those who could help replicate this model and make change on a bigger scale. The thought of having to leave this work, right as it’s starting to matter more than ever, makes me sick.

So I’m asking, humbly and honestly, for help.Just enough to stabilize. Just enough to stay.

If you’ve ever needed a fresh start—or believe that the system should offer that to others—your support can keep that hope alive, not just for me, but for the people I serve every day. To be honest, I've been in recovery myself for years and have a criminal record that's now expunged. This work hits home for me and I make it my duty to advocate.

Thank you for reading. For caring. For being someone who might believe in second chances—even for someone like me, asking for help when I never thought I would.

With gratitude,

A girl who needs a lifeline.