Needhelppayingbills

Hi,
That is such a long message and list of needs. Try the main website to look for all those programs. Find details on when you need help with bills.

To Whom It May Concern:
I've written quite a bit over the past few years, mostly about women's basketball in support of my daughter's challenging career. Based on the articles that ESPN, Nike, and other media sites have written about her career, I would guess that someone listened.
However, as I sit here thinking of what article to write that will spark the attention of someone/anyone that could offer me some relief with my current unemployment situation and meeting my apartment rental obligation, I am drawing a blank. I hate to ask, but I am desperate. I live to give and not ask others.
I guess it is best to speak a little bit about my story. Here goes...
I worked as a Senior Operations Manager for one of the largest social media platforms in the world. When I mentioned this fact to others, they immediately start trying to guess the company's name. Then there seems to be some sense of amazement that I held such a role and I was laid off.
Well, from my perspective, it was the absolute worse job I ever had. However, because I am not a quitter, and because I felt a sense of obligation to the 1500+ employees that I managed, I stayed in this role until I was forced to leave involuntarily under the label of a corporate "lay off".
I found myself in an unexpectedly grave position where I had left my 3800 sq. ft home, 40 minutes away, to move into a small apartment with my son just to be closer to work, and to give him a better option for achieving his education goals his Senior Year.
I had taken a pay cut in hopes of compensating the financial loss with the EOY bonus that I earned without a doubt. I was laid off the month after performance reviews.
I was barely making ends meet with the commute and the stress that comes with being a hands-on single parent, not to mention the insurmountable job stress that I endured on a daily basis that started to affect my health.
After going through the emotional struggles that come with the true reality of unemployment. I've now started to feel the financial impact and hate to share my struggling but I do not know what to do. This reality has taken me to a very dark place where my efforts have not produced positive results for me in the present job market for Senior-Level Managers.
The up-side of these challenges is that my daughter will soon be going overseas to play basketball professionally, with multiple world and conference records under her belt for NCAA Women's basketball. She graduated cum laude in December and is currently pursuing her master’s degree until she gets her assignment overseas. My son will be graduating in 2 weeks as well.
I've revamped my custom apparel design business called Sugar Attic, which I began shortly after losing my dad to cancer on New Year's Eve 2014 and my Mother to pulmonary hypertension on Valentine's Day 2018. My entire family and overall support system has passed away. Therefore, I am solely responsible for me and my children.
Sugar Attic was a hobby until I found that I had an eye for design. It doesn't bring much money right now, and it definitely does not help me with my primary financial obligations, but it gives me something to do, and there is a demand for my designs.
So, here I am today at risk of losing my vehicle, my house to foreclosure, and being evicted from my apartment by the end of the month. The dagger to my heart is the fact that I can no longer help my daughter with her financial obligations, and she has to move back home.
When things like this happen, there is a feeling that you are the only person in the world that is facing this challenge. There's not much time to think about it, you have to waddle in your misery for a few minutes and then find a way to feed your children.
I've always been a giver, I've been told that I've given of my time, money, etc., to many who were not deserving. But I don't give as a means to receive, I give because it is a part of my Spirit to do so. I feel that my Blessings should be shared with others.
All I know is that I'm not good at asking for, or receiving, help. I was known as the "Olivia Pope" of our operation. Everyone came to me with their personal and professional problems, issues, concerns, etc., and I would fix them. The cost of fixing them was my own mental and physical health.
I have a sense that there are more givers than takers in this world. I do not like to ask for help and be thought of being a taker. Professionally, I've learned that I have to refuse to take on another professional role that is not personally rewarding and serving my purpose to help others. I've also learned that not everyone is driven to do the right thing.
During financially challenging times like this, you have to find your "WHY". I pray that no one ever runs out of "WHYs". Why you should get up in the morning. Why you should climb out of the dark place. Why you should push forward. Why you should step outside of your comfort zone. Why you should keep trying, clicking, applying, asking, etc. Why you should ask for help.
My "why" is my kids. What is yours?