*GetTheCloversBackOnWheels

We are the Clover Family, two disabled adults raising one incredible ten year old, and we have fallen on tough times due to a perfect storm of COVID, other health issues, and more. Like most families living paycheck to paycheck, we can often recover from one financial crisis by scaling back and shifting things around, but when things stack on top of each other, it is impossible.

TL;DR, we are in desparate need of help catching up with bills and fixing our car.

In February, we lost our beloved home due to the owners divorcing. Previously, we had hoped to buy the home on a land contract, but home values suddenly skyrocketed in the neighborhood, putting it out of our reach. We had to find another rental, and as the rental market had also changed, that meant an increase in rent to the tune of 300 more dollars a month.

But we knew we could adapt.

Shortly after the move, our food assistance was turned off due to a beurocratic error. It is currently stuck in limbo and no amount of phone calls seems to make a difference.

We started budgeting even more carefully.

Then, our car started having issues. We couldn't afford to do everything at once, but we paid for what we could, put a little on credit, and thought we could do the rest in "two more paychecks."

Then, part of a window frame fell on my head, causing a concussion.

Since then I have been unable to work, meaning we are living entirely off of my partner's income. We were able to just barely keep our heads above water. I also couldn't drive for several weeks, which meant having to pay for rides sometimes because my partner cannot drive.

I was just about recovered when the wildfire smoke came. As I'm prone to respiratory illnesses and allergic to smoke, I was sick for a week.

And right after that is when covid hit the whole family. 

My partner was unable to work for two weeks, meaning we had no income.

And then the car died.

I don't tell this story to tell a sob story, I tell it to explain why we are resorting to fundraising this way. It isn't as flashy as a big one time emergency, rather it's the slow stacking of smaller emergencies. 

I have read before that many working cass families are just one or two crises away from houselessness. I'm hoping that our community can help us weather this bout of extremely bad luck.

Currently, every cent is going to bills, transportation, and food. The car is dead. We are doing everything we can to keep costs low, but we desparately need help.

We have a plan. My partner and I are both going back to school to eventually get better paying jobs (and the kind othat may even give you sick pay!). 

In the fall, pell grant money will be there to help close any gaps. But to get there we need to get through the rest of the summer: we need to stay housed, buy food, and be able to get my partner to work.

And for that, we need your help.