Wow, where to begin? In 2024, life was pretty good. I had a good job. We were settling into Colorado and both our twin boys were reunited with us and attending college at CSU. Sure, things were tight due to education costs, but we managed. We were closing on a house in November after renting for a year. On my 5th anniversary with my company, I was let go. The company was struggling financially and my role was more overhead than revenue generated; so the decision was business.
My wife started working on her passion of creating a new business making candles and we invested in launching her business. My kids have done great in school, so we promised we would do everything in our power to keep them tracking on their dreams.
We had to back out of our home purchase and I managed to keep us afloat for a little while in 2025. The company that let me go had an offer for me to serve as President for a new company I helped create while there. It was a limited contract and future equity role. The company, FoodBridge, helps food banks and pantries through a platform that connects neighbors to food and other benefits to help their families. Being food insecure at time in my life after my parents divorce, I have committed to this career to help others.
It was not an easy 2025. My contract ran out in April. We were struggling to get people on the platform due to our cost and not having the product fully ready to launch until July. We had our first client. I had hope. But this same time period my wife lost her father and started spending a lot of time back and forth between CO and MN. Her mother was recovering from surgery and her brother was in hospice care. Due to no income, and rising costs to maintain healthcare, I did what I never thought I would have to do. I filed for unemployment, Medicaid and SNAP. Fortunately we were approved, but it still meant making rent and paying for insurance, transportation and utilities was still a problem. So I started working gig work on nights and weekends (Uber, Lyft, DoorDash).
In November I had an anxiety attack and nervous breakdown. I was in inpatient care for 3 days and intensive outpatient care for 9 weeks.
Luckily with our FoodBridge project kicking off with our first client, I was able to get some compensation for work here and there. However, it was just enough to kick us off Medicaid and reduce our SNAP benefits. My unemployment ran out in January and our project with FoodBridge was delayed due to the cuts in aid, overwhelming the food pantry. Paired with my wife’s continued travel to MN, her candle business still hasn’t gone live. She has been making candles for someone I was getting career support from in trade for services rendered.
In March my truck had issues. It is my money maker for gig work. My extended warranty covered a part of the work needed, but now I need a $6000 repair to get it running that isn’t covered. I am in a loaner through today which has helped with some gig work (food and package delivery), but I can’t drive people, which is my biggest income on nights and weekends. I am considering just going to a junkyard to buy a used part for $250-500 and trying to fix myself so I can make money again.
I was forced to take a job in March that pays little but demands my full time during the day as GM of a gym. I am working some nights and all weekends delivering food and packages until I can get my truck fixed.
We are desperate. We already negotiated splitting our rent with our landlord into two payments to keep a roof over our heads. Tomorrow is the 1st and we have $100 in our account. I don’t get paid until next week. We have been working out plans for our vehicles to prevent repossession, and let our credit cards fall behind to just try and pay necessary utilities and food (plus with work requirements, we lost SNAP support for my wife).
My family has been great. My Dad helped a little last year, but he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and has been getting treatment for that. My Mom is on a limited income and has MS and Polio. My brother has helped us cover some bills, but he is in the non profit space and can’t really do much more.
Since our credit is now in the tank, my savings are gone and we can’t get any loans, I am now at this point.
The amount is only for us to get rent, utilities and my truck out of the shop so I can get back to night and weekend supplemental income. I’m not looking for a handout, just a hand up.
