First off, thank you to anyone who takes the time to read this. If anything, it will hopefully raise awareness for how little social workers actually get paid to do some of the most important work in our society. I’ve spent the last 15 years of my life helping others, and as hard as it is for me to do this, now I’m asking for help for myself. My water and power are both very close to getting shut off and this is one of my last hopes. I’ve tried to get assistance locally through multiple organizations but I either make too much money,( which is a joke with how much I make) or all funds have been exhausted. I am constantly looking for better paying jobs, but without a college degree nobody will give me the time of day even though I have a ton of professional skills and experience.
I am a social worker in Spokane, Wa. I have two children. I raise my daughter full time with almost no support from the mother. The other I split time 50/50with his mother. I am an amazing father and always put my children first. Due to the rising cost of everything in life I am struggling terribly financially. I am single, and trying to raise and maintain a home on my own as a social worker is becoming an insurmountable task.
For 7 years I worked with low income, at risk youth in Spokanes lowest income neighborhood as a youth development director. I currently work as an employment/housing case manager with developmentally disabled adults, people with substance use disorders, people involved with the justice system( recently released from prison), people with mental health disorders etc……
I am a boots-on-the-ground community worker that makes an impact everyday, and I have helped change 100’s of lives in my community.
I love my job. Unfortunately, I barely make over $20/hour. Having a home, car payment, all the bills that come with having a home, along with several things currently in collections, it is destroying me mentally, emotionally and financially.
I don’t drink or use drugs, and I make just barely too much money to receive any kind of support or assistance. I keep falling further and further in a financial hole with no end in sight. I work my butt off over 40hrs/week and see so many people who don’t work at all get all kinds of help and assistance. Our system and our society is broken. And while I support most programs to help the less fortunate, where is my help? Someone who wakes up everyday to try and change the world but is almost paralyzed nightly consumed with how I am going to make it and keep my home.
I am a kind hearted, selfless, caring person just waiting for my karma to come back around. Unfortunately, karma isn’t going to pay the power bill before it gets shut off in the next week or two.
Any help would be so appreciated. The $5k I’m asking for is a figure which would help me get to a point where all past due bills and collections would be resolved to a point to where I could at least keep my head above water until I can find a higher paying job and one that will fit the schedule with my 9yo daughter. One of my biggest problems is that I can’t join the trades or other high paying jobs because of early hours/travel. My daughter isn’t old enough to be left alone or manage to get to daycare or school on her own. This seriously hinders my potential options for employment. I would love to go to college and finish a degree in education or social work, anything over $5k would allow me to pursue my dreams and be able to support my family and go to college to finally get ahead.
I’m at my last straw and not sure what to do. I’m extremely embarrassed to even ask for help. I’ve helped soooooooo many people though, I feel like if I do get help, it’s as if the universe is paying it forward. From the bottom of my heart, thank you. My kids and myself deserve a life where we don’t have to be so stressed out and struggle everyday.
My story is much longer on how I got into this situation, but I won’t go into great detail. I ended a horrible and toxic relationship where I counted on someone else to help with bills, and it has left me doing it alone. I took full time custody of my daughter and the mother is basically MIA, especially financially. I’ve tried to initiate child support but she doesn’t work.
I was addicted to several drugs and homeless early in my 20’s and dug myself out of that hole. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done and I’m surprised I even made it out. I’m trying to do it the legit, honest, respectable way now and have been for years. I can just never seem to get ahead. Ever since I ended my last relationship I have more money going out than I do coming in. I thought that once I got off the streets and tried to do something respectable that things would get easier. Unfortunately, I’m more stressed and worried now, and struggle more now than when I was homeless.
I have done so much good for other people, now I hope something good will happen to me and my children.
Our society is lost with its priorities and principles. I see salesman, influencers, people who come from money that have lives where they are financially secure. However, they really do nothing to better the world. I wake up everyday and try to change lives and make the community where I raise my children a safer, more loving, unified community. Instead of helping others though, it’s time to help myself. I’m at my end, I’m losing hope, and I don’t know what to do…………..
