A Hand Up, Not a Handout: Reclaiming My Financial Security and Peace

My Story

My name is Janet. For a very long time, I have kept my struggles quiet. I was raised by a generation that believed you fend for yourself, push through the hard times, and never become a burden to others. But today, at 70 years old, I am stepping out in faith to ask for something I never thought I would have to ask for: a hand up.

Life can change in an instant. In 2006, my beloved husband and I entered a brutal, five-year battle against cancer. Before his passing in 2011, we had built a beautiful, financially sound life together. We were responsible. We owned a home, built a strong 401(k), and maintained a safety net. In today’s market, the assets we worked our whole lives for would be worth over $1,027,500.

But cancer doesn’t just steal the people we love; it can quietly erase everything you have spent a lifetime building.

Determined to save my husband, I was hit with astronomical medical bills. When the dust settled after his loss, my life savings were entirely gone. To survive, I had to file for bankruptcy and I lost our home. For someone who had never filed for bankruptcy in her life, this was a source of deep, silent embarrassment. But I know now that it was a sacrifice made out of pure love for my husband.

The Fight to Rebuild

I am a fighter, and I have tried repeatedly to rebuild my footing. But every time I made a step in a positive direction, life dealt another blow. In 2018, I faced a sudden, major medical crisis of my own. I nearly died on the operating table. By God’s graces and a fierce will to live, I recovered.

Through all of this, my heart has remained open. I have always done everything in my power to step up and help my own friends and family when they were down. I believe in community, and I believe in lifting others up.

But right now, I am losing my drive to fight this battle alone.

Why I Am Reaching Out Now

Currently, I live in an apartment community for people over 55. I am facing a harsh, frustrating reality that is entirely out of my control: my rent is raised by 7% to 10% every single year.

Because my fixed income cannot keep pace with these corporate increases, the vast majority of my monthly income now goes strictly toward keeping a roof over my head. The math simply does not work anymore. The constant anxiety over housing security is wearing down my spirit.

I am not looking for a "pity payment," and I am certainly not looking for a handout. I am looking for a hand up to get back to a sound, secure sense of living.

My Goal

My ultimate goal is to raise the funds necessary to secure permanent, stable housing—somewhere safe from predatory, annual rent hikes—and to rebuild the financial baseline that a medical crisis stripped away from my future.

To everyone visiting this page: thank you for reading my story, for respecting my journey, and for any thoughtful, kind contribution you are able to make. Your support is helping me find my footing so I can stand strong once again.

Graciously,

Janet