I decided to create this fundraiser, asking for help with accumulating debt after my dad passed away of a cardiac arrest this past June. He was a 101st Airborne Veteran, shown in my header photo, and had been struggling financially, especially since my mom died just over 5 years ago. I've been in a job search for longer than expected and am beyond the age to get veteran survivor benefits. As a cushion, I cashed out my life insurance of about $4,000 and sold my dad's car for $3,000 back in September. However, the bills due since then and grocery expenses completely used up that money. Some of the bills were in my dad's name and he'd gotten behind in some cases due to his financial difficulties. I had actually tried several fundraisers to help in the meantime as my job search continued. They were to cover at least a year's worth of his monthly bills and some out-of-pocket emergencies, including household repairs and a new engine for his car. The engine died back in March 2022 and he couldn't come up with the money for almost a year; it cost $8,000. He finally got a new engine this past spring. Now that he passed away, if any of those fundraising efforts had money left, I could cover expenses I'm trying to address while still on a job search. Those fundraisers didn't do so well; only a combined $425 raised in 2 years. Things have gotten to the point at which I need to try again; this is the first time I'm using this fundraising platform. Expenses I need to fundraise for include:
- $800 - approx. amount for my car's steering column wobble (my car is a 2000 model)
- $441 - my dad's homeowner's policy
- $11,000 - parents' mortgage left on their house
- $3,500 - parents' property taxes due by 12/31/2023 (one or two due dates this year already passed)
- $12,700 - VA overpayment to my dad
- $607 - pension overpayment to my dad
- $85 - my dad's car insurance (balance up until I sold his car)
- $124 - my car insurance
- $50 - monthly payment toward my dad's funeral services; finances have delayed services
- $300 - cable / internet
- $129 - phone service due 130 (had to be put on a payment plan, then October's due date pushed back)
- $110 - the same phone service due later in November
- $113 - owed back to an insurance company my dad's employer used
- $1,215 - remaining balance on my dad's energy bill
- $98 - my energy bill due 11/13
- $125 - my water bill due 11/16 (also put on a payment plan; I had to split the October payment)
- $3,600 - balance on an emergency card used to pay household bills, groceries (it's limit is $3,450)
- 1,500 - new washer / dryer set (Home Depot price, but I'm looking around at other stores; haven't had working laundry machines in years)
I'm planning the sell the house, either as is or with some repairs. However, I don't know when the house will be ready to sell. It's not on the market and when it is, I don't know how long it'll take to sell. So, I can't rely on that money to cover my expenses that are due beginning near the end of October and through the next few months as I continue my job search. I've been stuck in a pattern of not hearing back or rejections from what I apply to; it's been the worst time to go through that. There's nobody who can co-sign a loan to help me that way, so I feel that I have to try fundraising again and hopefully it'll quickly go well. Thank you for any donations and / or shares; it'll be greatly appreciated!
#GivingTuesday #GivingTuesday2023 #GivingTwosday #GivingTwosday2023
