Homeless Teacher | Begging Money

Teaching the Homeless

For the greater part of the last seven years, I have spent my spare time with a local Los Angeles nonprofit—School on Wheels, Inc.—mentoring homeless students. I don’t consider it a “labor” of love, nor do I do it for any sort of recognition. Of course, the fact that President Obama recognized me with a Gold Medal PVSA Citation in January 2017 as one of his last acts in office is still one of the most gratifying memories I hold onto. Especially given that I’ve had to sell the actual Gold Medal and Presidential Citation recently to try to make ends meet.

Indignity

Yes, those cherished items, alongside my Xbox One, the rights to my car (I’ve had to use it as collateral for a loan), and my MacBook, iPad, and, well, dignity, are now in someone else’s possession.

And even still, my mother’s hospital bills (she’s been quite incapacitated for about a year now after complications from COVID-19), my own hospital bills (I was struck in a car accident hit and run and ended up losing a part of my tooth and needed emergency room operations done on my face and head), car bills, rental bills, and the utilities for me and my mother (it’s only us two vs. the world) keep coming in.

It wouldn’t be so hard if I wasn’t laid off due to COVID-19 making the private school where I taught for about two years prior to last year close down indefinitely. I’ve been tutoring here and there to try to get some passable income, and I’ve been trying to find a job desperately, but there are too little Social Science teacher positions open, and COVID has made things worse even still.

CA EDD unemployment payments are hardly enough to cover rent here in Los Angeles. To make ends meet (rent for me and my mom and the aforementioned bills), I’ve had to take out loan after loan. Some from predatory creditors, as my score was already low from having to pay for my mother’s rent on a teacher’s salary. And now they are closing in, right as my options are closing up.

My sincerest desire is just to get back to a place of some comfort. Where the anxiety wasn’t so crippling that I didn’t feel so hopeless and like crying every night. It’s tough knowing that at any second the walls will close in on you, and that even with the best intentions, the world can be unforgiving. All I want to do is go back to volunteering for my students on Skid Row. But I’ll be the first to say that that does not mean I want to join them there.

I do all this because I sincerely care about others and because I believe it’s a civic duty to give people a chance in life. I ask now if anyone here might help me in my mother in a time of great need. In return, I promise to pay off my debts and get on top of finances—as a matter of fact, I already have a plan which involves my mother living with me, although this will require some time for people to inquire into her home. I don’t know how much time I have, but I do know I’ve run out of time with some of my lenders.

If you would be willing to give anything to help me out, I will return the favor to society triplefold. As of immediate, I need $4000.00, long term I need $11,500.
But anything anything at all will help….thank you so much