I Hate To Ask This More Than You Know

Hello everyone. My name is Mark Stevens and I am in a real bind. I will be applying for SSI on my next birthday in 9 months, but first I have to survive to that time and it is feeling less and less possible. Crissa and I have been surviving from month to month thanks to SNAP (food stamps) which we will continue to receive at least until the end of the year. But with utility rates rising and the possibility that rent will go up again at the end of next month nothing is assured after the New Year. It seems that the Universe is once again working against us.

Over the last eight years I have had to use this method to get through three separate times and each time it gets harder for me to try, but each time I have been more desperate than the time before. I am feeling humiliated by the need to do this.

For the last five yeas I have been physically unable to work and SSDI does not seem possible. I have not been able to go to a doctor for far longer than that, even. I have literally only left our apartment five times since my stroke just over five years ago. We have been getting by with only Crissas paycheck and my monitoring of our situation. We have done alright, but with recent extra expenses it has become dire for us. I gave up on trying to keep up with my diabetic meds regularly as of two years ago and so that is also becoming a big problem that I hope the SSI monthly payments will help with. Of course Crissa has some medical problems that we HAVE TO take care of so that they can continue to work.

Last night I went over our bills again and confirmed that we are having to find a way to pay $200 or more per month than Crissa makes. Somehow we have managed to do this money we had saved up and a program at their work that helps once a year, but the funds are all but gone and we may not make it after this month. Believe me when I say that this is the last thing I want to do, but we are really not making it to the end of the year without some kind of miracle. I am cutting back to make it, but it seems hopeless even with the SNAP and cutting back to the bone. Even if we cannot find people to help us reach, or exceed please God, our goal, every bit we get will help us to last another day.

This money will help to keep Crissa healthy enough to continue working and, should the SNAP program deny us in January, help us to eat enough to get to my birthday. I will be applying for SSI as early as they will allow so that it will hopefully come through as early as it can. If we manage to get more than we are asking it will also keep us online, to have phones, and be able to keep in touch.

I realize that everyone else is having problems making ends meet as well and ask that everyone will at least help out by passing this message around to others as well.

Thank you for reading this message, for caring at all, and for any prayers, good thoughts, or whatever help your faith can send to us. We love you all...