Help Save My Home

In February 2015, I purchased my first home.  I cannot describe the joy this gave me, and near awe that I felt at being able to purchase a home.  This was my place, my very own home. 

I grew up in foster homes and group homes, and always felt like the outsider and that I never belonged wherever I lived as a child and teenager.  While I am thankful for the places I lived growing up, no place ever felt like home until I bought my own home. 

At the age of 17, I was diagnosed with a clotting condition, the same clotting condition that took my mother's life, and her mother's life.  I was an emancipated minor at 17 and the cost of such a condition, with no medical insurance to cover it, was astronomical, so I never believed I could ever get credit to buy my own house.  The shock and joy I felt when I was finally able to do so, was incredible.  My two youngest children, that still live at home, had a safe place to live, their own bedrooms, and my daughter has stated this is so much better than an apartment, that this is home.

I never allowed my health to hold me back.  I went to college and graduated with a Master's degree.  However, the field I chose to go into, social work, does not pay very well, much like a teacher's salary.  The rewards of social work are not monetary, the act of being able to help others and knowing that you are helping other people in their lives, is the reward of doing this career.  

The payments on my house were low enough that I could afford it and I was on cloud 9.  However, the escrow soon ran out and my house payment almost doubled overnight.  I began having financial problems.  I got behind on many bills.  I switched jobs for a position that had slightly higher pay, but no medical insurance and I am no longer on the medication that my doctor has stated is "life saving medication".  When I switched jobs, the pay schedule changed and scheduled payments were coming out of the paycheck that was set up for my house payment.  The bank would make those payments, which would put me in the hole each pay period, and this resulted in overdraft charges.  I continued to get further and further behind on various payments, including my car payment.  

I took a second part-time job, using the tip money to live on, while my paychecks went towards bills.  My health has suffered working the two jobs, and not having the medication I need and ability to get monthly blood draws or health insurance from either job, but I continue to work both jobs.  I managed to get caught up on my car payment, but am struggling to get caught up on all the other bills and my house payment.

In October 2017, we had a tornado in our area which did some damage to my home.  My bank gave me a 2 month grace period on my monthly mortgage, but did not explain that at the end of that grace period, I would need to make those payments.  They have offered a re-payment period of 3 months, but it will take an entire paycheck to meet those payments (I only get paid twice a month), which means other bills will go unpaid, and I will get further and further behind.   I am terrified of losing the only place that has felt like home to me.

If I can get caught up on my house payment, my gratitude will know no bounds.  If I can get caught up, and keep my home, then it will be one less thing that keeps me up at night worrying.  

Anything that you can give will be deeply appreciated and I promise that I will pay forward any kindness shown to me to others that are in need when I get caught up on my bills and am able to once again.  For those that do help or pray, I can only say thank you, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.