Growing up as the fifth of seven children and having lost my father at a young age, I was always very aware of my families struggles with a limited income, how my mother struggled to keep the lights on and to keep us fed. At a very young age, I made a pledge to myself that I would always work hard to have a good job so I could provide for myself and later my children, so they never had to feel like there was not enough. Growing up poor, wearing hand me downs from an older sister that is 6 years older and 8 inches shorter was not always a good look. We were not lazy; we took odd jobs at a young age, and mom worked hard and kept the ugly financial challenges a secret, but we all knew the truth.

I have spent a large part of my life doing whatever I could to help others. When I see a need, I look for ways to fill it: working with a program that assists displaced parents, or working as the fundraising coordinator for under-privileged kids. All of this was accomplished throughout my forty-year career as a real estate agent. I have met so many amazing people that worked hard their entire lives, yet find themselves falling short each month due to illness, the loss of a spouse, or their retirement pension being insufficient to cover all of their bills. This infuriates me! These are good people who worked hard for 40-50 years and now must choose between food, housing, and vital medications. They just barely fall outside the qualifications for state and governmental assistance programs; many are told that their $925 per month social security benefits exceeds the maximum allowed to qualify for help, others are told that they will be put on a 2+ year wait list for Section 8 housing assistance.

I know I may not be able to help everyone, but, for me, doing nothing is not an option. Everyone must be able to live their life without shame, a life filled with pride and dignity.