I'm raising money for getting an insurance license and new clothes for potential employment so I can find a steady job in the insurance industry.

Why I'm using HandUp for getting an insurance license and new clothes for potential employment.

Hi. I've worked for a nonprofit for the past 4 years and recently left my job because of stress. My blood pressure went up, and my doctor verified it was probably stress related since I'm otherwise healthy with no other known causes of high blood pressure.

About me.

I’m originally from the South, move to Chicago for a while but have lived in California for over 20 years now. I was working at a Career Center in San Francisco that helps youth and adults find employment and education in the hopes of bettering their lives. I had to leave because the work environment was negatively impacting me (noise, quality of life, etc.). Though I enjoyed the job it was a public space and I wasn’t always able to do my job the way I felt it needed to be done, causing stress. I had to make a choice between my health and my job, I chose my health.

I have a family that I love very much back in the Illinois/Indiana region and in the South. I’m a writer, when I have the time I work on a book I’m trying to finish. Also, I’ve created a website so I can do contractor work as a writer.

Right now, I am working on getting an insurance license so I can become financially stable.

My backstory.

During the Great Recession, like a lot of people, I lost everything. I was unemployed for over a year before getting a great writing contract at a major company. Unfortunately, it was only for a year and I ended up back where I started. Eventually, I found inexpensive housing in the city and began working at a nonprofit but when the stressful work environment began to affect my health, I had to leave.

I didn’t have much in savings and I haven’t been approved for unemployment ye, even though I left due to a medical condition. So I’ve gone for almost 3 months now with no income, only food stamps and GA which is less than $500 in cash each month.

What little savings I had went very quickly to food, rent costs. Because of this, I had to stop helping my family, which includes my mom who is advanced in age, a retired educator.

I have spoken to one insurance company that has shown an interest in using me as a contractor and I am now training for a California insurance license to meet their requirements. But because it’s a 1099 contract job I’ll have to pay for the training, license, etc. out of my pocket FIRST before I can work with them.

The costs for a California Insurance License are:

$49 - for the “52-hour Life/Health Agent” course from a training facility $83 - for the California Insurance Commission exam $69 - for fingerprinting $170 - for the insurance license, once I’ve passed the test

I’ve already paid the $49 training course fee and the $83 testing fee, leaving me with very little remaining cash. The GA (general assistance) cash I get each month (again, just under $500 for the entire month) goes quickly, the same for food stamps (less than $300 per month).

My goals, moving forward.

Short term goals: My first goal is to get the money for my license. I’m raising funds for this because the training, testing, fingerprinting, and actual license fees are almost as much as I get a month. It will cost me $370 for the insurance licensing alone.

After that, if there is anything left over the $500 I’m asking for, perhaps I can buy 1 or 2 outfits of clothing to build my professional wardrobe.

Long term goals: I would like to get more training in insurance and general business. This will help me be a better employee and consequently reach my goal of becoming more financially stable, and able to build my personal savings so I can better weather such economic setbacks as losing a job.

Other things I'd like to share about myself.

I am happiest when I have financial independence so that I can comfortably help my family when they need it and am able to enjoy my life without dependency on other individuals and agencies/organizations.