For the next three weeks, we will share stories of job seekers who have applied for a scholarship (see the application form here), so you can see how important it is that we get them the help they want and deserve, but can’t afford. Meet Tara: Q: What’s the hardest part about unemployed long-term?A: I have spent the past three years attending grad school online for a new career while healing from a major car accident. I could not work at all as I needed several surgeries and suffered from post-traumatic stress too much to move. I live in a very rural area and know there are not any jobs in my area. Now I am ready, but my resources are dwindling quickly. I feel very isolated and often feel as though everyone else has an advantage due to their location. After being isolated in all my schooling, I need people! It is hard to stay motivated or feel worthy!Q: What have you been doing to look for work so far?A: I began looking for a job in 2009 after I was not hired back at a school. Most interviews mean driving 5-6 hours and a stay overnight. Because of my injuries, my husband had to take time off work and take me. I have answered newspaper ads, posted on web job boards, have several sites emailing leads,am on LinkedIn and making Connections, and have recently been attending professional meetings in person (also 6 hours away).Q: Why do you feel our Job Search Accelerator Program can help you?A: I feel it will help in several ways: It will help me stay motivated and not feel so alone. It will help me see what elements I am not being successful with. It will help me locate more options in how and where to look for work.CommentsI have not received any type of support from my accident. We have lost over $200,000.00 because of my becoming hurt and losing my job. It has been a long road and I would love to feel someone was at my side! Tara* is one of the 30+ scholarship applicants we have received since launching Allies to the Out-of-Work. Want to know how you can help job seekers like her? Harnessing the power of the micro-fundraising site, Indiegogo.com, we launched a campaign to raise $10,000 that will give 100 long-term unemployed people a full scholarship to our Job Search Accelerator Program (JSAP). This program is helping hundreds of people find work. However, it’s not something we can give away for free. So, we are hoping to get donations from those of you out there who: A) Have been out of work recently and know how hard the job search really is. B) Know somebody long-term unemployed and want to sponsor them. C) Care about getting Americans back to work and on their feet.
