Help Me Return Home

Hello! My name is Allen. I'm 26 years old, turning 27 in February of 2016. I'm a lover of quiet countrysides, daring comedies, and a good book or movie. I'm a novelist in my spare time, working on getting my first novel done within a year or so, and I've a profound love of all things creative. I'm a connoisseur of puns and bad jokes, and would be happy to bring a groan to your heart with one of my many terrible one-liners! And...honestly?

I need help. There's no way of getting around it.

People you meet everyday have talents, ways that make you think 'well that person must have a great career with as smart or talented as they are'. But lately I've found that like me, even people who have something their good at just can't find the lucky break to follow their dreams. And sometimes, following one's dreams can take them even further from the path of happiness.

I learned that the hard way a few years ago. A little background about me; I have high functioning autism. My non-verbal communication is fine, as you can probably tell, but I lack the ability to process social cues the way other people do. This has led to many problems throughout my adult life, and I struggle to put up a passing front from what I've spent years learning about my own limits. And because of this, getting a good job seemed to be a pipe dream. Working anywhere in town didn't seem possible without vocational rehabilitation services, and even then, I could only ever get a part time job for chump change.

I'd left home for the first time, finally having saved enough money to pursue work outside of town for awhile. I moved to a town where part of my family lived, and got to know my younger cousins whom I'd never even really seen much of. Those children, they came to adore the heck out of me, and same with me to them. My entire life, I'd never known people to come to accept me as much as my family in that little town of Fort Madison did.

Unfortunately, because the only job I'd managed to get laid me off after a month, I had to eventually return home. By the time I made it home, I tried looking for work on my own. Two years, and nearly sixteen hundred applications later, I finally landed myself another job, but...it just isn't enough. I'd realized all too late that what I want now is to return to that little town and be with my family.

In my whole life, I'd never improved on myself more than I did while I lived in that town. If I could just find a way to live there for good, that's all I'd need from life. But even moving to quaint little towns in Iowa costs quite a bit, and between my jobs meager pay, huge bills from a medical incident last year, and my family soon to lose their house anyway, I'm stuck in a difficult place to be. In order to reach my goal, I need help.

Funding towards this campaign will go entirely towards returning to my family's hometown of Fort Madison, Iowa, helping offset living costs while I get settled in, and making the down payment on a car so that I may finally pursue life as an independent. Although I am asking for this help, please know that this is really a last resort sort of thing for me. Honestly, I prefer doing things on my own when they're possible, but I find myself truly stuck. I'm sorry for asking, but know that it won't be spent on trivial things.

I have nothing to offer but my sincerest thanks to everyone who donates. Having this money will help me move on with my life, to a place I know I want to be. Surrounded by family that love me, kids that look up to me, and feeling once and for all that I belong somewhere.

So please, if you can spare any amount, help me return to my true home.

Thank you for your time and your consideration.