My name is Sharon. - xiao
My name is Sharon. I am a Personal Support Worker working in a long-term care home. Caring for seniors is something I take pride in, and I am grateful that I have a job where I can make a difference in someone’s day. But getting to and from work has become one of the biggest challenges in my life.
Every day, I depend on Uber, Lyft, or Hopp—whichever happens to have the lowest fare at that particular hour. The cost of transportation adds up quickly. Between going to work and coming home, I spend a significant amount of money every week. In a way, I feel like almost two hours of my earnings every day goes toward simply getting myself to and from work. I have wanted to drive and own a car for a long time, so even if I live paycheck to paycheck, I enrolled in a driving school and even after finishing the training, continued booking more driving lessons which I had to pay $50/hr. It took me 4 failed road tests until finally, after 3 years, I was able to obtain both my G2 and G license. With all the money I had spent learning to drive, paying my instructor for using the car for the road tests and all the road test fees,I could probably have bought a decent used car already. Almost every day, I find myself looking through Facebook Marketplace at cars for sale. I imagine what it would feel like to have my own car—to simply get into it, start the engine, and go to work without worrying about surge pricing or whether I can afford the ride home. When I see fellow PSWs arriving at work in their own cars, I sometimes feel envious. Not because I don’t want them to have what they have, but because I wonder what it must feel like to have that freedom and independence. Having a car would also allow me to do more with my career. I would love to work part-time as a community PSW in addition to my long-term care job. However, community PSW positions require employees to have their own vehicle. Without a car, opportunities that could help me improve my financial situation are simply out of reach. I am divorced and I don’t have a partner or husband who can share the financial responsibility with me. At the end of the day, I know that I have to work hard and build my life on my own. I have always believed that when you truly want something, you should pray for it, work toward it, and claim it with faith. That is what I have been doing. I am praying for the opportunity to have a reliable car. A car may seem like an ordinary possession to some people, but for me, it would mean so much more. It would mean independence. It would mean less money spent on transportation. It would mean being able to accept additional work opportunities. It would mean being able to get home safely after a long shift caring for others. Most importantly, it would give me a chance to move forward. I don’t expect a free car to solve everything in my life. I am willing to continue working hard, maintaining the vehicle, and taking responsibility for it. What I need is simply a chance—a little help that could make a very big difference in my life. I have spent so much time taking care of other people. I hope that, through the Care to Share program, someone might help take care of me in a small but life-changing way.
I sincerely hope that I can be given the opportunity to receive a reliable vehicle through Autorama’s Care to Share program. It would not simply be a car to me. It would be a new beginning.
Read More