I believe in miracles! When I started this journey, I had been applying for corporate work for more than two years but received only one offer for a 6-month contract job. That contract was extended for a total of 13 months, but I didn’t work for 11 months during those 2+ years. Given my career history, experience and background I couldn’t understand why the doors continued closing. For those job searching, you fully understand how the overall initiative can affect your self-esteem after a while. I was struggling to understand why I wasn’t getting any other offers when I have solid work integrity and was willing to take less of a salary if necessary.
In September 2023, I received an email that I had been accepted into an entrepreneurial business school with a full scholarship. The course was four months, beginning in October 2023, and I graduated in February 2024 with an overall grade of 93. The business school provided a multitude of business resources, and I hired an attorney to help file the articles of incorporation and obtain 501(c)(3) status. We filed the articles of incorporation in November 2023 and applied for 501(c)(3) status in early March 2024. I was told by my attorney that it would take 4-6 months to get approval. Some of the Board Members estimated the same timeframe given their previous experience and the fact that the IRS is understaffed.
All donors would be given a receipt for their charitable donation if I obtained 501(c)(3) approval by the end of 2024, but some donors were concerned about giving before we received approval. There were also limits on my ability to raise funds as we waited for approval. Fifteen days after my attorney submitted the filing, we officially received 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status as a public charity.
I BELIEVE IN MIRACLES!
I’m encouraged that God continues to open doors and provide answers, resources, funding and outside expertise and guidance through this journey. If you want to join the celebration, please consider one of the following ways to support Advocate for the Innocent:
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- Share Your Story – contribute to the 1M survivor stories renee@advocatefortheinnocent.org