Gabriela Gonzalez, 29, moved to the US from Paraguay to follow her dreams. Now a US citizen living in San Diego, she loves working for ShelterBox, a non-profit that provides shelter to people affected by natural disasters or wars. Gabriela is passionate about helping others and committed to making a difference in the future.
Gabriela was going to school in Santa Barbara when she had a health scare. “I had trouble breathing. I went to the hospital, and they kept me overnight.” The hospital could never really diagnose what the problem was. She left with an inhaler and a mystery.
With time and exercise, her breathing improved. But when Gabriela got the hospital bill, she said, “I started hyperventilating. It was overwhelming. How is it possible to go to the hospital and get this high a bill?”
The bill was over $3000. She couldn’t figure out how to pay it. “I would have to cut my transportation costs, but my job and school were half an hour away from where I lived,” Gabriela explained.
The hospital hadn’t given Gabriela any information about debt reduction for low-income households. They offered her a payment plan with a monthly amount that was still out of reach.
Gabriela wasn’t going to let that stop her from going after her dreams. She went looking for advice on social media. That’s when she found Dollar For on Instagram through an account called “Your Rich BFF”.
“Working with Dollar For was a game-changer. It was super easy to do the application. They ask you the questions; you don’t have to wonder what to do. They tell you what to upload.”
She adds, “Customer service was really good. They were always on top of it. Once a week, I got an email.”
A few months later, when Gabriela received the letter from the hospital saying her debt was forgiven, “I literally cried. It was during finals week and it really helped.”
Gabriela was quick to spread the word. “I told my mom and some friends. I sent links to my friends for their hospital bills.”
“I was feeling so great. Everybody needs to know about Dollar For!.”
Two years later, Gabriela had a fall while hiking. Her knees were bleeding heavily, but with courage, she got back down the hill and drove herself to a hospital where she received lots of stitches.
The bill for the stitches alone was over $2500 and Gabriela felt overwhelmed again. Then she remembered Dollar For’s support. “I knew they were checking on me and checking on the money. When I applied for my second hospital bill, they said they could help me out.” And they did. Her bill was eliminated.
“Medical bills in the US are so overwhelming. I would tell people to make the process easier with Dollar For,” says Gabriela. “If anyone asked me about Dollar For, I would sit down with them, get a computer, and go over the Dollar For application with them.”
Gabriela is on track to fulfill her American dream. As a citizen, she is working and studying political science, and hiking as much as she can. Her goal is to work for a non-profit doing more humanitarian work.
Gabriela wants people to know, “I cannot recommend Dollar For enough. I’m super grateful. I would do the same for another person.”