1.Stream
Every time you stream Karrie’s music on Spotify, Amazon, Apple, Tidal, YouTube and other streaming platforms, Karrie gets fractions of pennies that eventually add up to money to buy a meal or pay for fuel for her trips to Anchorage. And when you add KPA tunes to your playlists, that helps the streaming algorithms so new listeners can discover her songs. She even has a Christmas song you can add to your holiday playlists.
2. Be Creative on Socials
More penny fractions are sent Karrie’s way when you use her songs as soundtracks on your Instagram Stories and Reels, and TikTok too. Feel free to tag her when you do if you’d like her to share your story to hers.
3. Share
You can also share links to KPA songs on your social media so your followers can discover her music. Email or DM a song link to a friend who might need it that day.
4. Write your Senators and Congresspeople
Disabled people like Karrie must wade through mountains of red tape to get Social Security Disability support. In fact, the paperwork was way beyond Karrie, and her father had to do it. Karrie first applied in 2020, and still has not received the support she needs for an injury sustained in 2018.
Social Security has denied her twice; this is COMMON for disabled people to experience while seeking this support, especially if they have a hidden/invisible disability, like a brain injury. Karrie is currently prepping for her next chance: a court hearing for an appeal of the two denial decisions.
Karrie received a letter saying it will be 18 months before she receives a court date. 18 months. Disabled people need support when they apply, not four years later. Each year, roughly 8,000 disability applicants file for bankruptcy and 10,000 people die still waiting to hear about their claim, according to a 2020 report from the Government Accounting Office.
Again, this wait time is common. The fact that this is common shows the system needs adjusting, especially with added government employees to process claims. Google to see how backlogged Social Security Disability is - this is a system that is supposed to support some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens.
At the state level: The State Disability Determinations Services is the one who determines if we are “disabled enough” for Social Security benefits. So if you’re Alaskan, you can write to your State representatives too. On the state website, they say their 32 staff people receive *100* new claims per week. This workload doesn’t even include all the follow ups and other responsibilities. That means approximately 5200 newly disabled Alaskans are trying to get help, from *32* staff people. And so are all the disabled residents who already receive social security support. This is an unreasonable workload for that number of staff.
Staffing for Social security is at a 25-year low.
Wait times in our country are much higher right now, despite less applicants. Please call upon your representatives and ask them to find solutions now.
Find your senators’ contact info.
Find your contact info for your U.S. Representative
These are all ways that can help support Karrie’s recovery, but don’t cost you a penny. Thank you for considering how to support Karrie. Below are ways to help Karrie financially: