I work at a community college, and my boss keeps sending out emails to the department asking for donations for the holidays, noting that ‘it’s been on her heart to do something for those less fortunate than herself’. She wants us to ‘come together’ and buy food, other items, gift cards, etc for the students we serve. I understand wanting to help, but I’ve been hit up three times in the last month for a different donation. I want to help ‘those who are having a hard time affording gas or even a decent meal’, but…. That’s me too. My boss makes quadruple what I make, and I make less than 30k a year. I can’t afford a home, I’m living in a 500 sq ft home with two other adults and a child. I commute 50 miles to work. I can barely afford both gas and food in any given month, especially the holidays. The boss has the typical ass-kissing clique that jumps onto her email thread ‘so happy to contribute!’, but me and the other lowest paid workers aren’t right now. How can we bring it up that we’re in the same boat as the ‘less fortunate’ the boss wants to help?