Well-off people could be so blind about other people’s struggles.

This single mother, working part-time for a company, was asked to donate or cook food for the office party, but she can hardly afford her rent and food for her daughter, so she flat-out refused.

Read the full story below.

Today my supervisor asked me to either donate food or cook food for the office holiday party 🫠

I just stared at her like she had three heads. Working in financial aid, which is under the finance umbrella, we have over 20 people across our departments, and that includes the military and veterans department of five people.

I’m over here putting water in my shampoo to make it last longer, and my dinner last night was a peanut butter sandwich.

I missed the cutoff time for the food bank on Wednesday, since my supervisor changed my hours on me the night before again, so I didn’t get a chance to go to the one closest to me.

I was short on December’s rent, had to listen to an earful from my landlord, and got tacked with a late fee (because yes, I totally want to be late on rent and worry about getting evicted).

My electric bill isn’t paid in full (even with the budget billing I’m on) because I missed three days of work last week for the Thanksgiving holiday, and I’m already stressing about missing work later this month from December 23rd to December 26th, and then again December 31st to January 5th.

This woman refused to go to the party, which offended her boss.

I actually have a job interview for a waitressing job at Olive Garden tomorrow while my daughter has a play date, and I’m going to go donate plasma if there’s time just to try and catch up, and either put the money toward bills or go to Aldi again to buy a few more groceries.

Like, my supervisor knows what I’m paid. She knows I don’t even make $20 an hour and that I have a kid to support. There is just no way.

I opted out of the office holiday get-together, and she got weirdly offended and went, “But it’s tradition!” and I just said I couldn’t afford it.

My literal Christmas dinner with my daughter is a box of mac ’n’ cheese and a cheap ham from Aldi. I found hot cocoa cinnamon rolls at Aldi, and that will be her breakfast for Christmas Eve.

If it weren’t for her school’s Angel Tree program and the local church that I also use for their food pantry’s Christmas gift program, my daughter would have nothing for Christmas.

She simply couldn’t afford it.

I understand why the departments have a combined office holiday party, and I think it’s nice, but I also know there will probably be a white elephant gift-giving thing (another thing I can’t afford).

And the thought of either cooking a dish that 20+ people will eat or buying something outright for 20+ people is crazy to me.

I am the least-paid employee and the only part-timer in my department; there’s just no way I can make it happen.

And for my supervisor to get offended and act put off because I said “no thanks” has put an even bigger sour taste in my mouth than I already had about this place lol.

It’s not even Sunday, and I’m dreading coming back into work on Monday. 🫠 I just want a break and to land a full-time job with better pay than I have now, so life can be easier for a while.

I swear, the day I get offered a full-time job with benefits, I’ll cry and probably dance like a fool because it’ll be such a massive weight off my shoulders.

Times are tough. Hang in there and don’t let them push you around.

Let’s read what other people in the comments are saying about this.

This user is showing some support.

A valid point from this one.

This person is outraged.

Here’s a witty response.

And some sound advice from this reader.

Spend money you don’t have on a holiday party?

No, thanks.

If you thought that was an interesting story, check this one out about a man who created a points system for his inheritance, and a family friend ends up getting almost all of it.