As I said before, best of luck in the pursuit. I spent a long time doing ground jobs before I attained my first hour of revenue time. 24 years after my first flight, I sometimes wish I was back at the start again, lots of fun along the way.
Many of my early jobs involved operational support of spraying and heli-logging. Helping out during the winter maintenance not only gives you more respect for the folks supporting you but also gives you some practical knowledge that many pilots lack.
Financially it is a big burden, especially with the future of the North American economy. Finding a way to receive outside funding would be a huge step, no doubt.