Family Of 9 Biding Time
Donation protected
This was the last thing I wanted to do, and it took constant (but loving) nagging from my friends for a few months to do it. But here I am, with a Go Fund Me page.
The story is long and convoluted, but the crux of it is, my family and I are embroiled in a battle with the Canada Revenue Agency to reinstate my monthly child tax benefits. We have been working with them for over a year and progress is slow. All because I cannot prove definitively that I was on my own with my (at the time) 6 kids in 2015. Which they absolutely were. I've sent in multiple letters from multiple sources...the CRA dismissed them all.
My husband and I had separated, he lived in his car so he could give us every penny he could and so I did not have to go to social services. We never planned on a divorce but we needed to take the time to become better versions of ourselves for our family to be strong. But in the end that is what is hurting us. Taking care of ourselves and not begging for help from government services. They audited me and stopped the payments in February 2016. And now they are demanding I pay back all payments from 2015 as we cannot provide a copy of a lease for my husband. Can't prove he was homeless basically.
It is like we are being punished for trying to make it on our own. We didn't feel the need to share our separation with the world. That was our business and we figured out how to support our family without asking for handouts. My husband works full time (and always has) to support us here in the Columbia Valley, but without the money we were getting, it is not enough out here.
We have seven children, ages 10 months to 16 years. And a week ago we thought we would have to give them up to foster care because we were so behind in rent our landlords came by with eviction papers. They have been wonderful, but I cannot blame them. They have to pay their mortgage. Luckily they have given us more time but on the stipulation we are never short on rent again. Fair enough but with my husbands income of about $2000 a month and rent being $1800...it is a huge struggle. My 16-year-old son had a job for two months to help out, but it was only a two month position and it is over now. Our son shouldn't have to be worrying about helping us!
It is so scary. I almost had to give up my babies. My heart. I was actually trying to wean my 10 month old, to no avail, so if he we put them into care he could take a bottle. But what else could I do? I could not let them be cold and hungry and homeless. I don't want to have to make that decision ever!
We are not going to give up. We are going to keep fighting with the CRA until our benefits are reinstated. And we have many agencies behind us. Lots of support but it will still take months. So until then, we desperately need help. I cannot bear to see our family split up again.
It is not just the rent. Everything has fallen so far behind… We have sold everything we can, including my engagement ring and one of our cars. Things can be replaced one day...my family cannot. We try to be as careful as we can with what money we get, but with nine mouths to feed, it does not go far. Our car insurance has run out and because it was in Alberta, we have to be able to pay for a safety for our car to get it insured in BC. So we are without a vehicle for now for my husband to get to work. He is finding any way he can to get there, but we live half an hour from the main town and we also need to be able to get there if there is an emergency, to get to work or get groceries.
We have done everything we can to support ourselves, to not have to ask for help, and have always been able to make it on our own until this happened. We don't qualify for assistance currently which is really disheartening. We have exhausted nearly every option for finding help.
I am terrified we will not be able to make rent again. I myself stay home and care for our family, I home school, and do anything I can from home to make a little money but there is not a lot I can do. We have received help so I can apply for disability as I have fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and a now impending surgery to fuse parts of my spine to ease some pain.
We need our vehicle insured and to catch up on the arrears with hydro and rent so that the threat of an eviction doesn't loom over us. All of our other debts will get sorted one day but it's so scary wondering if we have to uproot our 7 kids...it's so hard to find an affordable place for 9 people.
If you can help us, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. We all do. We won’t give up, but I am afraid right now, and your support would mean the world to me and my family. Every bit helps!
A huge and sincere thank you from us all!
The story is long and convoluted, but the crux of it is, my family and I are embroiled in a battle with the Canada Revenue Agency to reinstate my monthly child tax benefits. We have been working with them for over a year and progress is slow. All because I cannot prove definitively that I was on my own with my (at the time) 6 kids in 2015. Which they absolutely were. I've sent in multiple letters from multiple sources...the CRA dismissed them all.
My husband and I had separated, he lived in his car so he could give us every penny he could and so I did not have to go to social services. We never planned on a divorce but we needed to take the time to become better versions of ourselves for our family to be strong. But in the end that is what is hurting us. Taking care of ourselves and not begging for help from government services. They audited me and stopped the payments in February 2016. And now they are demanding I pay back all payments from 2015 as we cannot provide a copy of a lease for my husband. Can't prove he was homeless basically.
It is like we are being punished for trying to make it on our own. We didn't feel the need to share our separation with the world. That was our business and we figured out how to support our family without asking for handouts. My husband works full time (and always has) to support us here in the Columbia Valley, but without the money we were getting, it is not enough out here.
We have seven children, ages 10 months to 16 years. And a week ago we thought we would have to give them up to foster care because we were so behind in rent our landlords came by with eviction papers. They have been wonderful, but I cannot blame them. They have to pay their mortgage. Luckily they have given us more time but on the stipulation we are never short on rent again. Fair enough but with my husbands income of about $2000 a month and rent being $1800...it is a huge struggle. My 16-year-old son had a job for two months to help out, but it was only a two month position and it is over now. Our son shouldn't have to be worrying about helping us!
It is so scary. I almost had to give up my babies. My heart. I was actually trying to wean my 10 month old, to no avail, so if he we put them into care he could take a bottle. But what else could I do? I could not let them be cold and hungry and homeless. I don't want to have to make that decision ever!
We are not going to give up. We are going to keep fighting with the CRA until our benefits are reinstated. And we have many agencies behind us. Lots of support but it will still take months. So until then, we desperately need help. I cannot bear to see our family split up again.
It is not just the rent. Everything has fallen so far behind… We have sold everything we can, including my engagement ring and one of our cars. Things can be replaced one day...my family cannot. We try to be as careful as we can with what money we get, but with nine mouths to feed, it does not go far. Our car insurance has run out and because it was in Alberta, we have to be able to pay for a safety for our car to get it insured in BC. So we are without a vehicle for now for my husband to get to work. He is finding any way he can to get there, but we live half an hour from the main town and we also need to be able to get there if there is an emergency, to get to work or get groceries.
We have done everything we can to support ourselves, to not have to ask for help, and have always been able to make it on our own until this happened. We don't qualify for assistance currently which is really disheartening. We have exhausted nearly every option for finding help.
I am terrified we will not be able to make rent again. I myself stay home and care for our family, I home school, and do anything I can from home to make a little money but there is not a lot I can do. We have received help so I can apply for disability as I have fibromyalgia, osteoarthritis, and a now impending surgery to fuse parts of my spine to ease some pain.
We need our vehicle insured and to catch up on the arrears with hydro and rent so that the threat of an eviction doesn't loom over us. All of our other debts will get sorted one day but it's so scary wondering if we have to uproot our 7 kids...it's so hard to find an affordable place for 9 people.
If you can help us, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. We all do. We won’t give up, but I am afraid right now, and your support would mean the world to me and my family. Every bit helps!
A huge and sincere thank you from us all!
Organizer
Darrah Dunn
Organizer
Edgewater, BC