Hi, my name is Cassandra Grimaldi, and I’m the proud mother of seven beautiful children, ranging in age from just 6 weeks old to 15½ years old.

I’ve fought tooth and nail to give my children a safe, stable, and loving home—through the darkest moments of facing homelessness, unemployment, and the exhausting realities of single motherhood. I never gave up.

Today, with the love of my husband of 4 years, the generosity of my in-laws, and the strength of a tight-knit community of friends, we’ve built something I once only dreamed of: a peaceful, nurturing home where my kids are thriving. I’m also working toward a better future by pursuing my nursing degree, and I begin clinicals and classes on August 19th during regular school hours so I can be present with my kids before and after school hours.

I have an incredibly hard time asking for help—but for my children, I’ll do anything that’s right and within the law to protect them.

Today, I’m not asking for help for myself—I’m asking for them.

Because now, just one day before Nursing school starts, I’m facing a legal emergency that could take two of my children away from spending 80% of their time with me—and I urgently need your help.

These two children of mine—ages 8 and 11—are from a previous marriage. Their father has a long history of abuse: physically in the past, and now emotionally, verbally, and financially. For the past five years, their father has done everything in his power to disrupt our lives and damage my relationship with them.

Here’s just a small fraction of what we’ve endured:

Refusing to return the children after his parenting time

Blocking my number on their devices so they can’t contact me directly

Filing repeated CPS reports, all of which have been dismissed

Him moving across state lines multiple times, with no long-term housing (in and out of their lives)

Trying to unenroll them from school without my consent

Yelling at me when I called just to say goodnight to our daughter and son using her smart watch—something as simple and loving as a bedtime call turned into a moment of stress and hostility

Speaking negatively about me in front of the children, causing confusion and emotional pain

Body-shaming our daughter, calling her “fat” or “heavy,” and pressuring her to lose weight during visits, making her feel self-conscious and anxious about her appearance

This isn’t just difficult co-parenting—it’s a pattern of parental alienation and emotional harm. A judge has already found him in contempt of court for violating the custody order by keeping the children from me.

I’ve followed every legal recommendation. I hired a lawyer. I’ve shown up to every hearing. But now, just 18 days away from my next—and possibly final—court hearing on August 18th, my attorney had to withdraw because I can no longer afford the remaining $8,000 in predicted legal fees, and I'm already $2,000 behind in services rendered.

I’ve already had to put nursing classes on hold to pick up work. My mother-in-law gave us a personal loan. My husband and I are doing everything we can while raising seven kids, including our newborn daughter, whom I’m still breastfeeding.

But I cannot keep placing the financial burden on those who have already sacrificed so much for us. And I am not willing to let lack of funds be the reason my children lose their stable home—or their emotional safety.

I applied for Legal Aid, hoping for help—but they’re so overwhelmed with cases, they told me they can’t take mine.

Some days, it truly feels like, because my ex has money, he can legally steamroll me into the ground. It’s like he’s trying to wear me and my loved ones down until we give up. And the court system lets him keep going. It feels so wrong.

I’ve already put parts of my education on hold. My mother-in-law gave us a personal loan. My husband and I are raising seven children—including a newborn I’m breastfeeding—while I try to finish school and work just to cover legal bills.

But then I had my baby, and now I can’t work anymore.

We’re doing everything we possibly can, but we can’t do this alone anymore.

This is about more than legal parenting schedules and custody. It’s about breaking the cycle of emotional damage and ensuring my children have peace, stability, and unconditional love.

I’m trying to raise funds to:

Hire a new family law attorney immediately

Prepare for my hearing on August 18th

Protect my children from ongoing emotional manipulation and instability

Even a small donation—$10, $25, $50—can help us take this last step toward justice. And if you can’t give, please share this campaign with someone who might be able to.

If you’ve ever felt like the system favors those with more money—please hear me now. I’m a mother fighting to protect her children from a situation that is damaging and deeply unfair.

They should have a relationship with their father and I have never stood in the way of that. But they should have a stable home without being moved around every other week. Children need to be able to put down roots and have stability.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story and stand with me and my family during the most difficult fight of my life.

With love and deep gratitude,

Cassandra Grimaldi