Mom in Need of New Car ASAP

First off, I apologize for how long this is. I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read it.

This is beyond humbling, but I am in such a bind and I don't know where else to turn.

I work. Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you that I work any and every chance I get. Whether it's serving or doordash, I stay busy and do all I can to stay afloat. It is rare that I'm actually able to take a day off to myself and relax, but as the saying goes, there's no rest for the wicked.

I've created this campaign to try to get myself out of a hole and get above water. Right now, I'm not just drowning. I'm at the bottom of the river tied to cement blocks. If it isn't one thing it's another, and the moment I feel like things are going okay I get knocked right back down. I've stayed resilient and tried to fight my way back up, but it's not easy.

I guess I can start with a list of the things that are holding me back right now.

-My rent has been paid by SAFHR through this month. I have a small amount that is credited toward my account, but not enough to cover the month of August. I am planning on applying again if I cannot come up with the funds to pay my rent, but the process takes so long and those late fees accumulate to just as much as (sometimes more than) my monthly payment. By the time the credit goes through, what I am actually receiving toward my rent is significantly less than the grant amount because most of it goes toward those late fees.

-My storage unit containing about half of my belongings is in jeopardy. I am two months behind and it is about to go up for auction. I haven't been able to get into it since the beginning of June because my gate code is disabled and there is an overlock on my unit. Even if I could get my stuff out, I have nowhere to store it and no room in my apartment.

-My car is quite literally a death trap. It has a bad engine and no air conditioning, along with two busted out windows. The windows don't really matter, I guess. However, I deliver doordash to try to supplement my income. This car is pretty much the only thing barely keeping us afloat right now. I also have to take my son to and from school 5 days a week because I live out of the district and they cannot transport him to my home. It is definitely a struggle. My engine goes into limp mode more times than I can count just from my apartment to the first set of lights, which isn't even a mile away. I can't tell you how many times I have to throw it in neutral and restart it while I'm moving. I have a note on the back window and half the time I'm driving with my hazard lights on. But sometimes, people aren't paying attention. The car stalls while I am pulling on to busy roadways, while I am trying to take off from a light or a stop sign, and a lot of the time while I'm actually moving. Outside of almost being hit multiple times,

I've also been screamed at and called names while people pass me and that's just adding to the stress. I have nothing to put toward another car, and my trade in value is little to nothing. My credit is very poor and my debt to income ratio is astoundingly greater on one side than the other. I couldn't even get approved at the places where "everyone" gets approved.

-Though I am employed, my availability makes it very difficult to earn the income that I need just to do the bare minimum. Even with supplementing my income with doordash, it's nowhere near enough. With my son's school schedule, I only have a 5 1/2 hour window of availability Monday through Friday, except for Thursdays because he gets out early. So I am only available 4 days a week, but it doesn't stop there. I work as a server in our restaurant doesn't open until 11:00. My son gets out of school at 2:00 and it takes me roughly 15 to 20 minutes to get to him when my car is having a good day. So I am only able to work until about 1:30. In order for me to finish out my tables and get all of my side work done, I have to be cut about 30 to 45 minutes before that, meaning that I don't take any more tables after I've been at work for less than 2 hours. I'm also not scheduled every single day that I'm available. I earn tips, but working for 2 hours a day for just a few days a week barely earns enough to cover just one bill for the month. Doordash earns me a couple hundred if I'm lucky, and that's if I'm able to do it consistently. I have to wait for a notification that they need drivers, and most days those notifications come through at 11:00 a.m. when I am about to go to work, or around 9:00 p.m. when my son is already in bed. Even when I'm able to take the delivery shifts, there is still the issue of my car barely being able to get around. I am taking on a new opportunity to earn extra money, but it will be a while before there is any profit because I have to go through the courses and get licensed.

-Childcare has been difficult to find considering the specific requirements needed in order to keep my son. I won't go into much detail with that, but it is better for him to be in a one-on-one setting unless multiple adults are present. His care has been terminated from the two main daycares in his school district, so I'm stuck trying to find an in-home caregiver that is both reliable and affordable who also doesn't care for any more children. That makes it difficult, because the pay rate would need to be higher and honestly, even with help, I just can't afford it.

If you've made it this far, I appreciate you taking the time to read this. There is so much more that I need help with, but these are the issues that are really pressing right now. I hate asking for help, especially from people that I don't even know. But, it's unfortunately come to this point and I am hoping that many of you have the grace and compassion to help.

I will be posting updates as things start to look up. I appreciate each and every one of you and I am hoping that maybe this campaign can be a new start for me and my son.

God Bless❤️