A Father's Fight to Support His Daughter

Hi everyone,

My name is James, and this is one of the hardest things I've ever had to write. I'm not someone who asks for help easily, but right now, I’m in a place where I truly need it.

Over the past year and a half, life has thrown more at me than I ever thought I could handle. I went through a painful divorce after nearly 10 years with my former partner, and in the time since, I’ve struggled through periods of homelessness, job loss, financial instability, and deep depression. I lived in my car, stayed with relatives when I could, and often just tried to survive one day at a time.

Despite all of that, I never stopped trying to get back on my feet. I’m now working full-time at Amazon. It’s not easy, but I’m grateful to have consistent income again. I currently live in a home shared with five other people, including two children. We help each other where we can, but money is still incredibly tight.

I’m also a father to a beautiful little girl named Juliana. She means the world to me. I want nothing more than to be the kind of father she can look up to — stable, present, and supportive. That’s why this GoFundMe exists.

I only recently found out about a child support obligation that was set without my knowledge while I was going through homelessness and unemployment. I wasn’t served and had no access to my email at the time because my phone was broken, and I couldn’t recover my login. As soon as I found out, I sent $100 to my daughter’s mother — it wasn’t much, but it was everything I had in that moment. (Just an FYI, I am not homeless anymore. I was able to establish stable living.)

Now, I’m being taken to court and facing a hearing where I have to prove I’m not willfully avoiding support. I’m doing everything I can to comply, but I need help covering legal expenses, transportation, food, and basic stability so I can continue showing up for my daughter.

If you’re able to help — whether it’s $5 or just sharing this link — I would be forever grateful. Every bit will go toward building a better, more stable future for me and for my daughter. My goal isn’t just to survive anymore — it’s to grow, to heal, and to be the kind of dad she can be proud of.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for believing in second chances.

With all my heart,

James Welch