Welp, here I am. In a position I never thought I would be in. Asking for help has always made me feel like I was accepting defeat, and people would see me as a failure.

It was a tough decision to walk away and raise my kids on my own so many years ago, but all I’ve ever wanted was to give them a good, peaceful life and work as hard as I could. But I have been out of work for so long now, and everything (and I mean everything) has slipped out of my control. I need help.

While I had my head down, pushing hard, isolating myself, doing what I had to do, I missed all these people around me that see me in a way I could never see myself, and assured me that asking for help usually takes more strength than suffering in silence alone. And that brings me here.

My goal is to find work, find a safe place to live, take care of my family, and eventually get to a place where I can help others down the line who have run out of options and time. I know a lot of people are struggling now. I know it’s really scary right now for a lot of people. Thank you for reading to the end if you’re still here! I appreciate that as well.