My name is Charity. I've recently become unexpectedly homeless. Unfortunately, I didn't have any savings to move into a new home, so I've been living in my car for a week and a half.

I have five amazing children. Four who are living and one who tragically passed 4 and a half years ago at the young age of 18 months old. My four surviving children have been staying with their father until I'm able to get a new home.

I've been working with the Children's Home Society to try to get assistance to help cover deposits and first month's rent. Unfortunately, none of the organizations in the area have funding yet and may not until September. Thankfully, I am gainfully employed and well established at my job. It's just not enough to save up though, and I am barely getting by even without what I was previously paying in rent.

Especially with me living in my car, it's hot and having it running for air conditioning eats up gas, so I'm paying more in gas than I had been before. I have no way to cook food, so I'm having to eat out more, which gets very expensive even with using rewards and points and even my discount at work.

On top of it, I have 2 cats. One who I've had since he was born and I'm his person. I thankfully was able to find a temporary foster through a friend, and he's been there for about 2 weeks now, if not 3. I miss him terribly, and I know he has to be so confused. My other cat (she's actually my oldest daughter's cat) has been living in my car with me for about a week now. My friend who was keeping her for me went out of town for a few weeks and wasn't able to watch her for me anymore. She is about 16 or 17 years old, so none of the fosters in the area are willing to take her in. She has to eat a special canned food because she has no teeth. I thankfully have enough food for her for at least another week because I had it on auto delivery through Amazon, and I had a case and a half before all of this happened.

I did find a private landlord who has been really nice and willing to work with me on rent, deposit, and even the pet deposit. She even has multiple properties available or coming available. I just need to be able to get funding to cover all of that.

I miss all of my babies and I can't afford a hotel room every week for 2 days just to be able to see them. I have no family in the area who can help, and I have a restraining order against my children's father because of domestic violence. My babies are the ONLY thing keeping me going because I just can't leave them with him. I lost my baby due to his negligence and absolutely NOTHING was done about it, even though he was on probation for assaulting me when it happened.

I never in a million years thought my life would be this. I just don't know what else to do or where else to turn. Every time I try to make a better life for my kids and me, there's always roadblocks. Something has got to give.

If you've gotten this far, thank you so much for reading just a part of my story. This is just the tip of the iceberg, and it took so much for me to actually be able to tell even this part of my story and ask for help. If you do decide to donate, I can't even begin to describe to you how grateful I am.