Help Eden and Adelaide get a new home! (van fund)

Hi there! I'm Eden (previously Evelyn). I have tried so many times to start writing this, struggling to find the words. I've worked tirelessly to prevent this and feared this outcome for a while. I'm in dire need of help and I'm out of options. I just became 100% homeless and I've sacrificed all of my parenting time of my child to my abuser for lack of safe space of mine, now going on three weeks and miss her greatly. I'd love nothing more than to get a new vehicle to live in that I'd also be able to have my child and ESA with me, somewhere safe, where I can start spending time with her again and more than anything, return to work so I can once again provide for myself and my family.

I'd like to share a little update for those who know me and a little on how I got here for those who don't, my series of unfortunate events if you like. I'm originally from the UK but moved to Michigan, USA just under 7 years ago. I came over on what is called a K-1 visa which is for marriage, expecting it to take two weeks after the guy I was to marry failed the marriage process for the UK and manipulated me into believing I'd be home again shortly after. I haven't yet been home since I married for government mishaps and delays on my paperwork after seeking grounds to stay under domestic violence clauses.

It was a year from my first arrival that we became legally married and had already moved twice in that time. A little over a year later, I gave birth to my sweet girl and started working early shifts at amazon four months postpartum, and switched to a nine hour nightshift not long after, leaving me an hour of solid sleep daily. Having not known anybody here prior and having not been able to drive, I was gravely unaware of what was considered normal, healthy or even legal in late teen/early twenties life and the USA. This changed when I began to make friends at work which the Husband, at the time, was ill fond of. I learned pretty soon after that I had not only been verbally, sexually, emotionally, and financially abused through the entirety of the relationship (with emphasis on the time I was pregnant), but also had an abnormal pregnancy where I couldn't keep food down and was incredibly sick, followed by a long, abnormal birth in which I lost a large quantity of blood, again, making me quite ill.

The past four years since I left the then husband, I have fought relentlessly to keep my child and apartment, struggling to do so even on 18-20 hour days and occasionally even whole weekends without rest. I could no longer keep crippling myself like this. I was unable to find cheaper housing and am ineligible for government assistance, therefore I made the decision to, at the end of my lease back in April, remove my biggest physical and financial stressor and reside in my truck instead, with intention of turning the bed into a camper. This would also allow more time to work on taking the ex back to court, get more rights in place for me and the child and even the grounds. To make things a little more difficult financially, one of the terms of entry to the us was to rely on a sponsor for any assistance and to refuse government support. Since my sponsor was my husband and he abandoned sponsorship after divorce, I am left entirely to my own devices. to further the lack of financial support, since I am still employed but on leave, I continue to make too much to partake in community programs and the larger sums I made for myself were via my vehicle.

Unfortunately due to my lack of knowledge surrounding the us legal justice system, I was unaware the divorce agreements were heavily in his favor, and lost a lot to him and continue to do so. I never once received a child support payment, and will have to go back to court to fight for this to be an option for me. The plan upon leaving the apartment also, was to originally buy a camper, but was denied financing for the derogatory marks acquired through his failure to uphold the divorce arrangements (six months to remove his vehicle from my name, failed, and faced repossession of said vehicle). This meaning my credit, no matter how good otherwise, is still basically rendered useless, and I continue to keep having to fight these systems.

Since I couldn't sign for my own vehicle from that point on, when the vehicle I was using post divorce broke down, a friend offered to have the truck run in their credit as it was cheaper by a good stretch, not to have my name on it at all. Though I had my reservations, I went with it under the agreement I make the payments. The arrangement worked and lasted to years as such until around November when I removed from my friends life at request of their new partner. At this time I began to receive a lot of abusive messages from said partner, whom I'd never met and still have not, attacking parts of me and my life that are sensitive. These messages came over a span of a few weeks and although got me paranoid, had rose no response or retaliation from me. I knew the security of my vehicle was likely in jeopardy from that point forward. Even still, I respected the boundary they set (no communication except for the truck). Not until April did I start getting messages demanding I pay off the truck, even knowing the current financial status to which I reminded them was an impossible ask. To that response, I began to be harassed and my insurance documents were withheld, preventing me from working what hustles I could. I began to accept the fate of the truck. With all the repairs it needed, even if I paid it off the money to fix and make it comfortable to live in longer term is unjustifiable. With that information, decided to turn the truck back over and avoid any further issues. Being prevented from working under all means resulted in breakdown prior to it being returned. The caliper had seized and exploded, rendering that wheel unusable. Handing the vehicle back might escape the repair costs, remove that barrier from me and from that situation also, but leaves me entirely stranded with no real way to make money.

Before the truck broke down, the child and I had been enjoying our weekends at various campsites, where she was happy to spend our time and felt safe. Though not much, without being at work, it got too expensive and as a result haven't been able to pay for a site or see my girl for more than a few hours, for now going three weeks.

Though I know this might not be everyone's idea of a solution, I feel that getting a vehicle I can live in that's paid in full, would allow me a fresh start and a chance to build a life I have thus far been denied. I won't give up on my child and I'm working everything I can to better my situation, but I can't make things happen overnight. I cant keep running the way I have, my body can't keep up anymore. It's time for a change and though this situation sucks, it gives me an opportunity to do so.

I want to thank everyone who has stood by and supported me, its not been an easy ride. Every last person that through these years has given me a lift somewhere, took me for a meal or coffee, offered a safe space, and those that showed up to help me take care of things or move places in some of the most difficult periods in my life. Thank you also to those who are standing by me now and refuse to see me fail or fall. I appreciate any help, donations and support through any of these channels and i will be sure to keep posting updates!

much love and thanks, Eden, Adelaide, and Anubis <3