I am an Army veteran and a single father. One year ago, I discovered I had a young daughter who had been placed in foster care after being removed from her mother in a dependency and neglect case. After a year of court proceedings, I was awarded full custody in early November, my daughter was permanently placed with me, and the case was officially closed.

The first weeks together were extremely challenging. My daughter has significant trauma-based behavioral needs, including intense screaming fits lasting two to three hours and episodes of self-harm. While November daycare was temporarily covered by the department, my application for ongoing daycare assistance is still pending, leaving December childcare uncertain. Out of necessity, I brought her mother to Utah to help with after-school care and to navigate my daughter’s trauma, but this decision proved counterproductive and costly. I still had to miss significant work, and ultimately, her mother returned to Colorado and the same unhealthy environment that led to our daughter’s removal. Just days before Christmas break, I had to make an abrupt trip to Colorado to return her and come back to Utah alone.

I moved to Utah originally to be near my oldest daughter, who had agreed to help, but she later had a change of heart and was unable to provide support. I now have no one here to help care for my daughter. This GoFundMe is a last resort to help cover daycare so I can continue working and to help cover rent while we stabilize. My goal is to return to a self-sustaining routine and provide my daughter with a safe, stable, and healthy home—free from toxic influences. Any support, or even sharing this fundraiser, would mean more than I can express. Thank you for helping me protect what I worked so hard to build for my daughter.