From Homeless to Hopeful, A Mom of 3 Fighting for Survival

Hi, my name is Claire, and I’m a mom to three beautiful kids—my wonderful son who is six, my loving daughter who is two, and my one-year-old baby girl. After years in a relationship with emotional abuse, manipulation, and escalating physical harm, I finally left. We’re now homeless, bouncing between couches and running out of safe places to go. I have made hundreds of calls over the last few weeks to every shelter, every emergency assistance program, every community action program, desperately reaching out for anyone who can help us. I left to try and provide safety and stability and have been met with challenge after challenge. My kids and I are tired, but I will NEVER stop fighting for them.

I never thought I’d be here, asking for help. I’ve always tried to carry the weight quietly, to hold our little family together through the chaos. But right now, we need stability. My kids need a safe place to sleep, even just for a little while.

I'm asking to start with $1,300 to cover one month in an extended-stay hotel while we wait for a spot in HUD housing or rapid rehousing. I have started the process of working with W-2 and other local programs to get connected to a job, because before this, for six years, I was a stay-at-home mom. I’m doing everything I can, taking every step to provide a home, safety, and stability for my children. I just need help bridging the gap.

My six-year-old has been through more than any child should. He’s scared and confused and just wants to feel safe again. He doesn’t understand why we can’t just go home and have to keep sleeping on couches. My two-year-old is still attached to me all the time; any time I’m out of her sight, she is crying, asking where mommy went and very concerned… she won’t even mention her father’s name anymore. My one-year-old cries at night from emotional stress. They deserve a quiet space, a bed, a break. Somewhere mommy can give them a warm bath, a home-cooked meal, and tuck them in every night with a story. A place to breathe. A place to feel safe and secure. Right now, their only safety is Mom.

I’ve fought so hard to protect them. I’ve gone without meals to keep them fed. I’ve left behind everything familiar just to keep them safe. I’ve asked every organization I can, but local shelters are full, and we’ve already been turned away from programs I thought would help us.

Your donation would give us one month of safety. One month to rest. One month to breathe while I keep fighting for a future.

Even if you can’t donate, please share this. You might be the reason someone sees our story and helps. And most of all, please pray for us. Through every struggle, every hardship, every test we face, my children and I are trusting God to pull us through.

Thank you for reading. Thank you for caring.

With hope,

Claire