Dear Friends,

I’m posting today because I need urgent help. My family and I are in a crisis, no two ways about it. This might be a bit of a long read, so thank you for reading.

At the end of January 2025, I was RIF’d (laid-off) for being in a DEI--program at my agency. That DEI Program? The Voluntary Leave Donation Program (VLDP) where your coworkers can donate unused/unneeded leave to those experiencing difficulties requiring more time-off. I was in this program to care for Katie during her breast cancer treatment and to help manage Grayson’s (our autistic 13 yo son) significant support needs. We had about 6-months of savings to live on. I had hoped that amount would be sufficient before my appeal would be complete. Well, that didn’t happen. The EEO investigations at my agency were transferred to a contractor vs. being done in-house.

After the tens of thousands of RIF’s done in the federal government this year, the EEO departments were inundated with investigations and had to outsource the work. They missed their own deadlines. Wouldn’t allow me to work during the appeal process because I could potentially be awarded back pay, so I didn’t get a job. We lived off savings hoping things would be resolved but once they started missing their own deadlines and transferred my case to yet another investigator, I decided I can’t wait any longer and had to get another job. I had found a very good job, but then the shutdown struck, and the position was put on hold. In our business, Environmental Restoration/Geotechnical, there’s a lot of federal money which drives the work. With everyone unsure of what funding is coming for this FY, it’s had a devastating effect on the entire industry.

While searching for a job and dealing with this, we’ve also been dealing with the fact that we had to move. We moved into a farmhouse on a very large farm in our area 2 years ago to be caretakers for a family who lived out of state. They notified us that they were intending on moving their adult son into our house and that we needed to move in August. Since we were on a month-to-month lease and had a fairly casual agreement, we didn’t have much recourse. But it’s hard to find a willing landlord when you don’t have a job or income. Monday (11/3/25), with the help of a beloved person, we were able to move into an extended stay hotel for a few weeks to hopefully get things together, but unfortunately it’s likely going to take longer than their extremely generous 2-week gift is going to last. Our reservation is valid through 11/14, after that we have nowhere to go if we can’t stay here.

If that sounds dramatic, it is. I’m hard up on it, hard up against it. Unfortunately, we just can’t leave the area and go stay with extended family or friends. Because of Grayson’s placement at the residential autism behavioral school in NJ, we HAVE to live in Howard County. And while we know this hiccup is temporary, it’s also terrifying to think of Grayson having to do a rapid, abbreviated transition home back to live with us (in temporary housing, who knows where?) and the trauma that would cause him and us to do that without the proper reintroduction to our living space, etc.

And to top all of that off, because we’re currently on Medicaid, they ONLY provide services in Maryland. Grayson’s school is in NJ and is requiring now that we provide them with an individually purchased health, dental and vision insurance off of the health insurance marketplace for them to get him services in NJ and not having to transport him 3-hours to Maryland to receive regular care. A 6-month policy is over $3,650 for all of those. If we don’t provide them, then he’s out of compliance and they may have to prematurely discharge him due to that non-compliance and send him home. This is a terrifying possibility, as we found out that for many years before we were able to find proper help. Though he’s much better now, the violent tirades still exist. He has knocked out two of Katie’s molars and broke her nose already. He’s not like that a lot, but when he is, it can be extremely challenging.

If you know my wife and I; you know this is not how we do things. I’m not happy about having to ask for help at all. But I have no choice. There’s no such thing as pride when your family is suffering. We’re hard workers who take pride in handling things ourselves and being our strong nuclear family of four. But friends, this year 2025 has been one that challenges that maxim. I need help. Any amount helps. I need to be sure we can stay in this hotel through the end of the year, at least, if I’m being realistic. I need help finding a job (in Maryland or remote would be preferred; relocation right now would be very difficult but not impossible for the right situation). I need help getting this policy for Grayson and other forthcoming expenses that are now on our plate owing to the current administration changes.

You’re our community and we’re asking for your help. I am sure requests for help are coming from a lot of people you know. I know we are not alone in this; I’m not shaking my fist at the sky bemoaning my plight. I’m just trying to get this ship righted. I’m just a guy trying to keep my head down and my family alive and healthy. The bottom line is a lot of people are struggling right now who have never struggled like this before. We never thought in a million years that our family would be housing or food insecure. Not for a minute. But the phrase “We’re all only a few paychecks away from being destitute” has never rung more true.

Thank you in advance for your help and consideration. If you choose to help my family during this challenging time, you have my undying support and loyalty. But if we’re friends, you already had it, and may not have known it ;)

With Love,

Christian and Katie