I am a teacher in East Palo Alto and I am asking for donations to support an incredibly kind and loving single mother in crisis.

Mom is a Spanish-speaking immigrant who supports 3 children in East Palo Alto with a full-time job at a fast-food chain. She works incredibly hard to provide her kids with everything they need, while giving herself very little. The father of her children walked out on their family about 2 years ago and he does not contribute any support. She does not drive, is functionally illiterate, and does not speak English. She currently rents a room in a small, 1 bath house with multiple families and single adults in East Palo Alto.

Mom is truly one of the kindest, most hardworking, resilient, and genuinely good-hearted people I have ever met. She tirelessly tries her best to do everything on her own with a positive attitude. She has no family here, only a friendly neighbor she will soon move away from. She greets everyone with a big smile and a warm embrace. She puts on a happy, brave face, but erupts into quiet, pained tears when asked deeply how she is doing. She is an incredible person who is constantly stretched beyond her limits, perpetually pushing through extraordinary stress and trauma for the welfare of her children. She is an ever-loving and gentle soul who, by force of circumstances, is constantly sacrificing her own needs for her amazing kids.

Close to a year ago, mom’s middle school-aged daughter suffered an unspeakable trauma. Mom and her young siblings have rallied around to support her the best they can. This trauma will continue to have profound, overwhelming consequences throughout the rest of the entire family's lives.

Last month, Mom found out she needs to move out because her landlord is selling the property. Mom will move into a studio apartment in East Palo Alto that will cost her more than double what she was paying to rent out a room. Because of the effects of her daughter's trauma, Mom was advised by a mental health professional to find a more private living space, even though she cannot afford it. Mom is trying her best to give her daughter the privacy she needs to process and heal.

The local Target in East Palo Alto recently closed, which makes getting essentials even more challenging for Mom. She has had to rely on public transport for crucial medical appointments or ask friendly contacts for rides when public transport is not possible.

While we work on a longer-term plan with different agencies, I am trying to get Mom the cash support she needs to get through this acutely difficult period; she is unable to go back to work regularly because of the horrifying repercussions of what happened to her daughter. I really don’t know how she’s going to make it. She was barely making it, as is. Mom is one of the most incredible, kind, and warm people I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Why someone as deeply good as her has been dealt so many horrible cards simultaneously is beyond my comprehension. I am hoping some cash gives her a small sense of relief while she tirelessly struggles to make ends meet in seemingly impossible circumstances. Please help her know that she is not fighting alone in this world.