Help a Mother and Child Stay Safe, Fed, and Legally Protected

Trigger warning: domestic violence, family court, ICE intimidation for a legal US citizen

I’m raising funds for a woman and her elementary-school-aged child whom I’ve known and cared deeply about for over two years. This is not a stranger. She is someone I love - and someone facing a convergence of legal, financial, and safety pressures all at once.

Several years ago, she married an American man and moved to the U.S. from a country in Latin America to build a life together. They were married for many years. Over time, his behavior became controlling and physically abusive. She eventually left to protect herself and her child.

Since then, she has been navigating an ongoing divorce and family court process while working and raising her child. She has worked hard to remain financially responsible and independent—but right now, the legal process itself is creating an extraordinary strain.

Multiple challenges are colliding at once:

A time-sensitive family court hearing related to custody is imminent.

She needs strong legal representation to protect herself and her child during this process.

Because English is not her first language, she wants an interpreter for court so she can fully understand and advocate for herself.

She is continuing to work and cover her own housing costs, while absorbing significant legal and day-to-day expenses.

Basic necessities—like gas to get to work and court, and groceries to feed her family—have become an added pressure at the worst possible moment.

With increased immigration enforcement activity in our region and a documented pattern of intimidation from her ex-husband, she lives with the constant fear that immigration authorities could be weaponized against her simply to threaten or destabilize her—despite the fact that she and her child are legally in the United States.

She is doing everything right—and still feels like she’s drowning.

I’m raising money to provide a targeted safety net during this critical window: legal protection and basic necessities so she can stay employed, show up for court, and care for her child without constantly choosing between groceries, gas, and legal fees.

How the funds will be used

Funds will be used carefully and transparently to support her through this legal period, including:

Family law legal fees (paid directly to counsel)

Court-related interpretation support

Grocery and gas gift cards, issued periodically, so she can continue working, attending court, and caring for her child

She is continuing to pay her own rent. This fund is intentionally focused on legal protection and essential day-to-day needs, not long-term financial support.

To protect her and her child, funds are being raised and managed by me and used only for the purposes outlined above. Support will be disbursed thoughtfully over time rather than all at once, and personal details and images are being limited to safeguard their privacy and safety.

For those who don’t know me personally, you’re welcome to look me up (Anne Royse). I have a long history of showing up for others and am in a stable financial position myself. Every single dollar raised will go toward supporting her and her child in the ways described above. Every dollar raised—including any interest earned while funds are held—will be used to support her and her child. I will handle any associated tax obligations.

Why this matters

So many people feel exhausted and overwhelmed by what’s happening in the world right now. This is one tangible way to make one person’s world lighter—to help a mother and child stay protected, fed, and represented when it matters most.

If you’re able to give, thank you.

If you can’t, sharing this helps more than you know.

With gratitude,

Anne