A year ago, I had to separate from a toxic marriage for the safety of myself and my son.

Today, the divorce is over, but the weight of the $20,000 divorce bill still weighs heavily on my son and I’d ability to move forward. It was a price I was willing to pay, to ensure that my son would be safe when in his father’s care. And yet, that price is now the reason I struggle to make ends meet, working endlessly to provide for my son the life he deserves.

When my son and I left, it took the last of my savings to put a downpayment on a small studio apartment so we might have a home. With the weight of the divorce payments, high cost of living in San Diego, and unforeseen medical bills, I am barely able to scrape by each day. I’ve tried to find a cheaper apartment, but the burden of the divorce bill has destroyed my credit. Nor can I leave San Diego, as current custody requires he remains in the same city as both his mother and father.

Right now, I work three jobs, and am always looking for more opportunities to establish a foundation for my son and I. And yet, I cannot build a foundation if every dollar I make must immediately be redirected to the $20,000 bill of ensuring the divorce and custody would guarantee my son’s safety.

A donation of any kind would help release my son and I from the crippling weight of unmanageable debt. Not only is the financial burden real, but the emotional weight of never being able to do enough, despite giving your everything, is leaving my son’s mama, once full of smiles and play, with little energy for anything that doesn’t pay.

A donation of any kind would allow my son and I to rebuild, heal, and move forward.

Thank you for your consideration

Autumn