My name is Christie, and I'm a mother of 4 and I'm in a rough spot. Please read until the end.

For nearly three years, I have been rebuilding my life from the ground up after leaving domestic violence to protect my children. We have spent 17 months homeless while I work toward stability through school and court.

Our Story

I was married in 2019. Not long before the wedding, the abuse began, and over time it escalated into severe domestic violence. Between 2020 and 2023, I gave birth to three beautiful little girls. I was a stay-at-home mother, as we had planned when we married. I devoted myself fully to my children, and we had planned for me to homeschool them.

In 2022–2023, the abuse became terrifyingly unpredictable. I never knew what each day would bring when I woke up. The moment that changed everything was when my husband smashed out the rear window of my car while my babies were strapped into their car seats. Glass was everywhere. That was the day I knew I had to leave. I could not allow my children to be harmed or to grow up thinking that abuse is normal or acceptable.

I filed for a restraining order, which was granted, and I left with my children. I already had a son from a previous relationship, and I co-parent with his father, which meant I couldn’t leave the area. Overnight, I became a single mother of four with no job, no home, and no local family or support system.

Homelessness and Survival

Our journey since then has been incredibly difficult. We first stayed in an emergency hotel paid for through a domestic violence resource center. After that, I was approved for a short-term housing voucher. During that voucher period, I was pregnant and gave birth to my youngest daughter. I was still waiting for childcare approval so I could begin rebuilding my life.

Childcare was finally approved just two months before the housing voucher ended—too late to secure stable housing. When the voucher expired, we had to move out with nowhere to go. I put everything we own into storage and began rotating between friends, family, and hotels when possible.

It took two full months of homelessness just to get into a shelter. That shelter only allowed a 90-day stay, and we were required to leave the day after Christmas last year with no placement lined up. Once again, we relied on friends and hotels.

I enrolled in cosmetology school because I know this career will allow me to provide for my children long-term. During this time, I was driving over an hour each way every day—dropping my children at daycare and school, attending my own classes, then picking everyone up and driving back.

My insurance approved a 28-day hotel stay so we could be closer to school and daycare. I had to reapply every 28 days, often receiving approval on the very day we were supposed to leave. Insurance only allows a maximum of three months every three years. After that ended, we entered another 90-day shelter and once again had to leave with nowhere to go.

In September, we were finally accepted into a shelter through Family Promise. It’s an old hotel, and my children and I all share one small room. We don’t have a kitchen—only a microwave and a tiny refrigerator—but I am deeply grateful that this shelter does not have a strict 90-day limit. We have now been homeless for 17 months.

Where We Are Now

I am on every housing list available, including long-term housing, but I was recently told it is unlikely we will be housed soon because families with disabilities are prioritized.

I attend cosmetology school Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. My younger children are in daycare Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. This leaves me only one day a week to schedule appointments or try to earn a small amount of money for gas.

My monthly expenses include:

• Car insurance: $279 (increased after an accident last year)

• Phone bill: $100 (currently behind, paying $90 payments)

• Out-of-pocket daycare costs: $200

• Storage unit: $213 (originally $112, but it has increased)

None of this includes gas, medications, or basic needs for my children. I drive over 300 miles a week just to keep our lives functioning.

Our storage unit holds everything we own—clothes, baby items, memories, and necessities for my children. I recently received help to prevent it from being auctioned, for which I am incredibly grateful. I applied through my health insurance to have storage covered for six

months, but the application was denied due to an error made by the representative who completed it. They will not allow an appeal. Our storage is now scheduled to go to auction on January 6, and I need $839 to stop it.

Legal and Safety Concerns

I recently had court for my divorce, child support, and visitation. There will be another hearing in March. I am submitting a declaration requesting no visitation due to serious safety concerns. I also learned that my children’s father has not worked for six months, making child support extremely unlikely. He has not contributed financially since 2022.

Why I’m Asking for Help

I feel ashamed asking for help again, but I don’t have another option. I am doing everything I can—going to school, caring for my children, and pushing forward despite overwhelming obstacles. This is our second Christmas living in a shelter. Because we don’t have a kitchen, we rely on ready-made foods, which quickly exhaust any funds that we have.

I am asking for help to:

• Prevent our storage from being auctioned

• Cover essential monthly bills

• Help us survive until I finish school and can fully support my children

I am working toward my full cosmetology license, and once I graduate, I will be able to work in a salon or spa and build a stable future for my family. This is not a long-term ask—this is help during the hardest chapter of our lives.

If you are able to donate, share, or simply keep us in your thoughts, it would mean more than I can express. Thank you for taking the time to read our story and for helping me protect and provide for my children.

With gratitude, A mom doing everything she can for her kids