I never imagined I would be in this situation, but life has taken some unexpected turns. Years ago, I worked for Walt Disney Feature Animation in California, painting movies and loving my job. When the company laid off 2,000 of us, my family moved to Colorado for a fresh start. Things were good for a while, but my husband struggled with alcoholism and eventually chose the bottle over his family. It hurt deeply, and I had to make the difficult decision to ask him to leave for the sake of my kids. Unfortunately, he returned and committed domestic violence, which led the state to take away my daycare license. I lost my five-bedroom house to foreclosure and have been fighting to survive ever since.

I worked at a hotel and then at assisted living, which I loved, but was let go for being 'too nice.' I moved into an apartment, and my boyfriend helped pay the rent, though I never felt comfortable relying on him. Sadly, he passed away, and now I don't make enough to keep the apartment. I'm currently facing eviction, but the management is buying me some time. My son has my dog, who is my emotional support animal, and I hope to be reunited with him soon. The funds from this fundraiser will help me secure a new apartment, cover basic needs like food and utilities, and hopefully bring my dog home. Every bit of support will help me rebuild and find stability.

Any support means the world to me right now. I never thought I would be in this situation, but your kindness can help me start over and find hope again.