My daughter and I, along with our two cats, are currently without a stable place to call home. We do our best to get by—when my daughter gets paid from her part-time job, we’re sometimes able to stay in a motel for a few nights, but most of the time we’re searching for a safe, pet-friendly place to stay. The affordable motels we can access aren’t safe, especially for my daughter and our pets, and it’s been a constant struggle to find somewhere secure and stable.

I’ve tried hard to find work, especially overnight jobs, but haven’t had any luck. My autism makes communication challenging at times, especially when it comes to explaining my needs or navigating rental applications. Many people don’t have the patience or understanding for how different each person on the spectrum can be. My daughter helps as much as she can, but her income isn’t enough for us to get ahead. We’re facing real financial barriers, and it’s been difficult to find a landlord willing to work with us because of our situation and our pets.

Having a stable home would mean everything to us. It would give us a safe place for my daughter and our cats, and allow me to focus on my schooling to become a truck driver so I can support my family in the future. Our cats also need to be spayed, and a home would give us a safe place for their aftercare. Any support will help us cover a security deposit, first month’s rent, and moving costs, and bring us closer to the safety and stability we need.