Donation protected
In 2015, Megan and Jim Bingman fostered a 9 year old boy, and quickly realized he needed more mental health services than Medicaid would cover. Five months later, they adopted him as quickly as they could to add him to their health insurance. After 2 years of struggling to help him, their adopted son violently assaulted one of their daughters (please no questions about this), and CYS determined that it was not safe for him to be in a home with other children, so they removed him.
The stress of losing their son brought on some life-threatening health issues for Megan, including an emergency hysterectomy, a pulmonary embolism, broken bones, and severe anxiety. As the medical bills mounted, they learned that because they had adopted their foster child, they would be forced to pay child support. In addition, CYS was not giving the boy the services he needed, so they hired a lawyer at their own expense to make sure he would get the help he needs.
Fortunately, the boy has been in a loving foster home since he left Megan and Jim, and this couple (who doesn’t have children) want to adopt him. In order for that to happen, Megan and Jim recently went to court to terminate their parental rights. They sat in front of a judge and said that they were okay not knowing anything about him in the future, agreeing to move forward knowing that this was what they must do. Just after the court proceeding, Jim took a significant COVID pay reduction while still working full time. Megan has been home caring for the girls, fighting serious anxiety and panic attacks, continue to heal from her medical issues, while taking on various part time jobs to make up the difference in pay, as she can no longer work as a health practitioner due to her health issues.
Now, they have been notified that not only is domestic relations refusing to stop taking the child support out of Jim’s check, but they are also taking out an additional $930 per month. This completely breaks them financially. They have sold what they can and scraped together what they can, but they need our help.
To say that they have had no time to grieve this entire situation is an understatement. They are devastated and heartbroken. Friends, if we can lighten their financial burden even just a little, this family will have more space, time, and resources to heal. Let’s give them that.
Please consider a donation of any size.
The stress of losing their son brought on some life-threatening health issues for Megan, including an emergency hysterectomy, a pulmonary embolism, broken bones, and severe anxiety. As the medical bills mounted, they learned that because they had adopted their foster child, they would be forced to pay child support. In addition, CYS was not giving the boy the services he needed, so they hired a lawyer at their own expense to make sure he would get the help he needs.
Fortunately, the boy has been in a loving foster home since he left Megan and Jim, and this couple (who doesn’t have children) want to adopt him. In order for that to happen, Megan and Jim recently went to court to terminate their parental rights. They sat in front of a judge and said that they were okay not knowing anything about him in the future, agreeing to move forward knowing that this was what they must do. Just after the court proceeding, Jim took a significant COVID pay reduction while still working full time. Megan has been home caring for the girls, fighting serious anxiety and panic attacks, continue to heal from her medical issues, while taking on various part time jobs to make up the difference in pay, as she can no longer work as a health practitioner due to her health issues.
Now, they have been notified that not only is domestic relations refusing to stop taking the child support out of Jim’s check, but they are also taking out an additional $930 per month. This completely breaks them financially. They have sold what they can and scraped together what they can, but they need our help.
To say that they have had no time to grieve this entire situation is an understatement. They are devastated and heartbroken. Friends, if we can lighten their financial burden even just a little, this family will have more space, time, and resources to heal. Let’s give them that.
Please consider a donation of any size.
Organizer and beneficiary
Molly Countermine
Organizer
State College, PA
Megan Bingman
Beneficiary