My name is James, and I spent my career as a letter carrier in North Jacksonville. After retiring, I became disabled, and my wife suffered a stroke that left her unable to work. We also care for our 21-year-old child who has Asperger's, which adds to our daily challenges and responsibilities. Life took a difficult turn when I had to leave home for a couple of months, trusting someone to handle my bills. Unfortunately, that trust was broken, and my retirement savings were spent on everything but the bills. Now, I find myself three months behind on my mortgage and struggling to keep up with all my other bills. I’ve been working DoorDash to make ends meet, but it’s just not enough to catch up.

On top of caring for my family, I’ve also rescued five dogs that were abandoned by their previous owners. I couldn’t bear to leave them to fend for themselves, so they became part of our family. The thought of losing our home is terrifying—not just for my wife, child, and me, but for our dogs as well. If we lose the house, we would be homeless, and I fear I’d have no choice but to bring these poor dogs to the pound. I can’t imagine what would happen to them there.

It’s not easy for me to ask for help; it hurts my pride to reach out like this. But I don’t know what else to do. I am deeply grateful to anyone who takes the time to read our story, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for any support you can offer, whether it’s a donation or simply sharing our story with others.