My name is Jason, and I’m a single dad working full-time to provide a stable, comfortable home for my 15-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son.

For the past several months, I’ve been doing everything I can to find a rental home for us. We now have until November 1st to move out of the home where we’ve been staying, and I’m asking for help raising the remaining money we need to secure a place of our own and give my kids a home they can finally call theirs.

My kids and I have been through a lot together, but through it all, we’ve always had each other.

I lost both of my parents when I was a child, and my grandparents have since passed away as well. The mother of my children struggled with drug and alcohol addiction and has been absent from their lives since they were very young, so I’ve raised them on my own. For most of our lives, the three of us have really only had each other, and over the years, we’ve built an incredibly close bond. Being their dad has been the greatest responsibility and privilege of my life.

My daughter is a junior in high school and an exceptionally intelligent, hardworking student with a 4.0 GPA. She’s focused, determined, and committed to building a good future for herself. My son is in 8th grade. He’s very smart, loves basketball, and works hard at both his schoolwork and the sport he loves. I couldn’t be prouder of either of them.

For nine years, the three of us lived in a two-bedroom apartment, with my kids sharing a bedroom. We made it work, but as they got older, I wanted to give them more space and a home where they could each have a room of their own. As a single dad raising two kids on one income, though, I had to prioritize our everyday needs: rent, utilities, food, transportation, school expenses, and all the other costs that come with raising a family. I worked hard to provide for them, but saving enough for the large upfront costs of a three-bedroom rental was difficult.

Earlier this year, I made the difficult decision to temporarily move us into the home of a longtime family friend so I could reduce our expenses and save toward that goal.

She’s an elderly woman who was a close friend of my late grandmother, and when we needed somewhere to go, she graciously opened her home to us. I will always be grateful for the kindness she showed my children and me.

Our plan was simple: keep working, cut expenses, save as much as possible, and eventually move into a home of our own.

Then, last summer, several unexpected setbacks hit us one after another.

My truck broke down and needed costly repairs. My daughter had a medical emergency. Then, most of our furniture and personal belongings were stolen from the garage where we had been storing them. Among the stolen items was my son’s most prized possession: his binder of Pokémon cards, a collection he had spent years building and deeply cherished.

These setbacks wiped out much of what we had worked so hard to save and pushed our goal further out of reach, just when we were trying to get ahead.

But even when things got harder, I never stopped trying to find a way forward for my kids.

Our stay with our family friend was always meant to be temporary. Now, she has reached a point in her life where she needs additional care, and her full-time caregiver recently moved into the home. To make room, my kids and I are now sharing one bedroom. We’re grateful that we had a place to stay when we needed it, but it has become even more urgent for us to find a home of our own.

I’m continuing to work, save, and do everything I can to secure a rental. We’re still short of the money needed for the upfront costs, including the security deposit, utility deposits, and moving expenses. With November 1st approaching, time is running out, and I’m doing everything possible to close that final gap so we can move into a place of our own.

We’re closer than ever to reaching our goal, but we still need a little help getting there.

The money raised will go directly toward the security deposit and other upfront costs of securing a rental home, covering our remaining moving expenses, and replacing some of the furniture and basic necessities my kids and I lost.

I’ve cut expenses, saved what I could, and done my best to handle these costs on my own. Asking for help isn’t easy, but I know what having a stable home would mean for my children. After everything we’ve been through, I want to give them a place where they can have their own space, feel settled, and focus on being kids without worrying about what comes next.

My kids don’t ask for much. They’re kind, caring, generous kids with big hearts, and they’ve never complained about sharing a room or the circumstances we’re living through. They continue to work hard, stay positive, and make the best of every situation, even when life hasn’t been easy. Seeing the way they handle these challenges makes me proud to be their dad every single day.

I want them to know that no matter what life throws our way, we’ll keep moving forward together. I’ve worked toward giving them a home of their own for a long time, and we’re finally within reach of making that happen.

Any amount, no matter how small, would bring us one step closer to that goal. If you’re unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser with friends, family, coworkers, or anyone who might be willing to help would mean so much to us, too.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story, for caring about what my children and I are going through, and for helping us get closer to a place we can finally call home. Every donation, share, kind word, and prayer means more than I can adequately express.

Much Love,

Jason P.