I am a single dad raising my autistic son, who is now 18. I've been his primary caregiver since he was born, and we've been on our own since he was just a year and a half old. Over the years, we've faced some tough challenges, including a period of homelessness when he was younger. We lived in shelters, transitional housing, and went through rapid re-housing, but we managed to rebuild our lives together. For the past eleven years, we've been doing all right, and I've worked hard to provide stability for my son.

Recently, things have taken a difficult turn. I work as a contractor from home, but both of my projects were paused over a month ago, and I haven't been able to secure new contracts since. I've only made a small amount from trial tasks, and it's left us unable to pay rent and important bills. My son is very aware of the situation, and it's been frightening for him—he doesn't want to go back to being homeless. I'm actively working to secure Medi-Cal for him, which will allow us to access In Home Supportive Services and SSI. Medi-Cal will also help me pursue a conservatorship for my son, so I can legally support him with paperwork and other important needs. These programs will help us achieve long-term stability, but it will take a few months to get everything in place.

In the meantime, we need help to cover our basic expenses: rent, food, utilities, internet, phones, and other essentials. Your support will help us stay afloat during this transition and prevent us from losing our home. I've been my son's primary caregiver since birth, and I'm determined to keep him safe and secure. Any help you can offer means the world to us as we work toward a brighter, more stable future.