My name is Krystal, and I am a single mother of two beautiful children—a five-year-old and an eight-month-old. Recently, our lives were turned upside down when I made the difficult decision to leave an abusive relationship for the safety of my children. I had hoped that giving their father another chance would bring our family together, but I soon discovered he was struggling with addiction and had become violent. I endured his abuse for as long as I could, even lying to the police when neighbors called out of concern. But eventually, I reached my breaking point.

With no support from my family, who believed I was enabling his addiction, I found myself completely alone. One cold day, I gathered my children and left with nothing but the clothes on our backs. In the chaos, I left behind all of our identification—our IDs, social security cards, and birth certificates—which were later used as leverage against me. I refused to go back, determined to protect my children at all costs. Now, without proper identification, I am unable to access shelters or receive the help we desperately need. My children and I are out here together, and while I do everything I can to make sure they eat, even that is becoming harder each day. I haven’t eaten in days, but my priority is always my kids.

I am reaching out to ask for any help that the almighty puts on your heart to give. Your support will help us find a safe place to sleep, put food on the table, and replace our lost credentials so we can start rebuilding our lives. I promise that as soon as I am able, I will pay your kindness forward. Thank you for considering helping my family. May God bless you and your loved ones. Thank you all for your potential support.