Help Me Move Next Door To My Mom And Avoid Disaster Moving Costs

Hi Everyone

I am a nearly sixty-year-old grad student, a mom, and a daughter trying very hard to do the right thing while my bank account screams for mercy.

My mom is eighty and lives in her family home in Pittsburgh, California. She wants to stay at home as she ages, and I want to be close enough to help her with the day-to-day things that keep her safe and comfortable. By some miracle, a rental opened up two doors away from her. I got approved for the place, which felt like winning the lottery.

Here is where things fell apart.

I became very ill during the pandemic, and it wiped out my savings and my ability to work full-time. I went back to school, and I am finishing my Master's in Public Administration this June. My daughter is a senior in college. We are doing all the “right” things, but we are flat broke. Every month has been a scramble to keep a roof over our heads.

I booked movers at a price I could barely afford. Ten days before moving day, they increased the charge to me. A lot. I do not have the extra money they are asking for to complete the move. I am sitting between two lives right now. One foot in my old place in Oakland that I cannot afford, and one foot in the new home next door to my mom that I desperately need. What I do not have is the money to bridge that gap.

I am asking for help to:

Pay the surprise extra moving costs

Cover the last bits of rent and utilities so I can get out of my current place cleanly

Land safely next door to my mom so I can be her support person without facing eviction or collections

I am not looking for a lifestyle upgrade. I want stability for my family. A simple, safe home near my mom. A place where my daughter can finish her degree, and where I can finish grad school, work from home, and show up for my mother while she still has time left in that house she loves.

If you know me, you know I have spent my life working, organizing, and caring for my community. Asking for help like this feels awful and vulnerable. But I also know that sometimes the only way forward is to say the quiet part out loud.

I cannot do this move alone.

If you are able to donate, any amount helps. Truly. Five or ten dollars adds up and gets us closer to paying the movers and closing out the old lease. If you cannot give, sharing this with others is also a huge help.

Thank you for helping me take care of my mom, finish school, and get back on my feet after a tough few years. I am ready to move into the next chapter. I just need a little help across this last, painful stretch.

With gratitude,

Debby