On Friday night, after visiting my beautiful toddler who my cousins are caring for while I work on getting back on my feet, I experienced something that changed my life. A friend asked me to pick him up for a neighborhood meeting. When I arrived, I greeted his roommate’s dog, who I’d met before. As I was petting him, he suddenly bit my face. In shock and pain, I ran to the bathroom and called 911 as blood ran down my face and out of my eye. I was terrified the dog would attack again, so I ran outside to wait for help.

At the ER, the staff showed me so much empathy and concern. I cried, asking what had happened to my face, and the doctor reassured me they would take care of me. The eye doctor stitched my eyes and cheeks back together, and after a few hours of rest, I was sent home without painkillers. The trauma made it impossible to sleep, and every dog bark filled me with fear. I tried to return to work as a salon manager, but my boss fired me two days after I left the hospital and asked me to leave the shop where I’d been staying since I was homeless. Losing that safe space has left me back on the streets, feeling traumatized and overwhelmed.

I am doing everything I can to recover and provide for my daughter. I need help to cover daily essentials, transportation, food, clothing, and caring for my little girl until I can find stable housing and get back on my feet. Thank you to anyone who helps. Even a small contribution would mean the world to us and help us move forward.