My name is Mark, and I'm reaching out for help for myself, my spouse, and our three school-age kids.

In January 2026, I was wrongfully terminated from my role as Executive Director of a Habitat for Humanity affiliate — one week after I reported financial irregularities and board conflicts of interest through the organization's internal ethics hotline, in good faith, expecting guidance rather than retaliation. Around the same time, I had become publicly visible as the pastor of an LGBT church, and my repeated requests for disability accommodations had gone ignored. I was fired without warning, without cause, and without a single reason given — in violation of our own bylaws, which required 30 days' notice before terminating the Executive Director. My spouse, who also worked at the organization, was placed on administrative leave that same day.

We lost our jobs, and the organization refused to pay out my 560 hours of accumulated vacation time. They also initially refused to pay my spouse's vacation payout, and it took six months of persistent effort from our attorney before they finally agreed to release it — though we haven't received it yet. We've spent over $10,000 in legal fees trying to do this the right way. We filed a charge of discrimination and retaliation with the EEOC and received a right-to-sue letter. Without the resources to pursue litigation, that door is effectively closed to us.

We've also learned the organization has been giving inaccurate references that have hurt our ability to find new work. My spouse had a job offer rescinded after receiving a false reference — the one instance we know of.

Since January, our household income has been cut dramatically. We've borrowed from family, maxed out credit cards to cover legal costs and basic living expenses, and have no savings left. Through all of this, we've tried to keep life as stable as possible for our kids, but the weight of debt and uncertainty is heavy. My ministry work continues, but it doesn't yet pay enough to support our family. We're not asking anyone to fight a legal battle for us — right now, we just need help getting back on stable ground.

Your support will help us cover basic living costs, address the legal expenses we've already incurred, and give us the breathing room to rebuild our lives and continue our ministry. We're sharing our story because we need help, and because it's important to shine a light on what happens when people stand up for what's right in nonprofits — especially as queer people in ministry, and as people navigating disability, doing so without the legal protections this situation should have carried.

If you can give, we are deeply grateful. If you can share our story, that matters just as much.

Thank you for helping us keep going.