Help Us Rebuild From Abuse and Financial Devastation

Hi, my name is Emma, and I’m reaching out on behalf of my family — my mom, my 7-year-old brother, and myself. Reaching out during one of the hardest times of our lives. For years, my mom and I lived in an abusive household. My stepdad (Chad), who struggled severely with addiction to pills and later alcohol, created an environment of fear, control, and emotional pain. we’ve been trapped in a cycle of abuse that has left us emotionally, physically, and financially broken. I still have vivid memories of seeing my mom wake up with bruises and injuries, of hiding my baby brother in a closet with our dogs and pretending it was a game, just to protect him from the trauma I grew up with.

He started drinking from the moment he woke up, and when he finally left, we discovered more than 20 hidden bottles stashed throughout the house — a clear sign of how deep his addiction went. But what hurt even more than the bottles was the emotional, verbal, and physical abuse we endured behind closed doors.

Most recently, on September 6th, my stepfather Chad exploded after drinking. He screamed at and hit my mother. When I stepped in to defend her, he hit me too — hard enough to break my thumb and punch holes through the walls of our home. We went to the police, and he was taken in — but only briefly. When he returned, he was angrier, more violent, and more determined to make us suffer.

On September 18th, Chad walked out — but not before stealing from us. We later found out that for over a year, he had been secretly taking the mortgage money, cashing the checks, and leaving our bills unpaid. We lost over $1,300 in stolen offering money from our church. The result? We had to sell everything we could — our clothes, our furniture, anything to stay afloat — but we were still coming up short by about $800 each month.

Even after he left, the abuse didn’t stop. He returned, saying he wanted to "help" again, and my mom — with no money, no working utilities, and two kids to care for — felt she had no choice but to let him in. For a short time, things seemed okay. But abuse follows a cycle, and soon it was back to the same horror: drinking, screaming, physical violence, and even multiple attempts to kidnap my little brother.

We’re asking for your help — not just for survival, but for a fresh start. We need support to cover immediate essentials like:

-Rent and overdue bills

-Food and hygiene products

-Legal assistance and therapy

-Basic supplies for school and everyday life

Every dollar will help us take a step toward safety and healing. If you can’t donate, please consider sharing this with others. Your kindness could be the thing that gives us a chance to finally break free and rebuild.

Thank you for reading, and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your support.

-Emma