Hi, my name is Aubrey. I’m 28, a single mom, and a survivor of domestic violence.

When I first started this GoFundMe, I had recently left an abusive relationship and was trying to start my life over from almost nothing. I left and found out shortly after I was pregnant, with my two cats and very little to my name. At the time, so much of this fundraiser was about getting the legal help I needed to stand up to my abuser and finally feel safe.

A lot has happened since I first wrote that.

My baby is here now, and after everything it took to get there, I won against my abuser in court. I will always be grateful to the people who donated, shared my story, and helped me get through that part of my life. I truly don't think I could have done it alone.

But even though the court case is over, I'm still trying to put my life back together.

I lost my job because of my abuser, and right now I babysit whenever I can to make money and keep us going. I'm doing everything I can to get back on my feet, but it's been incredibly hard trying to rebuild while also making sure my baby has everything she needs and that we have a safe place to live.

So the purpose of this GoFundMe has changed. I'm no longer raising money for a lawyer. Right now, what I need most is help with housing and continued stability for my baby, my two cats, and me.

I thought getting through court would finally mean I could breathe again. In a lot of ways, it has. I'm safe, my baby is here, and I finally have the chance to move forward. But the financial impact of everything that happened didn't disappear when the case ended.

I'm still trying to recover from losing my job. I'm still trying to make ends meet. I'm still trying to make sure we have a roof over our heads and everything my baby needs. Some days it feels like I'm finally getting somewhere, and then one bill or unexpected expense puts me right back into worrying about how I'm going to make everything work.

I don't expect anyone else to build my life for me. I just need some help while I get there.

More than anything, I want to give my baby a stable home. I want to know that we have somewhere safe to sleep at night, that our basic needs are covered, and that my cats, who have been with me through all of this, can stay with us. After everything it took to get away and start over, the thought of losing the stability we've managed to create is terrifying.

If you've been here since the beginning, thank you for helping me get through something I once couldn't see the other side of. And if you're just finding our story now, thank you for taking the time to read it.

Any donation, no matter the amount, goes toward helping us stay housed, cover our necessities, and keep our little family together while I continue working toward being completely stable on my own. If you can't donate, sharing this helps too.

I made it through the legal fight. Now I'm just trying to build a life for my baby and me on the other side of it.

Thank you for helping us keep going.