In Solidarity and Friendship

Dear Friends, Neighbors, and Community,

I am reaching out to all of you for help during this difficult period in my life. I've been in survival mode for so long that it takes a lot of energy even to reach out and ask for help from my dearest friends and supportive community. I am in need of $25,000. More urgently, I need to pay $5K to my appeal lawyer by the end of next week, July 14.

Two years ago, after a seven-year divorce proceeding, I received an unfair judgment that left me with staggering expenses and a token income that is not enough for my basic needs. Worse, I was ordered to sell the house I have lived in for over 20 years. I am in the process of appealing this judgment and believe it will be possible to overturn this decision, but the process is costly.

During my 26-year marriage, I put all my life energy and labor, and sold my inheritance in Poland, to build a family business with my husband and son, while raising my son with no extended family. But in the end, I will have lost everything.

Many of my dear friends are wondering why I cannot let go of this never-ending legal entanglement. If I accept this divorce judgment, then I will have to sell the house I love and leave my supportive community. I will have no place to live and I will still be entangled indefinitely because the divorce judgment has made me personally responsible for 50% of the $1 million family business debt, even though I did not manage the business, my name was not on the business, and after the divorce, I have not been a recipient of the profits.

Why not bankruptcy? Because by law, a judgment overrides a claim of bankruptcy.

Right now, I am in urgent need of financial support. The $25,000 I'm trying to raise will stabilize my situation, help to pay for the appeal lawyer, and help me restore my health.

I had a serious collapse last Fall and I have not had time to recover to be able to focus on rebuilding my life. The stress of trying to make ends meet and dealing with an extremely time-consuming legal system has had a big impact on my health.

If you could help me through this most difficult time, I would be forever grateful.