Keeping A Mother and Child Together

Dear Community,

One of the best humans we know needs our help. Because she is in the midst of a difficult custody dispute with her ex, this ask is a lifeline for a beloved who will need to remain anonymous for now.

Our dear friend fled the home she shared with her ex, to seek safety for herself and her 7-week-old child last year. After a failed protective order because the judge did not “see” any signs of abuse, she sought shelter among a community of loved ones where her baby could grow and thrive. Her child, who we affectionately call “Tiny” –with loving irony because this radiant, curious, playful, and mischievous soul is anything but–has been living her best life with mom and beloveds.

Today, our friend is in the midst of a custody battle in a system stacked against her. Our friend is a working single mom with limited resources that have been stretched thin as she builds a life of safety for herself and Tiny. Her child’s father is seeking full custody of Tiny, and his case against her includes a demand for her to cover his legal fees and pay him child support, despite having financial resources of his own.

After months with very poor legal representation that deeply damaged her case, she is rebuilding in preparation for a custody hearing in September–and needs capable, kick ass, well-resourced legal counsel if she has any chance for justice. We were able to find a trustworthy legal team to take on her case–and this is where we need your help.

Mom’s new legal team requires a $14,000 retainer and $275+/hour just to start. These costs are just the beginning–as her case advances, we expect this sum to increase. (Once the retainer dips below $7,000, we’ll need to replenish it to continue.) And we need to move urgently—the setbacks from her previous representation have been devastating, and we are making up for lost time.

Our small but mighty community has been able to lend support in many ways–but we need your help to support this legal battle and their continued daily life. This fundraiser will go directly to pay their legal fees; once those are covered, any additional funds will defray their modest monthly living costs of $2,000 per month.

Our friend and Tiny’s mom is a person we’ve known for almost a decade. She is a deeply loving person with profound integrity, warmth, and compassion. She and Tiny face daunting circumstances–yet despite it all, we have witnessed their bond blossom and deepen; we’ve seen the most graceful and loving mom raising a vibrant little human with the spirit and value of care, community, and generosity. And we are fighting with everything we have to keep them together.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your support. <3

With much love and gratitude,

Richael, Natalia, and Adiel