❤️Home is where the heart is❤️

Firstly I would like to say if you are reading this Thank You!

My name is Amber Clark I am a 36-year-old, single mother to three amazing kids McKenna 13 Rylee 6 and Jacob 4.

I’ve always considered myself a very optimistic person, and believe that things always work out as they should; not always as you’d like or as you want. This is a very difficult time for us all. I find myself writing to you as a means of a last resort to save our home.

We bought our home in 2014. with all the money I could gather including the only thing I had left from my mother(who was one of Robert Pickton’s first victims in 1991)

Owning my own home had always been my dream, which came true now finally having enough for the down payment for our small townhome in Airdrie.

Fast forward to 2016, my son Jacob is born. Unfortunately, my relationship with his father turned volatile to say the least. It was an abusive situation that I had to leave. I had many meetings and court dates, had to miss work about once a week to attend and do what I had to do to keep myself and my children safe. During that time, I was employed with Petro Canada and had worked for Petro Canada for a total of 13 years combined. As a result of the abuse, I was terminated unjustly. I received severance pay of approx $1200. If you have children, then you know $1200 does not go very far these days. My employment search began as quickly as I could. After finding a job working as a cashier (at a separately owned Petro Canada which was closer to home) we were struggling as I was making five dollars less per hour than I had previously been making. Furthermore, the manager did not regulate paydays, which made it difficult and most times impossible to find the money for payments coming out of my account. I incurred NSF‘s every two weeks, which resulted in my finances falling further and further behind. I searched for another job hoping to supplement my income and to stop the feeling of drowning financially. Determined, I ended up gaining employment bartending three nights a week. 

Now working two jobs and having three children who were barely getting to see me during this time, I looked for better employment that would hopefully bring balance to our home. 

It is a blessing and I was very lucky to be hired by Canada Post in Airdrie. 

After so much turmoil, I was gainfully employed once again and my family and I had balance once more. NOW To catch up all of my previous payments! There was light at the end of the tunnel.  I continue to work at the bar three nights per week; during which, my family incurred unforeseen expenses, hardships and loses.

Our family vehicle was hit in the middle of the night outside my home resulting in expenses and lose of work. My daughter suffered with mental health issues, which required me to get her the help and support she needed as soon as possible. My children and I had and still have lingering issues from the abusive situation we had been in. The help is ongoing and our home is At the very centre of our journey toward mental health success. We had two deaths in the family back home in Victoria. We were very lucky to have had the chance to say good bye to McKenna, Rylee and Jacobs Grandfather, due to the amazing hospice care on the island.  

Back in Airdrie, maintenance of our home and other incurred costs were still ongoing. Shortly after my family had suffered from these tragedies, I was almost completely caught up on my arrears with hard work and perseverance. Then one night, after working a very long shift at the bar, I walked out to my vehicle, eager to get home to my children. There sat my vehicle. Not only had it been broken into and everything inside scattered about, but also two tires were slashed. This happened only a couple months after I just got it fixed from it getting hit in the middle of the night at my home. 

The costs to get my vehicle fixed AGAIN were a substantial hit financially. As well as not being able to work as I use our family vehicle for work. There was no room for comprise, I had to pay and get my vehicle fixed. I needed to get to and from work to do my job, as well as get my children to and from school and daycare.  

I am currently suffering from mental health issues myself, having severe depression, pmdd , anxiety and slowly trying to get back on my feet. My home went into foreclosure; and even though I spent five hours on a proposal, and outlined in detail how I was going to remedy the arrears, the lender declined and has gone forward with legal action. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m out of work at my second job as a bartender. Bartending was solely to catch up on all the arrears.

If we lose our home, that would be the biggest tragedy that could happen to our family.  This is the only home that my two youngest have ever known. This is everything we have left of my mother and all of our hard work. Our home is our safe haven. It is and has been the foundation and constant security in our lives. This is where our hearts and our happiness grow. My job at Canada Post, would be enough for me to support my family and pay my bills every month,  once the outstanding balances are paid.

McKenna, Rylee and Jacob have all made friends and connections which took years to make. They love their daycare and their schools and McKenna has an amazing support system here for her mental health issues. If we lose our home we lose every piece of happiness we worked so hard to achieve. My poor children have suffered far more than enough.

I sincerely and humbly ask for your help, as I now need $20,000. Which includes $7000 lawyer fees from the lender. My ex and I discussed his arrears of $13,000 in child support. Since he works under the table and also gets welfare maintenance, they cannot take any money as there is no “paper trail” of him working. He told me that he would be giving me $10,000 towards the arrears. As much as I wanted to believe him, I always knew it was a lie.

There are no other options that I haven’t already exhausted. With court systems about to resume again, 
I sit and pray and have faith. We are still faced with going to court and fighting for our home. Only with more owing. I have been able to save about $5000 towards the $20,000 the lender is requesting. 

Absolutely anything will help! my goal is at the least, to be able to go in front of the judge and have as much money as I can possibly have, to put towards what is owing.  I pray we have a gracious and compassionate judge, who will give me time to find a solution to keep our home. Time to come up with the money needed to keep our home and get us back to happy. 


Please, even if you can’t help financially, you can still help by passing this on to as many people as you can.

 

Thank you from my family to yours, for your time, and consideration.




The lawyers office that represents the lender is: 

Vinci Phillips

1509, 26 ave SW

Calgary, ab

T2T-1C4

Phone: [phone redacted]

File #18248







Sincerely,

Amber Clark