My name is Lora Ann, and I’m a single mom to two beautiful girls, Shea (7) and Gracen (6). Their dad and I were involved on and off for nine years and lived together for nine months, but over time there were several incidents that put our family at risk. The most recent situation involved domestic violence, and it was the last time he was allowed around us—I made the difficult decision to cut ties to protect my girls and keep them safe. While he is their dad, I chose not to make the relationship legal so that we could fully move on and have peace. Since then, I’ve been working tirelessly to rebuild a safe, stable life for my daughters and find our new normal. We are no longer in contact with him, and thankfully we do not have to deal with him legally. Still, the emotional and financial aftermath has been extremely challenging. I don’t have family nearby to lean on; I left them when I moved to Florida nearly three years ago. Since then, I’ve moved a second time to try to find stability. Just months after my first move, I faced heartbreaking losses—my father passed away four months after we arrived, and my mother passed two months later, after I had cared for both of them for 16 years. Not long after, I also had to make the difficult decision to find a new home for my dog of 13 years because of the domestic violence we experienced—it was not safe for her to stay with us. I’m working hard to establish a new career and create stability for my girls, but the rising cost of living and extra end-of-school-year expenses have made it extremely difficult to stay afloat. I also live with stage 4 endometriosis, which makes it challenging to work on a daily basis and provide for my girls as much as I want. I don’t usually ask for help, but right now I truly need support to get through the next few weeks and keep my family safe and secure. Any help, no matter how small, means more than I can express. If you’re unable to give, sharing this would also mean the world to us. Thank you for your kindness, support, and compassion—I promise to pay it forward when I’m able. You can also support me directly: Venmo: @mommybcreatesshop Cash App: $mommybcreateshop