Donation protected
I'm Josh. This is our second attempt to reach out for help after our father found our original fundraiser, which forced us to start over for our safety.
At 18, I've unexpectedly become the main provider for my mother and three young siblings after they fled our family home in December due to a dangerous situation with our father. With nowhere else to go, they moved into my small one-bedroom apartment- the same place I'd come to escape years of financial, physical, and verbal abuse.
I was managing as a team lead at a big-box store until recently losing my position after a scheduling misunderstanding, despite having informed management about our difficult situation. Meanwhile, our former family home has been sold to an investor (or, that's what we thought, but it seems like he has rented it out, so he gets even more money) leaving our pets-several cats and a guinea pig-in crisis. Our father promised to care for them but didn't, resulting in Animal Control intervention and neglect charges against him. We're now desperately trying to keep our family, including our beloved pets, together in our extremely limited space.
Our situation has become critical:
- Five people and pets crammed into my one-bedroom apartment
- Our only working vehicle faces imminent repossession
- Urgent vehicle repairs needed
- Severe food insecurity
- Unable to afford basic necessities
- Limited job prospects due to transportation issues and market competition
I've been taking on whatever freelance work I can find but it's not even close to enough. My younger brother works part-time at my former workplace, but as a minor, his hours are limited. My mom and I have applied to countless positions without success, even as she is forgoing disability. Our father continues to avoid paying child support, stalk us on every available platform, and additionally still knows my address, making our situation even more desperate.
Your support would help us:
- Maintain our current apartment (we're bound by lease)
- Save our only vehicle from repossession
- Ensure we have food and basic necessities
- Cover transportation costs for job hunting
- Provide essential items for my younger siblings
Every contribution, however small, will make a real difference as we work to rebuild our lives away from our father and create a safe home for my siblings and mother. We're determined to overcome this situation-your support would give us the breathing room we urgently need to regain stability.
Thank you for reading our story. If you can't donate, sharing our campaign would also help tremendously.
Organizer
Joshua Smith
Organizer
Englewood, CO