Hello, I am a young girl navigating life with my single mother. Our story is a gruff but resilient one.

For the past two years, we have been living in a small shed tucked away in the woods, it’s a makeshift home that gives shelter but not much else. We don’t have a bathroom. A sink. A kitchen. A toilet. No AC or Heater. Just a fridge. The place is covered in mold. In the walls, all over the wooden furniture. And in our clothes. Some might even call it homelessness. My mother lost her job two years ago. And through the past 3 years 7 of our close friends and family have died. 2 of her brothers, my uncles. Her Mother my grandma. And friends who’ve kept her together through life’s hardships. Since then, she has been fighting to provide for us. Just yesterday, after countless hours of waiting and saving, we finally got her car out of the dealership. But in a cruel twist of fate, it was repossessed in the same night due to our inability to keep up with payments.

Every day is a struggle to balance between school and survival. I’m a high school senior, and my mother is in her final year of college. She has poured her heart and soul into her education for the last decade, determined to give me and herself a better life. But each time she gets close to finishing college, life starts us from ground 0. This year, I do not want it to be her 11th attempt at finishing college. I want it to be the year she finally achieves her goal.

In addition to the academic pressures, we face hunger. My mom works at IHOP for a minuscule paycheck that barely covers the amount of ubers we take. This leaves nothing for food. We often sleep with empty stomachs. Our family members, have grown tired from spending money for us.

I am reaching out to whatever kind soul, a desperate plea. Even the smallest contribution can make a world of difference for us. Just $10 could buy us a meal or help cover the cost of getting to me school. Your compassion is truly appreciated. Not even $1 taken for granted.

Thank you for taking time to read my story.