My name is Delilah, I am a senior in high school and I am currently looking forward to being the first in my family to go to college. I have already been accepted to a few Cal State Universities and plan to enroll full-time in the Fall. I am fundraising to help my family get enough of the $9000 utility bill paid, to turn our lights back on as soon as possible.

For the majority of my life, I have lived with my father and younger sister. My dad has always done everything he can to provide for us, raising us as a single dad. A few years ago, in order to save money and to allow us to live in decent conditions (one that is not infested with cockroaches and has room for all of us), we decided to move-in with my aunt who was also struggling financially living as a single mother raising two kids on her own. This way we work together as a family to support one another. I am the oldest child and do what I can to help out with my sister Rory and two younger cousins Madeline who is 11 and Humbetro who is 10.

My dad and my aunt both work full-time. My dad is working two jobs and is currently taking on additional hours, but it is still not enough to make ends meet.

My dad, Felipe, has always worked hard and is often tired, but since our electricity was cut he has been working even more and I can see the toll it takes on him. He is exhausted and to be honest, what’s even more heartbreaking is that I can see how hard he has been on himself. Although he doesn’t say it, it is clear that he thinks he is to blame for our lack of lights and heating. He feels he has failed us, but all I see is everything he is doing to provide. This is why I am turning to this fundraising platform, to see if there is something I can do to help him out.

It all started last week, I had to stay home from school in order to take care of my little sister. That morning she was having trouble breathing, struggling with her asthma which has been getting worse. And then.. the lights went out! Subsequently this is when I learned that my dad has been struggling to pay the electrical bill. I had no idea how bad it had gotten, he doesn’t like to worry us with his financial struggles and although he does all he can to support my sister and I, sometimes working two jobs and doing everything right, it is still not enough.

With our electricity cut off, we still need to eat but are limited to what is going to fit in a cooler. Since that is not enough food we end up buying outside food, which becomes another stressor, as that is too expensive for us to keep up. Fortunately it has been a warm week in Los Angeles, but it is still winter and it can get really cold at night. (Rain is expected later this week!) Although we do have blankets, unfortunately that is not always enough. Living without heat is especially bad for my sister because it makes her asthma worse. Currently, we are using candles and the flashlights on our phones, but that too is limited. The candles run out and since we need to preserve our phone batteries we are trying not to use the flashlights too often. The phone batteries are especially important, since our parents (my aunt and dad) are reliant on the phones as the only way to check-in with us to make sure we are okay, while they are at work (which feels like it is all the time now).

We are currently applying for some assistance through a state run program, but it is unclear if that will be granted and when that can even go through. At this point, our only chance for getting the electricity back on will be to ask for help.

If 20 people each donated $100, then we would be able to raise money to pay enough of the bill to get the lights back on. But truly, anything you can afford to offer will be welcomed. Your generosity will greatly help us get back on our feet, turn the lights and heat back on and help my family get back on track. If we can get the lights back on, it will buy us enough time until we can (hopefully) get additional assistance from the state. I think it goes without saying, but the more help we get, the less my dad needs to worry and will be able to focus more on the current needs rather than trying to dig us out of this level of debt.

If you have read this far already, thank you for your time. We all appreciate the care you are showing and are hopeful with this level of outreach we can get the assistance we so badly need.

Muchas gracias! Thank you again,

Delilah, my sibling Rory, cousins Madeline and Humbetro, my dad Felipe, aunt Monica and most importantly (see photos cause they are cute) Bumpie the gecko, Poppy and Nickel the dogs and the cats, Sunkiss and Bonnie.