Help us survive so we can move after an invasion and assault

No one ever thinks it can happen to them.

Until it does.

Until the night your daughter wakes you up to tell you about the man who just broke into her room and assaulted her in her bed.

No one thinks they could possibly blame the little girl for this horrible act, until the detectives place the blame on her! She's lying. She must have snuck out. She must have invited him. She must have hallucinated the concussion and the bruises.

Random men don't just break into little girl's rooms!

Except that they do, they have, and they did.

No one could believe it could happen a second time...

Until the night the same man came back! This unidentified man still has not been caught.

The police still think she must be to blame somehow, despite all the evidence they have collected to the contrary.

No one thinks their child will inherit a degenerative disease.

Until your son's physical body is failing him, he can't stand for more than a few minutes due to POTS, and he has to use a wheelchair because his hips, knees, and toes tend to pop out of place when he walks. As for climbing stairs? Impossible.

He has been diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which is a chronic condition that affects every one of the body's systems. He needs supportive devices that insurance doesn't always cover.

No one thinks they'll end up homeless.

Until you and your spouse both lose your jobs and can't afford the basics, like rent or groceries.

My family is in crisis right now, and we are desperate for help.

My spouse and I have new jobs, but we are making a fraction of what we used to. I am in college again, working toward a better future, but we have present day needs that cannot be ignored. We are facing eviction. We can't afford to stay, but neither can we afford to leave.

But leave, we must.

Even if we could afford to stay here, even with extra locks and security cameras in place, as well as a very loyal Labrador to guard us, our home will never feel safe again. My daughter needs a room on an upper floor, but my son needs a place that is wheelchair accessible. Equally important, we need a place we can afford. Not the easiest combination to find.

And while we search for a new place to live, the bills mount, our income shrinks, every week is another doctor visit (or several), and we have nowhere left to turn for help, except to the good people of the world.

So here I am, a mother in need, begging for help.

Please, help my family move to a safe place where my daughter can sleep in her bed without fear. Help us pay rent and buy groceries until I can get a better job. Help us survive until we can support ourselves again.

Thank you for your generosity and support.