Save Yara's Home Before Her 7th Birthday

Hello, my name is Naajah, and I’m reaching out with a heavy heart and a hopeful spirit on behalf of my family, my fiancé Quaheem, our 6-year-old daughter Yara, and myself. We’re a young family living in Brooklyn, NY, and we’re currently facing one of the most difficult moments of our lives.

In March 2024, both Quaheem and I lost our jobs unexpectedly within days of each other. Since then, we’ve been doing everything in our power to keep our family afloat. We’ve applied for job after job, picked up temporary work where possible, and sought help from every available program: emergency rental assistance, rent subsidies, public assistance, but time and again, we’ve been denied because our income puts us slightly over the eligibility limits, even though we’re now barely able to afford the basic cost of living in New York City.

We’ve lived in our rent-stabilized apartment for 4 years. It’s not just a place to sleep; it’s our home. It’s the only home Yara has ever known. It’s where she does her homework, watches Disney movies with us, plays with her toys, and dreams about becoming a famous YouTube creator one day. Losing this home would be devastating for her and for us.

We’ve recently received a formal eviction notice, and unless we can come up with the funds needed to cover our back rent, the earliest eviction date is July 7. That’s just days before Yara’s 7th birthday on July 10. Instead of celebrating her special day surrounded by love and familiarity, she could be waking up in a shelter. That’s something no child should have to experience.

We are doing everything we can to avoid being forced into the NYC shelter system, but we can’t do it alone anymore. We are humbly asking for help from our community, friends, and compassionate strangers who understand how quickly life can change.

We are not giving up. We are continuing to apply for jobs every day and explore every possible resource. But right now, we need help to catch up on rent and prevent the eviction process from uprooting our daughter and placing our family into an unstable and frightening situation.

Every single donation, no matter the amount, will go directly toward paying back rent to help us stay in our home, rebuild our stability, and give Yara the safe, secure childhood she deserves.

If you’re unable to donate, we completely understand. Sharing this campaign with others could make all the difference.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for reading, for caring, and for supporting our family during this incredibly difficult time.

With love and gratitude,

Naajah, Quaheem, and Yara