Single mommy seeking help getting on my feet

Hi, my name is Carmela.

I’m a single Black mom to an incredible 5-year-old daughter, and I’m currently almost 6 months pregnant.

Last year, I separated amicably from my children’s father, and since then, it’s just been me doing my best to hold it all together. We live in New York, and I work in healthcare. But between inflation, high rent, and everyday costs—things have gotten really hard, really fast.

At the end of December, my landlord and I had a disagreement. I told him I couldn’t afford the upcoming rent increase, and just like that, he refused to renew my lease. By the first week of January, my daughter and I were in a shelter.

A week later, I found out I was pregnant. And because of my high-risk pregnancy and a history of loss, my doctors pulled me out of work immediately. I followed their advice for as long as I could. I received an emergency food stamp allotment of about $1,100 in February, and I stretched it as far as humanly possible. But because I’m in a shelter and don’t have a rental expense, I wasn’t eligible for housing assistance.

By April, I had no choice but to return to work—despite medical advice—because bills don’t stop. My daughter still needs to finish the school year, and that costs money too. I’m paying for gas, car insurance, food, everyday needs, and trying to prepare for a new baby with almost nothing.

No, I cannot rely on my children’s father. Please don’t ask.

And unfortunately, I don’t have any family that can help financially.

So, it’s just me. And that’s OK—because I’m a mother, and I will always find a way. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for my girls.

That includes making the heartbreaking decision to temporarily send my 5-year-old to stay with my brother, his wife, and their two kids—so I can work back-to-back double shifts. I’m trying to get ahead, but right now I’m barely breaking even.

My biggest fear? That my daughter will start to feel what we’re going through. That the stress will start to weigh on her too. That she’ll feel the absence of her safe space, her mom’s hugs, her favorite bedtime stories, or those silly songs we sing while brushing our teeth.

I’m fighting every single day to keep going. But I’m running out of options.

This GoFundMe is to help us secure first month’s rent and a security deposit on a place to live—something stable, something safe, somewhere my daughter can rest and her baby sister can be born into peace.

I’ve never fallen this hard before. Asking for help is not easy for me. But I’m swallowing my pride and reaching out, because I’m a mother—and my babies come first.

If you can donate, share, or even just send some love and light our way—thank you. Thank you for seeing me. Thank you for hearing my story. And thank you for helping me take the first step toward home again.

With love and deep gratitude,

Carmela