*blessings, please read in its entirety for full transparency, thank you *

Greetings, Hi my name is Chopp, I am a single Mom, a business owner and a child of two deceased parents. I feel so vulnerable asking for help in this way, during a time when so many are struggling, AND I am facing my fears. I have helped so many others in the past and have been running fundraisers to support my dream of providing free food and shelter for folks, but I am stopping all of that now to ask for the help I need for myself. I have provided over 5000 pounds of free produce for my community in the last three years, and now I need to be provided for.

This is hard, and I am so very grateful I can use my hands to type and put my pride to the side to ask. In 2019, my Pops passed away, I was laid off and my home was robbed. I rose from those ashes and started a business when work could not be found. In 2023, my home flooded, I was displaced and my landlord attempted to evict me. Then, I fought, didn't ask for any help, and managed to get through that. Shortly after the flood, I landed the largest contract of my career, a six-figure contract, and then my Mom died unexpectedly, and my contract was terminated. Again, I rose from those ashes and began building my project FOOD + SHELTER. Since 2025, I have been working with an architect and building out the vision of FOOD +SHELTER, a community where families live supported in a village and are able to have their food and shelter paid for by land purchased via reparations and a farm where we consistently harvest food for all. In this moment where my food and shelter are jeopardized, I must pause, take the focus off helping build a project to support my community, humble myself, and ask for the help I need.

I used to believe that when down, it was only me who had to pull myself up, but how could I be ashamed to ask for help when my life's work is to offer aid to others? Since 2018, I have been in my home and opened it up to so many for events and communion.

I will no longer dwell in shame, the shame that comes from struggling in a system like capitalism that doesn't aid you or me. The shame that casues me to feel like I should be in a better postion in my life. The shame that has had me suffering in silence. Please contribute what you can, and if you are not able, please offer any skills you may have to help me build out my dream, FOOD + SHELTER, so that I get back to helping other Moms like me. And, please, please share this with as many as possible.

Additionally, I have recently secured temporary work but it is not enough for my rent and bills, I am looking for substantial, well-paid work, a living wage. I am a college graduate with over 20 years of experience as an educator and over 6 years of experience as a business owner. I need a living wage to continue to live in New Jersey, where my child's father lives, who I coparent with, but receive no child support from. So I am here, in a place where my only family is my child, doing the best I can, and I am not giving up. I pray that all who are reading this love their neighbors and community more than the government that perpetuates this struggle.

The money will go towards: