Hello, everyone.

Unfortunately, over the last 9 months, I've been going through some financial hardship. My ex-husband, who I had a good co-parenting relationship with for the last 12 years, got into a new relationship that influenced his behavior in a direction that caused a huge financial and life strain on my family. I was forced to get a lawyer for a custody dispute that could have been solved in mediation, running me hundreds of dollars an hour, and now after almost 6 months, he came back to mediation to settle and agree to almost the same offer as before. But now I'm in debt because I had to get legal counsel. This type of financial abuse is common in court proceedings, and it's taken a toll on my ability to support my household. I have been fortunate enough to have support from some loved ones as I moved positions with work and went through a rough patch this spring with attempting college courses and my sister getting into a life-threatening accident.

As a single mom, I am doing everything I can every day to show up and provide for my 3 amazing kids. I work, I do side gigs, and I sell my art. I am the primary parent handling medical appointments, showing up at school events, and ensuring that my 3 teen/preteen kids have not just financial security but the kind of security that comes from knowing "mom's got me." My sons father is incarcerated (again) and hasn't been in the picture for several years.

Trying to work and be able to take them to appointments, events, and be present in their life has been challenging, and I'm finally finding a work schedule that will allow me to be a present parent and also hopefully support them financially in the ways they deserve. I feel grateful to be newly employed with a better schedule, but I'm just looking around at my life very overwhelmed and worried.

I'm happy to do any services or side jobs to get additional income. I'm just at a spot where everything is catching up with me, and I don't know how I'm going to pay rent or utilities/dig myself out of the debt hole this whole court ordeal has caused for me, both financially and emotionally/mentally.

Teenagers constantly need and want things: clothes/shoes, school supplies or activities, activities with friends, cell phones, shoes, my sons $300 drivers ed, braces for my daughter... the list goes on and on. Not to mention keeping the house stocked with household essentials like laundry soap and cat litter, and food, keeping the car going with gas this high. Just trying to survive is taking its toll on me severely, and so I turn to this platform to unfortunately ask for help. Any and all help truly does make a difference for my family, even if it's an idea of jobs to look into or side hustles that work for single parents that still need to be there for doctor's appointments and school concerts, please, please reach out.

I just need a little help. I know that I am an excellent mother and that this chapter of hardship is coming to an end, but without some support from my community, I'm just not sure I can do it alone right now.

Thank you all so much for the time and thoughts and good energy for my family!