I'm raising funds for a young African American mother in our program who is in an urgent CPS case involving her 2.5-year-old child. CPS is moving to terminate her parental rights and place her child for adoption after the child has been in foster care for 1.5 years.

Over this time, she has made significant, documented progress in treatment and recovery. Both her therapist and I have provided official letters documenting her progress, and I have personally testified in court on her behalf. This fundraiser is for a mother who is working hard and needs a fair chance to be heard and supported.

One of the goals of CPS and social services is to provide support, counseling, and resources to strengthen families and achieve safe reunification so that children in temporary foster care can return to their biological parents. In this mother's case, she has received no support or resources from social services, and all of her progress was achieved on her own.

She has also requested the removal of her court-appointed attorney due to ineffective representation. During a recent best-interest hearing regarding her 2.5-year-old son, her attorney misrepresented her position in court. When the prosecution requested to suspend her visitation rights, the referee asked whether her attorney wished to object, and her attorney declined, stating that the mother wanted what was best for the child. She never agreed to that statement or to the suspension of her visitation. She has since filed a Motion to Rescind or Modify to have her visits reinstated. In addition, documentation she provided showing her compliance with and completion of her treatment plan was not presented.

She has experienced significant unfairness throughout this process. The agency did not consider relative placement with the mother's mother or other ready and willing family members. At the same time, the mother has maintained the same job for six years, has reliable transportation, and has a home with a room prepared for her son.

I also want to name a serious concern in this case: she is an African American mother, and I am deeply concerned that racial disparity in the social service system may be contributing to the unfair treatment she has experienced. That concern is impossible to ignore given everything she has faced in this process.

Donations will help her access advocacy, guidance, and legal intervention as this case moves forward. Support at this moment can help her pursue the representation and assistance she needs during an incredibly important time for her and her child.

Any donation or share would mean so much. Thank you for standing with this mother and helping her get the support she needs right now.

Transparency & Fund Management Disclosure: My name is Barbrene Mahluli and I am a medical provider organizing this fundraiser on behalf of the beneficiary to help cover retainer fees for a new attorney. Because the beneficiary is currently focusing on her situation and to protect her medical privacy, I will be personally withdrawing the raised funds into my own bank account. As soon as the money clears, I will immediately deliver 100% of it directly to her via a check made out directly to the selected attorney or law firm. I am working closely with the beneficiary to ensure it is spent exactly on legal fees as planned. I will post regular updates and delivery confirmations here on GoFundMe so all donors can track the impact of their generosity while ensuring the beneficiary's identity remains protected.