Hi, my name is Brandy, and this is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to write. I’m a mother, a full-time college student, a small business owner, and someone living with a chronic illness and right now, I’m down to my last $300.

I’ve always found a way to make it work, but this time, the weight is too much to carry alone.

After losing my job due to Hurricane Helene last year, I’ve been doing everything I can to hold things together: working prn which has dried up, selling on Etsy, going back to school to rebuild my future, and trying to manage my health. I’ve stretched every dollar, skipped meals, and sacrificed comfort to keep my son’s world steady. But now, both of us are facing hardship at the same time.

My 18-year-old son — my heart and my reason for fighting just started college. He’s brilliant, hard-working, and already racked up certifications in cybersecurity. He even earned an internship with the NSA while still in high school. But due to recent government shifts and the new administration, his job opportunity was taken from him. He’s now trying to adjust to college life without income, and I’m trying to hold our household together with barely anything left.

We urgently need help with:

Rent

Electricity

Car note (our only transportation)

Medication & medical bills

Groceries

Essentials to get us through this next month

This isn’t a cry for pity, it’s a call for community. I’ve spent years pouring love into the world through my work, my son, and my story. Now I’m asking, humbly and urgently, for that love to circle back.

Every donation, no matter the amount, brings us one step closer to stability. One step closer to peace. One step closer to making sure that everything we’ve been building isn’t lost in the cracks of crisis.

Thank you for reading, for caring, and for helping us stay in the fight. We just need a little more time. And a little more grace.

—Brandy ❤️