Hello, kind-hearted friends and community,

I’ve created this GoFundMe for a dear friend and colleague who has spent years doing everything in her power to protect the safety, stability, and well-being of her young children during a deeply painful separation and ongoing court proceedings.

Those who know me know this is not something I do lightly. I have never felt compelled to create a GoFundMe before. For me to do so now speaks to how serious and overwhelming this situation has become.

I have walked alongside my friend through this journey. I have seen the toll it's taken. It's the kind of experience I would not wish on anyone. Many will recognize the terrain - navigating custody disputes, court proceedings, and an adversarial former partner, all while trying to be a steady, loving parent. The emotional weight is immense. The financial burden is crushing.

This fundraiser is a way for us, as a community, to help shoulder a small part of that load. The goal is simple and humane: to allow her to keep advocating for her children without being forced to dismantle her entire life to do so.

If you have ever known what it means to fight for your family, or watched someone you love do the same, you understand why this matters.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for caring.

This is her story.

Why This Fund Exists

This fund supports a mother navigating prolonged family court proceedings while working to preserve stability, safety, and meaningful connection for her young, school-aged children.

The Financial Reality

Since the separation four years ago, and especially over the past twenty months as litigation has escalated, legal and related professional costs have become overwhelming and unsustainable. Total expenses now exceed $500,000, with approximately $375,000 incurred since spring 2024 in pursuit of interim relief necessary to stabilize family relationships and protect the children’s well-being. With the trial approaching, significant additional costs are mounting.

Why Court Involvement Has Been Necessary

This situation has not arisen from a simple parental disagreement. Despite sustained efforts to resolve matters outside of court, informal resolution has not been possible. From this parent's experience, court involvement has been required to respond to coercive and controlling dynamics that have undermined stability and strained parent-child relationships.

Efforts to Remain Self-Supporting

Throughout this period, she has continued working full-time while drawing down savings, selling investments, refinancing assets, and borrowing funds to remain resourced and advocate consistently for her children. Escalation of parental conflict, repeated litigation delays, and prolonged uncertainty have steadily depleted financial reserves, placing the family in an increasingly precarious position.

The Emotional Toll

This process has carried a profound emotional cost, including chronic stress, exhaustion, and grief for lost family time and prolonged uncertainty. Perseverance has meant continuing to show up with steadiness and care, even as the process itself has felt deeply inhumane to endure.

How This Fund Helps

This fund provides interim support leading into the trial. Contributions will help offset legal expenses, stabilize basic needs, and ease immediate financial pressure at a time when the sale of the family home has become an unavoidable reality.

With Gratitude

Any contribution, no matter how modest, is deeply appreciated. For those unable to give, quietly sharing this page is equally meaningful. Many small acts of care, taken together, can help ease an extraordinary burden.

*Identifying details have been withheld to protect the children’s privacy and due to ongoing court proceedings.