My boyfriend and I are facing one of the hardest times of our lives. After losing his mother, Brenda Starr, suddenly to heart complications, our world was turned upside down. Brenda was a loving grandmother who made sure we had a roof over our heads and food on our daughter's plate, and even a bit for ourselves. She made special little meals for each dog, giving them exactly what she felt they would need or want for that specific day or night. Just before her passing, my boyfriend lost his job, and I have been staying home with our daughter because we simply can't afford daycare. The government believes that three people and three dogs can be supported on a modest income, but the reality is much harder. We've used all our savings and our tax return just to keep up with bills and care for our daughter over the past four months.

When my boyfriend's mother passed, we discovered she was in financial ruin. She didn't have a will, and now probate is set to take nearly everything to cover her debt, leaving us with nothing to help us get back on our feet. We are doing everything we can to provide for our daughter and our dogs, especially since we have a breed that people don't always accept. We want to make sure our daughter has a safe and healthy home to grow up in, and that our dogs continue to have a good quality of life.

We've always tried to avoid taking handouts or asking for help, but for the first time, we are in a position where we need to reach out—for the sake of our child and our animals. Any support you can offer will go directly to covering rent, funeral and memorial costs, food for our daughter, dog food, car payments, and all the basics of living. Anything raised beyond our goal will be put toward a second car and our daughter's daycare, so we can pursue better job opportunities and maintain our lives as a family unit. Your kindness would mean the world to us and help us keep our family together and safe. Even if you can't donate, sharing our story and fundraiser is just as helpful.