This fundraiser is to support my partner, Jon, as he pursues 50% custody of his two daughters, ages 9 and 6. These funds will go directly toward ongoing legal fees related to a long and emotionally exhausting custody battle.

About Us:

My name is Julia. I own and operate a food truck focused on health-conscious baking and locally sourced, farm-fresh savory food. Jon is also self-employed as a house framer. We have been together for four years and living together for three.

We both come from humble backgrounds. My family is local, while Jon’s family lives out west. Like many families today, we do our best to save, but we mostly live paycheck to paycheck.

I’ve been sober since before Jon and I met, and Jon drinks only occasionally. We spend as much time outdoors as possible and are not big believers in screens—we are a no smart TV or tablet household (yes, we still use DVDs and VHS!). We strive to provide a stable, enriching, and safe home.

We recently had to provide photos of our home to the court, and we wanted to share those same photos here so you can see a bit of the environment we provide for the girls.

Jon’s History:

Jon met his ex-wife while traveling across the country in their twenties. After years of living on the road, they unexpectedly conceived their first child, D. They married in 2016 before D. was born and eventually settled down. Three years later, they welcomed their second child, R.

Once they settled down, it was decided that Jon would be the primary breadwinner due to his carpentry skills, while their mother stayed home with the children.

When they separated, they made an out-of-court agreement: Jon worked full time, paid child support (which he has never missed), and had the girls every weekend, while their mother cared for them during the week since the girls were not yet school-aged. This arrangement was always intended to be temporary and revisited once the children were in school.

How We Became a Family:

Shortly after Jon moved into the home we now share, he attended an event where I was vending with my business. He had his daughters with him—then ages 2 and 5. We met that day and instantly connected. We still refer to it as our family anniversary, because we all met at the same time.

I love the girls deeply and I always respect boundaries and never speak negatively about their mother. Our favorite saying with the girls is “different strokes for different folks”, because we believe everyone can have their own way of doing things while still loving each other.

Unfortunately, the girls can feel the tension with their mother, which is very upsetting to them. We work hard to shield them from conflict, but as they get older, it becomes harder.

The Legal Battle:

Not long after Jon’s ex-wife learned that he was dating someone, the dynamic of co-parenting changed significantly. Believing these issues could be resolved amicably, Jon initially proceeded without an attorney, a decision that unfortunately cost him important parenting rights early on. The first court order prohibited me from spending time with the girls, while Jon’s parenting time was reduced from every weekend to every other weekend, and he lost decision-making authority over health and mental health care for his daughters.

Since then, Jon’s ex-wife has filed nearly a dozen petitions, including multiple contempt filings—none of which he has been found guilty of—all aimed at further reducing his parental rights, limiting his role as a father, and removing me from the girls’ lives. The most recent contempt charge concerns Jon’s decision for us all to read the book “Everything Girls Need to Know Ages 8-12.” The girls had briefly discussed puberty with their mother and had additional questions, so, as Jon often does, he bought a book to help explain things.

Several court filings have involved me directly. I was required to complete a background check, my family, Jon’s family—and even my therapist—had to be called to testify on my behalf. I am currently not allowed to participate in FaceTime calls, an outcome of one of Jon’s pro se proceedings, which his current lawyer has assured us will be lifted. We are also responding to a petition that would prevent me from attending custody exchanges.

Determined to protect his relationship with his daughters, Jon has taken legal action only when absolutely necessary, but has been forced to pay nearly $6,000 in attorney fees across three different lawyers to defend his time with his kids.

Jon did file a contempt action pro se, which he won, after his ex-wife blocked his phone number and denied him all phone contact with the girls for over a month.

Where We Are Now:

After years of setbacks, we finally have a lawyer who truly seems to care. Over the past six months, Jon has begun to regain parenting time, including overnights on school nights—something he has always wanted.

His most recent petition, filed with his current attorney, seeks 50% custody, as well as formalizing basic co-parenting rules, including evenly splitting school breaks, sharing extracurricular costs, and preventing parenting time from being revoked once granted. He wants equal time and responsibility in his daughters’ lives.

Why We Are Asking for Help:

Jon’s ex-wife appears to have access to significant financial resources, allowing these court actions to continue indefinitely. Our lawyer has been honest with us: this can continue as long as we can afford to respond. We cannot do that without help.

We never thought we would be in a position to ask for financial support like this. We’ve never needed a large sum of money before—but I suppose nothing has ever mattered this much before.

Jon is a loving, consistent, and deeply involved father. His daughters adore him. He deserves the chance to raise them half the time—to be there for school nights, hard days, small moments, and everything in between. I love the girls as if they were my own, and I am committed to providing them a safe, happy, and enriching environment.

Your support helps give two little girls the chance to maintain a strong, loving, and stable relationship with their father, while also having the support of someone who cares for them deeply.

How You Can Help:

If you are able to donate, share this fundraiser, or simply keep our family in your thoughts, please know how deeply grateful we are.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for standing with our family.