Hi. My name is Ninotchka. I’m here with my 21-year-old son Marvin, who was diagnosed with autism when he was 16. Being a mother of a young adult with special needs is both heartbreaking and fulfilling at the same time. I have worked as a full-time caregiver for 15 years to make both ends meet. The most challenging part of our journey happened in June 2024 when Marvin’s condition got worse. He was in and out of the hospital, and that’s when I decided to quit my full-time job to take care of him full-time. Without a steady source of income for almost a year now, bills started piling up.

The worst thing is that my son and I are now facing eviction, and I have my court date on April 29. I cannot afford to lose my home because that will definitely make a big impact on my son’s mental health as he can’t handle any more stress like moving to a new place. Because of this, I am asking Marvin’s Case Manager, Ronnie, who has been very supportive in helping us get through our difficult financial situation. She offers to help share his story with the community to raise funds for our rent. I am so lucky to have a community like you that can help us out in this difficult situation.