Support the Fourniers' Urgent Relocation

Story

For the past several years, our home has become increasingly and fearfully unsafe. We rent from a family member, and have struggled to receive help regarding the safety of our home. Our growing family must relocate, because as the days go by, we find more leaks, more mold, more places where the roof threatens to cave in. There is black mold in nearly every room of the house. We have done our part in trying to make this home livable — from applying liquid roof multiple times, to putting a tarp on the roof, to using mold disinfectants and mold paint and bleach to deal with the mold itself, to buying multiple expensive air purifiers, to covering our ceilings with trash bags, to trying to find ways to move the water from outside our home when it rains. Every time it rains, we are ridden with anxiety and helplessness. One of the leaks in our home will fill an approximately 6 gallon cooking pot within an hour. When I am left alone at home, I (being a pregnant woman in my almost 3rd trimester) am unable to lift the heavy buckets of water, so the only way to do it is to use a pitcher to scoop water from the pots to the sink. Our baby will be here in only a few short months. We wanted to put off relocating to a new home in Florida until next year (2026), but with the increasingly unsafe conditions in our living environment, we have to relocate as soon as possible. We currently plan on having our soon-to-be-born baby in our bedroom — a bedroom with a ceiling that is sinking in and is so soft that my husband put his hand through it without any effort, a bedroom with black mold, a bedroom with a walk in closet that is 100% unusable because the leak and mold is so bad that it dominates the entire space, a bedroom that (with the most recent rain) has a brand new leak (where the ceiling is sinking in). We can’t fathom bringing a new baby into this environment. We have endured this situation with our first two children for as long as we possibly could, but now, it is causing immense stress and fear with all of us. We’ve never been able to ask for help, and so posting all of this comes with so much shame and embarrassment. But, we hope that at least some help can be given to help our family move on from this awful situation, to help us start this new and hopeful chapter in our lives that we have been praying for. I am currently working two jobs, my husband works one, (I work 6 days, he works 7) and we are barely making it — with health costs for my pregnancy, our son’s autism, trying to keep this home as secure as possible, and trying to prepare for maternity leave. My husband and I have been tirelessly applying to jobs in Florida, hoping to line up jobs as soon as possible. However, nothing has been confirmed yet, and we need as much help as we possibly can in relocating and sustaining our lives until we are able to find jobs, including prenatal medical costs and having the baby in August. An estimate of costs are as follows: Moving truck — $2500 (not including tolls & gas) Mortgage — $2235 / month Hospital costs for giving birth (without insurance) approximately $18,000 Anything extra will be going towards food for our family This move comes with great anxiety and sadness, leaving many amazing people behind, leaving most of our families behind, and causing a great shift in the lives of our children (one of whom is autistic and struggles with transitions). Our children have lived in the same place their entire lives, and this is going to be an enormous adjustment for them. **UPDATE 5/11/25** As my husband was getting my Mother’s Day surprises ready, the ceiling literally fell onto his head. Our worst fears are being confirmed. The roof is so bad that the ceilings of our home are caving in. My son saw this, and instantly started having an anxiety attack. It’s hard to ask for help, especially when you learn to minimize your problems. There’s something about how learning to survive as a young person makes one strive to remain strong through it all, no matter what it is. There’s also something to say about struggling with something for so many years that living that way becomes “normal.” *UPDATE 5/11/25 9:00 PM** As the kids were getting ready for bed, our son spotted another sunken in part of the ceiling. This time, it is our kids’ bathroom. It is hard to see in this picture, but this part of the ceiling is dripping with water from the rain. It is only a matter of time before it caves in, just like the ceiling in our bedroom. This is becoming too much for my family to bear. If all you can do is read our story & share, then that is a tremendous blessing. Whatever you can offer, no matter how small, would be the most appreciated. With love and gratitude, the Fournier family Thank you to everyone who has contributed what they can. ♥️