My name is Grace, and I’m a single mom to two wonderful daughters. My youngest, Wilder, is medically complex and has special needs. This past fall, Wilder was officially diagnosed with Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), a complex, medically recognized feeding disorder that affects how a child’s brain and body process food. ARFID makes eating physically and neurologically difficult—not a matter of will or behavior. Children with ARFID often struggle due to sensory sensitivities, underlying neurological differences, or past medical challenges, which can place their growth and overall health at risk without specialized treatment. In Wilder’s case, despite being almost four years old, she only recently transitioned away from relying on an infant bottle with formula in the past few months, highlighting the severity and persistence of her feeding challenges.

Since she was 10 months old, Wilder has been in feeding therapy, but we’re now facing our most challenging chapter yet. To give her the best chance at progress, we need to travel from our home in Indiana to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, OH, for their intensive feeding program. This program lasts 8-10 weeks, with daily sessions from 8am to 4pm, and it’s our hope that it will help Wilder learn to eat and thrive. This intensive feeding program is necessary to provide structured, multidisciplinary medical care that supports safe eating, nutritional adequacy, and long-term progress that cannot be achieved through outpatient therapy alone.

During this time, we’ll need to rent a place or stay at the Ronald McDonald House, which asks for a nightly donation. We’ll also be traveling to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital for a week of procedures and evaluations to better understand Wilder’s feeding issues. Throughout both of these extended stays, I won’t be able to work or run my small sourdough bread business, which means I’ll have no income. As a single mom, I don’t receive child support, so every expense—bills, travel, lodging, and daily needs—falls on my shoulders. If there are any funds left after covering these essentials, I hope to use them for local weekend activities with my daughters, to keep their spirits up during this difficult time.

If you’re here reading this, please know how deeply grateful we already are. Asking for help doesn’t come easily, but this season has required more strength than we can carry alone. Your support—whether through a donation, sharing our story, or keeping us in your thoughts—provides essential relief and makes it possible for us to move forward with dignity and hope. Thank you for being part of our journey and for helping us prioritize Wilder’s healing and our family’s well-being.