I am reaching out for help because everything seems to have gone wrong at once. I have two high-needs children living at home, and my own medical issues have caused me to miss quite a bit of work over the past few months. On top of that, my ex-husband hasn't been paying child support reliably, and unexpected expenses and/or late fees have piled up. A few months ago, I had to pay for unexpected expensive car repairs, and now the price of gas has skyrocketed. My space rent is going up, and no matter how hard I work, I just can't seem to catch up, let alone get ahead.

I am looking for support to cover urgent bills like car insurance and utility payments, and to help keep up with rising gas prices. I would also love to buy my 12-year-old, who is on the autism spectrum, a swing for the backyard for their upcoming birthday. I am not asking for a lot—just enough to make it until my next payday; the swing is just a goal I had meant to accomplish by now, but it's OK if we can't. I only get paid once a month, and although I've been working as much as possible lately, I won't see any financial reward for another 16 days.

I understand that we are all facing tough times, and I always do my best to share what I can with others. I am embarrassed to ask for help for myself, but I desperately need it right now. Any assistance you can offer would mean the world to me and my family, and I appreciate it from the absolute bottom of my heart.