After moving into a new apartment just three months ago, my family was forced into temporary housing that is unsuitable for me and my two boys because it is a one-bedroom, with additional safety concerns for my son with epilepsy. I haven’t seen my boys in days, and we need urgent support to cover lost income, rent, and basic necessities.

My name is Arielle, and I am currently pregnant and a mother of two boys, one of whom has epilepsy. Ensuring a safe and stable environment for my children is especially critical.

We moved into our new apartment just three months ago. Since then, we experienced conditions within the home that created serious health concerns for both my children and myself during my pregnancy. These challenges caused stress, illness, and ongoing health difficulties, particularly affecting my son with epilepsy and my own well-being.

This week, we were moved into temporary housing while the situation is being addressed. While we are grateful to have a safe place to stay for now, the sudden displacement has completely disrupted our day-to-day lives. The temporary unit is a one-bedroom, which is completely unsuitable for me, my teenager, and my eight-year-old son. Because of this, as their primary caregiver, I made the difficult decision to have my boys stay with other family members until we are able to safely return or find appropriate housing. This means I have not been able to be with my children this entire time, and as I homeschool them, this displacement has also disrupted their education and daily learning routines.

Another reason this temporary housing is unsuitable is safety concerns for my son with epilepsy. The unit is a distance from the parking lot, and access requires navigating a locked door. If he were in my care and experienced a seizure, it would be extremely difficult for me to get him help quickly, and paramedics would face challenges reaching him in time. This makes the current unit unsafe for both him and me.

Right now, the biggest challenge is the financial impact this situation has caused. During the past three months, I was sick for two weeks while living in the apartment, and I have now missed this entire week of work, with the possibility of more depending on how long this situation continues. The continued loss of wages makes it even harder to cover basic necessities.

At the same time, we are still expected to pay our original rent of $2,387 per month, and with utilities included, that comes to about $2,500 per month. We also remain responsible for electricity, internet, and other household costs for the home we are not currently able to use. This has created a significant financial strain on top of everything else we are navigating.

In addition, we have had to spend more on gas and transportation while visiting housing options recommended by the property management company. I have had to take time out of my day to visit each location and thoroughly investigate the safety concerns for each property, which has added to the stress, time, and effort involved in this transition.

Simple things have become difficult — even planning groceries, maintaining routines, and keeping stability for my children has been a challenge due to not knowing what each day will look like. This has created an overwhelming amount of stress, especially while pregnant and caring for a child with medical needs.

I created this fundraiser to help cover:

• Lost income due to this situation

• Rent and utilities obligations while displaced

• Food and basic necessities

• Gas and transportation costs while investigating alternative housing

• Replacement of essential items and belongings

• Medical-related needs and care

My goal is to create some stability for my family during this time and ensure that their basic needs are consistently met while we work toward a long-term solution.

At this time, I am primarily sharing this with friends, family, and friends of friends. I do not want this to go publicly on social media, as I am trying to cooperate and remain reasonable within the situation. Anyone who doesn’t know us directly is still very much appreciated, and if this was shared with them, it is because they know someone who knows us personally.

Any support — whether through donations or simply sharing our story — would mean more than I can express.

Thank you for taking the time to read about our situation and for helping support my family during this incredibly difficult and uncertain time.

Disclaimer / Note:

This fundraiser is being shared primarily with friends, family, and friends of friends to help my family cover immediate necessities during a temporary displacement. It is not intended to publicly criticize, accuse, or pressure any company or organization. All statements are factual and reflect only our personal experience and needs.