Hi, my name is Megan, and I really need your help. I'm a disabled Canadian woman in my thirties, late-diagnosed with ADHD and recently with fibromyalgia as well. I also struggle with depression and anxiety in addition to the symptoms of being neurodivergent and experiencing chronic pain. I'm a mother of two boys; I have shared custody. Life hasn't been easy for me; I've been working through a lifetime of various traumas in therapy, including losing my mom when I was 19, two painful breakups, and two sexual assaults as well.

I am fortunate that I am now with an incredible man, my husband Paul, who has been such a support to me as I work on healing. He's brought hope back into my life, and reminded me that I deserve to be loved with compassion, kindness, and understanding.

The biggest obstacle to us achieving a stable life is lack of money. We were pushed to move out from our previous accommodation and were given hardly any time to look for a rental. We ended up settling with only the second home we were able to view, which costs us $2000 a month in rent, utilities NOT included. We quickly discovered while starting to move our things over that this house was filthy, with mouse turds in various places, had faulty electrical wiring in places, as well as poorly installed flooring that regularly causes tripping or snagging, doors that don't properly open and close, and so many other issues. We're stuck in this lease until mid June of 2026.

Because of my disabilities, I have struggled my entire adult life to get and hold a job long-term. I am willing to work, but I can't sustain employment in harmful environments with toxic management, or pushing my body to its limits trying to do tasks that hurt me.

Paul is American, so he is unable to work for Canadian companies unless they are willing to sponsor him which hasn't worked out for the past 1.5 years. I am unable to sponsor him as my spouse at this time because I can't prove that I am able to provide for him.

Right now, we have been doing everything we can to earn money. We do Uber Eats deliveries, and we offer a variety of services to people such as cleaning, organizing, small home upgrades/repair, yardwork, painting, snow shoveling, etc. We also try to sell things we don't need on Marketplace, Kijiji, etc, and take refundables into the bottle depot.

I am currently working on applying for AISH and rent assistance; if I am approved, this will greatly improve our ability to afford our expenses going forward, and may also help us in getting a better house in the future. In order to complete the AISH paperwork, I have to pay over $100 for my doctor to fill out forms. I have also been hired for a part-time job that will start in January but I need to pay $80 for a police background check since I will be working with children.

We still owe our landlord $500 for December's rent, our utilities bill is about $900, and we owe about $600 for other utilities and services. The credit card is basically maxed out at $10,000. My husband has a storage unit in Montana with all of his possessions, which we are unable to bring across the border at this time. It is currently sitting at $310 USD. If we can't pay before the end of December, all of his belongings will be seized.

Currently, we are also providing shelter to one of my best friends and her young son, who would be completely homeless if we hadn't taken them in. She left an abusive relationship, much like I did, and was staying with a friend who then completely betrayed her and kicked her out. She contributes what she can to expenses, but she is also disabled and on income support. Things are looking positive for her to get a small place of their own soon, but there are still some obstacles to work through.

With all of this happening, we just can't get ahead of the bills. Our situation can and will improve, but we're stuck waiting for applications to be processed and other pieces to come into place. We desperately need help with surviving until we can reach that point. We would be forever grateful for any and all help that you can afford; I know we're not the only ones hurting and struggling to survive in this current climate. And when we are in a position to do so, we will pay this kindness forward to others who are in need.

Thank you so much,

Megan & Paul