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Help our Family Survive "Maternity Leave"

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My fiance and I are expecting our first little one, Kaylee Izadora Ball, any time now. As I am writing this, my water has already broken. While we should be spending this time excitedly awaiting our little one, instead, we are anxious and afraid of the coming weeks with me out on "maternity leave". We both work at a local restaurant and that place does what they can for us, but they, like many places of employment in the U.S., don't have a real maternity leave. I have the PTO I earned for the year, but it won't even cover a full six weeks of leave. I am a server at the restaurant. Being a server, I rely on my tips, rather than my wages, and I have been able to support myself in this way for many years. However, when I am out on PTO, my wages become $7.25 an hour. With those wages, even combined with my fiance's checks, we will barely be able to cover our bills, and it leaves no money for food, gas, or any of life's other unexpected finances. I am afraid of what will happen when the food we do have runs out, if the diapers and wipes that we have stock piled run out. Our loved ones have already done what they can for us, but it's not going to be enough. The money we are trying to raise would cover our rent for the month and free up enough that we can survive. We don't need to live comfortably. We just need to get through until I am well enough to return to work. I've wanted to be a mother for as long as I can remember. I've been hearing for years that I was born to be a mother and I can't believe this is really happening. Every kick brings me more joy that words can express. But, I also feels a terrible sadness, knowing that my worries about money are overriding my ability to bask in the bliss of motherhood. Please, if you can help us in any way, we would be forever grateful.

Organizer

Bethy Panko
Organizer
Erie, PA

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