Amani Chaghlil

My name is Amani. I am a disabled veteran, a domestic-violence survivor, an advocate for women, and—most importantly—the mother of a remarkable little girl named Ayla, who turned five on September 8. After leaving an abusive marriage and speaking openly about what was happening behind closed doors, Ayla and I lost the financial and housing stability we had relied upon. For years, I have used my voice and platform to advocate for women, single mothers, veterans, and survivors of domestic violence—often standing beside others during the kinds of crises I am now navigating myself. As Ms. Elite New Jersey 2026 and an International Legacy Ambassador with Miss United Crown of America, I have committed my platform to turning lived experience into meaningful advocacy. Asking my community to stand beside Ayla and me is deeply humbling. It is also part of the message I hope to carry forward: strength does not mean surviving alone. For months, I have navigated legal proceedings, financial abandonment, an emergency move, and the loss of our home—all while trying to protect Ayla from carrying the weight of circumstances she did not create. I saw the risk of displacement coming and tried to prevent it. Long before we lost our home, I repeatedly reached out to veteran homelessness programs, housing-stability services, domestic-violence resources, and legal channels. I followed the referrals I was given. Yet Ayla and I were passed between systems and jurisdictions without anyone taking meaningful ownership of our case. In some instances, assistance could not begin until we were already homeless. No approved, usable support arrived in time to prevent our displacement. I trusted the process and saw it through—until Ayla and I fell through the gaps it was supposed to close. The system did not fail because I failed to ask for help. It failed after I did. I am accustomed to being the advocate, the problem-solver, and the person who steps in when someone else needs help—even when my own resources are limited. Asking publicly for help does not come naturally to me. But carrying everything alone will not protect my daughter or create the stability we need. We have moved our belongings into storage, left our apartment, and secured temporary housing. I am still addressing the legal and practical matters necessary to protect our future while I work toward a permanent home and stable foundation for us. Funds raised will help cover: • Emergency moving and storage expenses • Safe temporary housing for Ayla and me • Transportation and relocation costs • Legal filing, document, and administrative expenses • Food, communication, and essential living expenses during the transition • The foundation needed to establish our next stable home I receive disability income as a veteran, but the combined costs of displacement, relocation, storage, legal protection, and establishing a new home exceed what I can manage alone. I am not asking others to rebuild our entire lives for us. I am asking for a bridge—enough stability to get Ayla safely through this transition while I continue doing the work of rebuilding. This fundraiser is more than a request for emergency assistance. It is an invitation to become part of our rebuilding journey. I will post updates about our progress and milestones, along with a transparent expense ledger showing how contributions are allocated while protecting private legal and banking information. I also intend to document what helped, what failed, and where systems meant to prevent homelessness and protect survivors allowed us to fall through the gaps. I am putting our story out there because I do not want the next woman to spend months being passed between referrals, trying to reverse-engineer survival while protecting her children. My goal is not simply to survive this chapter. I intend to turn what we have endured into a blueprint that helps other women and families recognize abuse, navigate crisis, preserve evidence, seek support, and rebuild with dignity—before they reach the same cliff. I want to help build the bridge I needed, so another mother has a path she can actually cross. As a women’s advocate and Legacy Ambassador, I am committed to making sure the support invested in Ayla and me reaches beyond us. When I speak about the next five generations, I mean it. Ayla deserves to spend her fifth year feeling safe, celebrated, and protected—not defined by an eviction, a divorce, or the decisions of adults around her. Every donation, share, resource, and message of support helps us move closer to that future. Thank you for helping me turn an ending we did not choose into a beginning built with intention, dignity, and hope.