D’Asa, D’Avary, and D’Andre….. My miracle babies birthed after 16 years of infertility treatments. They are my world. The children are ages 10, 6, and 8. They were each diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at an early age. The youngest is now thought to have Fragile X syndrome and is undergoing testing to confirm a diagnosis. From day 1 of receiving the eldest’s diagnosis, I have been blessed with an innumerable amount of support. The children have a wealth of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual support from an amazing team of therapist, social workers, teachers, friends, and family.
However, the family is now facing a dilemma.
With much trepidation and shattering pride, I am seeking help with a housing issue. I have been renting a house for the past three years and things have gotten so bad for the children, I decided to leave after a 2nd attempted break-in two weeks ago. A man attempted to break in through the dining room window, wielding a machete. Seven months prior, a young man under the influence, mistakenly thought our house was his. He tried breaking down the front door, and neighbors trying to reason with him were thwarted off by his pit bull. Thankfully, both attempts ended without harm to my family. Without physical harm. The children (and I) are terrified. Trying to ward off intruders is bad enough but trying to protect the home whilst attempting to calm three ASD children with sensory challenges is a nightmare that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. In addition to the mental stress these ordeals have caused, my eight-year-old girl has now been diagnosed with diabetes, hypertension, and obesity. This isn’t related to the attempted robberies, but a direct impact from her environment. The surge of random gunfire and crime in our streets have made it unsafe to even play in my backyard. We live across the street from a park/playground whose grounds are littered with drug paraphernalia. I can no longer drive them to the “safe neighborhoods” because I sold my car to get extra money to relocate. The combination of a pandemic and a roughshod neighborhood has led to a sedentary lifestyle, which I believe contributes to her medical issues.
Why am I sharing this?
Because I have found a few homes that are in areas less volatile and more conducive to their special needs. With the help of my family and church, I have finally raised the money to cover the down payment on a home. Suddenly, we have been displaced from our current home and living in various hotels. My landlord’s negligence in making critical repairs has resulted in the home being uninhabitable. Since June 24th I have depleted much of what was in savings for a new home just to pay for lodging and food. I have exhausted all my personal resources and have no one else to turn to for help. I have applied for help at numerous agencies and await their responses. Meanwhile, I remain a cheerleader in front of the children. When they’re sad because we’re leaving a hotel they’ve become accustomed to, I gleefully explain that’s what happens on family road trips. They then become excited while I fight back my tears.
CHILDREN DESERVE TO LIVE A BETTER LIFE
I’m attempting to raise funds because I’ve been told that to close on any of the homes that I qualify for, I need $12,000 to cover down payment and closing costs. Any gift, whether it be monetary, a referral or a word of prayer……I’m grateful