Hello Everyone, thank you for taking the time to read my story. I’m going to try to pack this as quickly as I can since frankly this really is a very complicated story.
About 7 years ago, I moved into the house I currently live in from a small 2 bedroom apartment I shared with my son to accommodate 4 of my sisters 5 children due to neglect and abuse. Things were tough, a bigger home meant bigger bills but with my husband working 16 hour days, we managed. Now some 7 years later, the children are all grown including my son, and they have all moved to start their own lives. We have one in the military, one has a degree in biology, one is a chef and the last one has a degree in computer science. Our own son is currently enrolled in community college also studying biology, and if he knew I was doing this he would likely kill me.
I need help. Over the years of living here we made due with the situation. This rental is extremely old. Built in 1901 it has no insulation, the original doors and windows and honestly, it is quite literally collapsing around us. As many issues this house has, our landlady seems to thing ignoring the issues will make things go away. It hasn’t helped in the slightest. After reporting her for several violations, the house failed inspection last November. After the failure, we received a notice from her rent was increasing 100$ on the first of the year. Nothing was repaired. We then decided we needed to find something else. It was in January our military girl messaged us and told us she and her husband who is also in the military we’re going to have a baby. He was at the time stationed overseas and she was in Texas. As thrilled as we were, we knew this wasn’t an ideal situation for her. It was in late February she asked if she could come home as she was being medically discharged and we happily said yes. The first week in March she rode a bus from Texas to NJ and then COVID was in full swing. I don’t need to tell you all what transpired in the first months here in NJ, but it was grim. Her husband was still in overseas in lockdown and it was June before she could finally see a doctor. It was then we got the devastating news that there was a problem with the baby. A cleft lip and Palate that would need surgery to repair. We immediately began to panic. This house is not suitable for a baby least of all a baby with medical conditions. It was then my husband asked his boss to help us finance a home, and he agreed.
In July the baby came, and he was kept in the hospital until he was able to feed. While he was there we frantically searched for a home with no luck. When he was released from the hospital he was confined to his bedroom since it was really the only place that did not have cracked walls where he would get exposed to dust. When the high temperatures came, the heat was so unbearable they had to go and stay with a family member because it was unhealthy for him to be in the room which reached 110+ degrees. Finally, we found a home just in time as we are being threatened with eviction. We were so happy but then we discovered we needed a 16% down payment. There is no way we can afford this with my husbands modified work schedule due to COVID, we already used so much of our savings during March when his restaurant was closed. So this is what I need. Anything will help toward our 25K goal. I know it’s a lot to ask of strangers, but I am desperate to have a safe and healthy home for our little man. Thank you.