Financial Assistance for Mother of 3

This campaign is to raise money for a close friend of mine who needs financial assistance to start a new life. Although I cannot share her name here out of concern for her safety, her story is below. I can vouch for her story and I know that she would greatly appreciate any amount that you could provide. The sooner this money is raised, the sooner she and her children can move to a safer situation.

"In the past couple years, it has become clear to me that my husband's abusive behavior is only getting worse, so I am trying to leave my marriage of 16 years. I have a son and two daughters who are between 7 and 13 years old. As they develop their own thoughts, my husband's abusive reactions have also become directed at them. I cannot let anything happen to my children or let them think they deserve to be hurt by someone who should love them.

He has also done everything he can to keep me from working. I've finally managed to get a job he doesn't yet know about, but I'm worried he'll explode once he realizes I have one. Unfortunately keeping it a secret isn't an option. He refuses to be clear with me about our family's finances. Frequently, I learn that he lied about money. For example, he will say he worked and got paid, and I will later learn he took out a very high interest loan. Control is always his goal. He calls me all the time on my cell and flies into an uncontrollable rage if I don't answer immediately, then leaves his place of work to drive home and demand why I didn't answer.

My main goal is the well-being of my children. I want to give them as much stability as possible. My son is special needs, so a new routine will be especially hard on him. I am unable to find a pro-bono lawyer who can take my case. Most lawyers in my area want $3,500 to put in a trust before they will even take a divorce case. I found a lawyer willing to take my case who wants $1,000 to start and says it will take at least $2,000 to do the divorce, maybe more. If I raise more than $2,000 it will go for childcare for my kids (my job extends after their school hours) and to the expenses involved in making our new life (gas to get to my new job, monthly cost of a place to live.)

Thank you for any help you are able to offer for our family."