Miller Family Financial Emergency

March 29, 2024 Update:

1st, we just missed being served partition action papers today. (We were at the dentist with the boys) What this means, we truly need help with a place to stay if we are forced to vacate our home before we are able to rent a new home. Does anyone, or does anyone know someone who has the ability to give our family a safe haven until we have the ability to rent our own place to live. Again, this would be a short term arrangement only.

2nd, Jovon is now on Outschool! Please help me share his classes and encourage people to enroll their kids. If Outschool can provide another income source quickly, it may be the difference in being able to rent on our own right away. I will add the link in the comments.

3rd, GoFundMe. Court fees are coming and moving costs (deposits, applications, moving truck, boxes, storage). Please help me share our GoFundMe. I will link it in the comments too.

4th, Help me network for Jovon and set up classes, workshops, weekend events, and private lessons. I can fill you in on his schedule availability and any other information you may need.

But the biggest help is a place to stay until we can be on our own.

Pic of boys participating in our Buy Nothing Group's Easter Egg Hunt last weekend.

JAN 16, 2024 Update:

First, I want to thank everyone who has helped my family over the last few months. Your help has repaired my Honda, Jovon's car, kept our utilities on, covered lawyer fees to date, provided groceries, car insurance, credit card payments and gas in our vehicles.

For the situation with my mother in law, her lawyer has agreed to mediation services. I am hoping that it will be productive but, we are fully aware we are dealing with a narcissist and the odds are this will be a drawn out process. I am hoping that attempting mediation will help buy us time in a worst case scenario, best case is a fair agreement that takes into consideration the needs of our family and will let us stay in our home or even an agreement with a plan to sell after we are stable/recovered enough to qualify to rent/buy on our own.

This is where we are needing help. Mediation fees, lawyer fees and any other associated legal costs. This can add up quickly and we need help covering the costs of this process.

Jovon is working hard at establishing his business as a dance educator, performing artist and choreographer. He has classes set to start in Seattle, he will soon have virtual classes beginning and has plans in the works for other teaching gigs. Jovon has applied for grants with plans to apply for more. Hopefully he will receive one or more.

The older boys are seeing mental health counselors, as am I. Kendrick is now in speech therapy and waiting for an autism evaluation.

My health, I have returned the heart monitor and it showed a few abnormalities but nothing critical. I will be following up with the cardiologist soon about next steps and if I need referrals to a neurologist that works with the autonomic nervous system. So far, signs point to POTS. As I am underweight, the gastrointestinal specialist doesn't want to do a gluten challenge followed by biopsy as it will most likely cause more harm than good. So I have a provisional diagnosis of Celiac Disease based solely on my bloodwork. I am finally starting to gain weight over the last couple weeks.

My psychiatrist is currently helping me with my health/cognitive concerns and I am trialing Ldn to see if it assists decreasing autoimmune responses and inflammation. She has her eyes on UW's Long Covid clinic and will add me to their waitlist if/when it opens for non King County residents not in the UW medical system. It has definitely helped having my psychiatrist confirming that everything is not in my head and has been a huge support for keeping my moral up while I push through the medical system for care.

Other ways that we need help if you are not able to donate to the GoFundMe:

If you're local, we need help packing non essential things into storage, organizing/purging items, help locating a place to live in the scenario where we need to move asap, helping me with the boys so I can focus on paperwork or other tasks, sharing Jovon's classes with others to increase enrollment, or contacting me to ask what I need help with that day.

Oct 20 UPDATE

Thank you everyone for your tremendous support thus far. I have given a friend access to the GoFundMe to help provide oversight and to help with answering questions if they come up.

Unfortunately, we are not out of the woods yet. Our family is at risk of losing our housing, making us possibly homeless. Jovon's mother is threatening a partition lawsuit to force a court ordered sale of our home that we co-own. Essentially, we are now needing to cover costs of legal fees to at minimum slow down the process so we can recover enough to rent a place or in a best case scenario stay in our home.

We are asking for additional $5,000 to be able to cover lawyer and mediation fees. A retainer is looking like it will be $2000 at minimum plus any additional legal fees.

At present we have paid for the following:

Expenses that GoFundMe has assisted with since 9/1/2023 through 10/14/2023. This has brought us current for expenses remaining from summer. All of our utilities and credit cards are current now as well. The Visa is still maxed out from having to use it for necessities since June.

Utilities

Tacoma Power $160

Spanaway Water $76

Trash $90

Comcast $130

PSE $145 (account now current)

Tacoma Power $120 (account now current)

Pierce County Sewer $124

Groceries

Safeway $155

Safeway $44 (Birthday cupcakes and treats for Kendrick turning 2)

Safeway $186

Walmart $65

Vehicle related

Car Insurance $192

Car payment $377

Credit Cards

Pep boys $ 90

Visa $100

Car Repairs

Honda:

Calipers $228.48

Rotors $124.36

Break Pads $52.16

Transmission Output Shaft Seal $35.28

Belt #25060439 (NAPA) $32.93

Belt #25040420 (NAPA) $24.74

Shop Parts $10

Inspection and tests $91.60

Safety $22.22

Brake Inspection No Charge

Pressure Test Cooling System $57.25

Brakes + Calipers $343.50

Differential Side Seal $229

Alternator Drive Belt $85.88

Power Steering Drive Belt $57.25

Hazardous Materials $10

Total after taxes $1545.12

BMW

Parts purchased

Oil 10Liters Liqui Moly Leichtlauf High Tech 5w-40 $49.99

Mann Oil Filter HU816X $11.35

Oil Pressure Switch $6.30

Battery $277

Labor. $150

Recalls $0 at BMW

Jovon will need to drive the car for a while to determine additional needed repairs to keep the vehicle running.

Total $494 so far

Approximately $630 was paid out from the GoFundMe in July. This was used to make payments towards utilities and our car payment for August.

We will hold off on fixing our Hyundai in need of the new engine as we will possibly be needing those funds to help with legal costs and any possible moving expenses if we need to move before we are ready to financially pay for it fully on our own.

Sep 29 update,

The high priority repairs for my Honda will be completed next week and include:

Repairs for a transmission leak, new calipers (mine are starting to seize), pads, rotors and a few belts. But these repairs will be approximately $1460 and take a full day.

A mechanic is coming by on October 8th to look at Jovon's car and give us more information on repair costs.

Next, I will work on getting estimates for a rebuilt engine swap for our Hyundai. I will be trying Hyundai corporate again with the hope that they will assist in some form.

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Sept 24 update,

Thank you all! This will help us fix Jovon's car and my little Accord.

I will be getting quotes from mechanics for the cost of installing a working engine in our Hyundai Santa Fe (the engine failed in May this year). I will update the GoFundMe goal if the engine swap will be more than the current goal.

I will include the totals for the repair cost for both the Accord and Jovon's car as I receive receipts/invoices.

In other news, tomorrow is Kendrick's 2nd birthday! I've also learned that I have Celiac Disease (no noticeable symptoms other than rapidly losing weight and becoming very underweight over the last year). I also have an appointment for cardiology in the first week of October to follow up with the POTS symptoms.

Other information to note, Jovon's mom has demanded to pay for and take control over installing a new roof on the house. We had lined up a couple friends to help us replace the roof and Jovon was going to help with the labor. So we will see how this works out and I will update with any information related to this as it develops.

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Sep 15 Update,

The following is copied from a post that I will be sharing on Facebook. This post will clearly outline all of our circumstances to date.

Post:

I'm in a tough spot right now, and I'm reaching out because we could really use your help. It's not easy for me to ask, but we're at a crucial juncture where we can't go it alone anymore. We're facing challenges that are taking an immeasurable toll on us physically, mentally, and financially. Please know that the following is definitely abridged as to include more would make for a very long read for Facebook.

Jovon, my rock, has been carrying an enormous weight of stress and responsibility. It's been wearing relentlessly on his mental health, and things have been made even more difficult by the continuous emotional and verbal abuse he's endured from his own mother. This isn't just tough – it's downright soul-crushing for him, and it's affecting all of us. My boys and I are also dealing with the scars of this emotional abuse, concealed behind tactics like blame-shifting and gaslighting. It's been a constant struggle living in this environment, and I'm determined to make a change, especially for the sake of our children.

Towards the end of June, Jovon took a courageous step and admitted himself into a mental health crisis unit. To be completely honest, we were perilously close to losing him. The triggers were many: the ongoing emotional abuse, a work environment that consistently undermined him, and the overwhelming expectations on his shoulders. Balancing all of this, along with his roles as a father and husband, took a massive toll on Jovon – the person who holds us all together.

But here's the incredible part – Jovon is finding his way to recovery and healing. With the kind of inner strength that amazes me, he's rebuilding his business, Jovon Miller Productions Inc., and turning his struggle into a journey of growth. The financial consequences of his challenges have hit us hard, leading us to prioritize his well-being over financial stability – a necessary and straightforward choice.

Yet, the struggle persists. We're relying on food banks and the kindness of a dear friend to make sure our kids have enough to eat. Our car situation is far from ideal; my little '94 Honda Accord is on its last legs, and the needed repairs for our other vehicles are beyond our means. The most costly is our 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe (we bought used in September 2021) which is in need of an engine replacement for a very likely manufacturer's engine defect. We still owe nearly 18k and are making monthly payments on a vehicle we cannot drive.

On top of all the above, I'm navigating through a maze of bureaucracy to access short-term financial aid and food stamps. And that is not all – recent conversations with friends (one who has POTS and the other a physician) pointed me toward a likely diagnosis of POTS, a condition that seems to have been with me since my teenage years. I have set an appointment with my provider to begin the process of diagnosis.

In the midst of these challenges, I'm reaching out for help in any way you can offer it. If you're nearby, your time and effort would mean the world. Whether it's helping Jovon with his work, looking after the kids, lending a hand with repairs, or contributing to completing the work needed in Jovon’s garage studio space – your support is a step towards our recovery and growth.

For those who can't be here in person, we've set up a GoFundMe account. Your financial support will directly ease our burden and give us a chance to find stability and renewal.

I get it, times are tough for everyone. But if you're able to offer any assistance – whether it's your time, resources, or even just sharing this post – you're giving us a glimmer of hope as we navigate these challenges.

Thank you for being a part of our journey. Your compassion, love, and understanding are a guiding beacon that buoys our strength to face each day with renewed hope and resilience. We truly appreciate every bit of support.

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Original Gofundme story from end of June, beginning of July:

Hi my name is Jennifer and I am a stay at home mom to three wonderful boys. I assist my husband, Jovon, with his career as a self employed dance educator, choreographer and performing artist.

We are a neurodivergent family of five. Our oldest child will be 10 this month, our middle is newly 7, and our youngest is 21 months old. We juggle multiple therapy appointments every week, I homeschool year round to avoid over scheduling our boys and provide a customized education. Our goal is to set up our children to live fulfilling lives, knowing that they are loved, valued, seen and are capable of accomplishing their dreams.

Life however has continued to hit us hard over the last couple months. We need to replace our roof, currently it is covered with a tarp until we can afford to repair it. Our family vehicle, that we still owe 18k to the bank on, needs a new engine. Our mechanic pulled the oil pan and found shards of metal and no signs that we didn't care for the vehicle properly. We bought it used, so the original warranty doesn't apply. In the meantime we spent our savings repairing my 94 Accord so that we could take the boys to therapy and so my husband could drive to work.

My husband, Jovon, has been holding our family up while he has been drowning. He has reached out to multiple people over the last year for help, only to receive the equivalent of "you're in my thoughts." He is experiencing burnout that culminated in voluntarily checking in to a crisis center. He is home now and working on recovering from burnout/emotional breakdown. Because he is self employed and only directly employed for a few hours each week by a studio, we do not qualify for short-term paid disability from the state.

To date, I have emailed and called local resources such as 211, Catholic Community Services, DSHS and more. I have yet to hear back from any. I will be calling again on Monday and every business day. In the meantime we have utilities to pay, a mortgage payment, car payment for a vehicle that cannot be used, and all the other household expenses. I have located our local food pantries and have been feeding my family this way. Our complication with food pantries is our oldest child has an eating disorder, called ARFID where his brain perceives only very specific foods as safe to eat.

I am looking for any financial help. This will be to pay our utilities, mortgage, and other expenses such as diapers for our toddler and other kid related expenses. And if there is a bit extra, a birthday gift for our oldest later this month. Our plan is to be back on our feet by end of summer or sooner. With help, we can make that happen. Without help, we may not be able to recover for years and the odds of putting our children through food scarcity, utility shut offs and similar are highly likely.

I am currently looking for work near our home as a back up plan, but this could take months. In the meantime, we are looking at severe financial hardship. Any funds gifted will only be used to pay for utilities, bills, gas, food for our children and our mortgage payment. Once we are stable, I will close this Gofundme, and do my best to assist others in similar hardship.