Help us get into a safe home

Hello, my name is Amber Watson, and I'm a single mother to two incredible kids—Milo, 13, and Aeris, 6. It pains me to write this, as I’ve always been self-sufficient, but I find myself in a situation where I need to ask for help.

Nine months ago, I moved back in with my mom because I was struggling to support my kids and myself. My mom lives in a small two-bedroom apartment, so my daughter and I have been sleeping on the couches while my son uses the second bedroom.

Three weeks ago, we discovered black mold under the carpet and wood flooring in that bedroom. Since then, we’ve had to close off the room, and now all three of us are sleeping in the living room. While it’s been cramped, we've been grateful just to have a roof over our heads.

Unfortunately, the apartment management has ignored our requests to address the mold issue, leaving us in an unsafe environment. My daughter and I both suffer from breathing problems, and living with mold exacerbates our conditions. It became clear that we needed to find a new place to live as soon as possible.

After countless searches and rejected applications, my mom and I were finally approved for a rental home. However, the turnaround is quick, and we need to come up with the remaining move-in costs before the property is offered to someone else. I’m currently working two jobs and donating plasma weekly, while my mom, who is almost 60, is still working full-time. Despite our best efforts, we’re still short by $2,550, which we need by August 29th to move in by September 1st.

I’ve always prided myself on being a hard worker, never asking for help in my 32 years. But my kids deserve better, and this new home would give us the fresh start we desperately need. Each of my children would have their own room again, and we could finally breathe easy—literally and figuratively.

If you’re able to help in any way, we would be eternally grateful. This is not something I ask lightly, but we’re running out of options. Even if you can’t contribute, thank you for taking the time to read our story.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.