Single Mother of 4 - Given Until 12/15/2020 To

I am starting this fundraiser for one of my closest and dearest friends, Cassie ... as well as her four amazing children - Olivia (7 Years Old), Laila (5 Years Old), Mario (6 Months Old) and Camilla (6 Months Old) - Mario and Camilla are twin brother and sisters.  Cassie is a single mother who loves and cares for not only her children more than anything, but she is also the type of person who will make sure the person she just met 2 hours ago doesn't go hungry before her.  She is a very hard working, dedicated, loving, upbeat and involved mother who is also juggling a full-time job.  Not only is she providing for her four beautiful children, but her younger sister is also living with her for the time being, who without Cassie's help, was homeless.  She is one of the most generous and selfless people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, and I am honored to be able to call her my best friend.

I am here typing Cassie's story because she has not had it easy these last couple of years - I realize that she is two weeks away from being homeless, and that is a short amount of time to ask for such a large donation, but, this is only because she just found out the day before Thanksgiving that she is about to become homeless.  She has been aware since 11/25/2020 that she needed to vacate the home she is renting, but throughout this time, she was assured by the rental assistance company she had filed an application with, that she would be provided with the funds needed to afford a new rental.  However, today she learned that the rental assistance was not coming afterall ... leaving her in a very vulnerable, stressful and scary situation.  Without the assistance she was about to receive, she will not be able to move into a new place.

Cassie has always managed to beat the odds - the father of Olivia and Laila is useless, he is not in the picture due to the fact he is very verbally and physically abusive.  He has provided a child support payment 3 times in the last 12-months, each payment totaling to about $80.  The father of Mario and Camilla is also not in the picture.  He left Cassie on Christmas Day last year with nowhere to go with two children, and two more on the way.  He is now spending the next 10-15 years in prision and for obvious reasons, is unable to help support Cassie and the kids.

While Cassie may not have the biggest and nicest house in the best part of town, or the most reliable, luxurious and expensive car on the block - she has a home large enough to keep her and her children comfortable and safe.  She is able to provide enough food on the table to keep everyone's bellies full, and is able to still keep the heat and lights on every month.  With a job that is flexible enough to work around the schedule of four children (as daycare is near impossible to afford for this many children), she does not make very much - let's just say that making well below $15 per hour while supporting a household of young children and a homeless sister does not leave any play money - and barely enough for the basics as it is.  But she provides the best she can for her children - and I try to help where I can as well.

At this point, Cassie is on the verge of being homeless.  She only has a mother and sister in the state, and their homes are far too small, or too crowded as it is.  The homeless centers are all full and not accepting new residents, let alone a family of six - leaving nowhere for Cassie to turn.  The saddest part to me, is that seeing where she has come from two years ago, to where she is now?  She has worked remarkably hard to make it to where she is - to have a home and her own car.  However, now she is two short weeks away from losing this home she worked so hard to get in the first place, but then to maintain ... a place for her children to grow up happy and safe.  It is stressful enough having to move to a new home, but it's even more stressful when you have to move out, but financially do not have the ability to get into another place.  When it is just you, or just you and a partner, it's not the end of the world - but with four children all under the age of 10, and a little sister relying on you, it can cause someone to hit their breaking point.  The thing is, I know Cassie is beyond stressed - beyond scared - beyond her breaking point ... but, she would never let anyone see it, because she doesn't want other people to worry about her.

So, generous people of Social.Fund, I ask ... no, I BEG on behalf of Cassie, her four children and her little sister, that we can raise some money that can be used to secure a new home for her familly - I have personally tapped my savings out helping her in every way I can, but I am financially at the end, to the point I have to start doing damage control.  Every dollar was worth it, because I know it helped her family, I never want to see a friend of mine struggle or suffer - so now, I am asking complete strangers to help a woman that you don't even know ... that you owe absolutely nothing to, yet, you were kind and patient enough to at least read Cassie's story the best I could tell it for her.  So if anything, I thank you for your time.

Be blessed - Happy Holidays to you all - please stay warm and healthy this holiday season!

Olivia (Left), Laila (Right), holding the Ultrasounds of their soon to be born little brother and sister!

Camilla (Left), Mario (Right) - Just a few days old!

Mario (Top), Camilla (Bottom) - Lying down together!