I'm raising money for utility bills so I can keep my house livable for my family.

Why I'm using HandUp for utility bills.

My family and I need help paying our utility bills. Since we've all been staying home, our utility bills have increased. The income we had coming in was from painting homes and since the pandemic, this income stopped and left us with very little resources. We are trying our best to keep the utilities on but could use some help until our income starts to pick up again.

About me.

My children and I are from the Dominican Republic and immigrated to the U.S. about 11 years ago. We are very close as a family and have supported each other through the hard times. I have 4 boys and 1 girl (18,17,16,4,1) My kids love going to school and are very involved in after-school programs such as basketball, choir, community service, and educational programs.

My backstory.

My life here in the U.S. was not what I had hoped for, soon after my arrival in the U.S. my family and I became victims of domestic violence from my then husband. Without the financial support of my spouse, I was left homeless with 3 small children and no where to go, We were in shelters in different states while trying to flee, but finally found agencies that gave me the courage to take a step forward. With the help of some great people and organizations, we were able to flee our situation and are now survivors.

My goals, moving forward.

I've slowly started to rebuild my life and have been able to get more stable in my situation. I was blessed with a baby boy in July 2015 and another baby boy in April 2019 and they are a symbol of how my life has changed for the better. I would like to learn job skills that can make me more independent so that I can improve the lives of my children. I enjoy taking care of children and would like to get a job in childcare.

I recently completed child care and CPR classes at a local community center and I'm hoping that these new skills and certifications will help me find employment. I'm hoping to enroll in GED classes that would help me finish my education.

Other things I'd like to share about myself.

I'm very proud of my kids. Despite all the hard times they've been through, they have kept positive attitudes and rarely complain about things. I want my kids to have bright futures and make good choices for themselves.