Hello, I currently live in NJ and am having a very difficult time keeping my head above water. Any donations would help for my family and I. Thank you very much.

I never thought I’d be the type of person to ask for help publicly, but life has hit my family hard lately and I’m trying to do everything I can to stay afloat.

I’m a father of two beautiful children — my son is 6 years old and my daughter is only 10 months old. I work full-time for a small town Department of Public Works. It’s honest work and I take pride in it, but the pay is limited and lately it feels impossible to catch up financially.

A few months ago, my vehicle was finally paid off. Not long after, I was involved in a car accident that was not my fault. Unfortunately, the insurance payout was only $3,100, which wasn’t nearly enough to replace the vehicle I depended on for work and side income.

To try to support my family, I was also working Instacart after my regular job to bring in extra money. Without a vehicle now, I lost that extra source of income completely.

At the moment, I’ve been riding my bike about 2 miles to work every day just to make sure I continue providing for my family.

We currently live in a very small apartment above a garage. We pay around $2,500 a month in rent plus utilities, and we don’t even have basic things like a washer, dryer, or dishwasher. Between rent, bills, medical co-payments, and money owed to family and friends who helped us survive tough times, I’ve fallen months behind and can never seem to catch up no matter how hard I work.

I also deal with ongoing medical issues that require tests and doctor visits, and the costs continue to pile up.

I’m not looking for pity. I know many people are struggling. I’m simply trying to keep my family stable, get reliable transportation again, catch up on rent, and continue moving forward without losing everything we’ve worked for.

Any help at all — donations, shares, prayers, or words of encouragement — would truly mean more than I can explain.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story.