I'm so grateful for y'all. Like all the way down to my bones. When I think about how bad things could have been for us without the help of folks on here (and Twitter before everything), I just want to cry. I would not be here if it weren't for y'all.

Thank you all so much for everything 💜

I should clarify - I say I'm without a village, but I have been so damn lucky in the friends I've met on here who do step up to help when I need it, who send needed money and gifts and have helped make sure we stay safe and housed over the last several years.

Y'all ARE my village 💜

I've been laid off 3 times in less than a decade, twice this year. I started working at 14 way back at the turn of this century and have consistently worked 55+ hour weeks for the past almost 20 years, always the first to sign up for extra shifts or overtime, just to often still not make ends meet.

I'm one of those single moms without a village. I went from my abusive childhood home to being a pregnant homeless teen with a 4th grade education to being in an abusive living situation until I was 32, when with the help of strangers I was able to get myself and my kids out of it for good.

I don't know where this economy bottoms out but I know we're not there yet.

My main goal as a parent has been that my kids don't know the food and housing insecurity that I've known throughout my life, especially as a child. Anything that jeopardizes that gets deep into my heart.