Back on our feet: Lincoln and a teenage son and a daughter in primary school in Ottawa

After the death of my husband in June, I'm now raising a teenage son and a daughter in primary school on my own. I work as a cleaner, but my income doesn't cover rent, childcare and groceries. I'm retraining as a medical coder in the evenings, which will triple my income by September, but I need to bridge the gap until then. Some weeks I skip meals so my children can eat. I have never asked anyone for help like this before, and I'm doing it for them. Once I finish my course, I'll pay it forward. Every cent is accounted for. I'll share a simple monthly breakdown. Where the $2,850 goes: • Rent top-up: $1,750 • Childcare and after-school care: $670 • Course fees and exam costs: $430 Thanks for reading all this.