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Back on our feet: Teresa and two young children in Durham

A single mother in Durham needs help with childcare, groceries and rent while Teresa retrains.

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United States1,610 views
Teresa C. Serrano
Email verified
Durham
After a house fire in June, I'm now raising two young children on my own. I work as a part-time receptionist, but my income doesn't cover rent, childcare and groceries. I'm retraining as an electrician 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. Money goes toward rent, groceries, after-school care and the cost of my course. I'll give a monthly update with receipts. Where the $3,000 goes: โ€ข Groceries and school meals: $770 โ€ข Rent top-up: $1,150 โ€ข Childcare and after-school care: $1,080 Even a small gift gets used right away and I'll thank you myself.

Updates from Teresa

  1. Small update. $771 so far, we've started the first stage.

  2. Thank you all. We're at 13% now ($395). I'm honestly stunned. we've started the first stage.

  • Ouma Collins Karanja ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฌ ยท $25
  • Anonymous ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท ยท $15

    โ€œSending love. Thought of Teresa all day after reading this.โ€

  • Aravind C. Iyer ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ ยท $30
  • Rodrigo M. Quintero ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ ยท $3.50
  • Sinta Fani Tanoto ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ ยท $10
  • Ife Esther Fashola ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฌ ยท $100
  • Fadi Jamal Saleh ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฑ ยท $10
  • Jonas Rainer Sommer ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช ยท $15
  • Jonathan Richard Addo ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ญ ยท $10

    โ€œGave what I could this week. - Madinaโ€

  • Salma Sharmila Hossain ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฉ ยท $5
  • Irene C. Guzmรกn ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ ยท $15
  • Candra Kartika ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ ยท $20
  • Anonymous ๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ญ ยท $25
  • Sakshi P. Shah ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ ยท $100
  • David F. Long ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง ยท $30
  • Yash R. Awasthi ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ ยท $200

    โ€œHope things get better. From Salem with love.โ€

  • Daniel Bolaji Bello ๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฌ ยท $10
  • Sebastiรฃo Rafael Azevedo ๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ท ยท $71

    โ€œBe well - Belรฉmโ€

  • Manolis Panagiotopoulos ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ท ยท $10
  • Liliana B. Urbina ๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ ยท $20

Reviews

3.8(17 reviews)

Only people who gave to this need, or whose offer to help was accepted, can review it.

  • Luciana Araรบjo๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ทVerified donor
    Professional and kind

    I was going through a tough time and this person's support was invaluable. They didn't judge, just helped. That kind of genuine compassion is rare these days.

  • Jacques Lombard๐Ÿ‡ฟ๐Ÿ‡ฆVerified donor
    Went above and beyond

    I can't speak highly enough about this helper. They were available when I needed them, supportive when I felt lost, and practical in their solutions.

  • Edson Melo๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ทVerified donor
    Went above and beyond

    The help I received was exactly what was described and more. This person follows through on their commitments and genuinely cares about making a positive impact.

  • Stepan Bondar๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡บVerified donor
    Restored my faith in humanity

    I was nervous about reaching out, but this person made me feel comfortable and supported from the very first interaction. Their help was invaluable.

  • Jacques Dubois๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ทVerified helper
    Quick response, great follow-up

    I was going through a tough time and this person's support was invaluable. They didn't judge, just helped. That kind of genuine compassion is rare these days.

  • Tunde Adeyemi๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฌVerified helper
    Exceeded expectations

    I was struggling and didn't know where to turn. This person stepped in without hesitation and provided exactly what I needed. Their compassion and expertise made all the difference in my life.

  • Juma Mutua๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ชVerified helper
    Genuine person with a big heart

    I was nervous about reaching out, but this person made me feel comfortable and supported from the very first interaction. Their help was invaluable.

  • Jomar Concepcion๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ญVerified helper
    Helped when no one else could

    The difference this person made in my life cannot be overstated. They were patient, kind, and persistent in helping me find solutions. Truly exceptional.

  • Ramรณn N. Dรญaz๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝVerified helper
    Helped when no one else could

    I can't speak highly enough about this helper. They were available when I needed them, supportive when I felt lost, and practical in their solutions.

  • Giulia Fontana๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡นVerified helper
    Trustworthy helper

    I can't speak highly enough about this helper. They were available when I needed them, supportive when I felt lost, and practical in their solutions.

  • Mizanur Saha๐Ÿ‡ง๐Ÿ‡ฉVerified helper
    Very responsive and caring

    I had a complex problem and this person helped me navigate it step by step. Their expertise combined with their kindness made all the difference.

  • Gerald R. Prescott๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฟVerified donor
    Patient and understanding

    Perfect example of someone making a real difference. They took time out of their busy schedule to help me and never made me feel like a burden.

  • Janet B. Langley๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บVerified donor
    Exceeded expectations

    This is the kind of person who restores your faith in humanity. They didn't just offer help; they genuinely cared about my wellbeing and followed through on every commitment.

  • Berk Erdem๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ชVerified helper
    Reliable and compassionate

    I had a complex problem and this person helped me navigate it step by step. Their expertise combined with their kindness made all the difference.

  • Maricel S. Bautista๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ญVerified helper
    Trustworthy helper

    I was struggling and didn't know where to turn. This person stepped in without hesitation and provided exactly what I needed. Their compassion and expertise made all the difference in my life.

  • Amparo Maldonado๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝVerified donor
    Really cared about my situation

    Perfect example of someone making a real difference. They took time out of their busy schedule to help me and never made me feel like a burden.

  • Irene Mukasa๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ชVerified helper
    Exactly what I needed

    This helper is honest and transparent about what they can do. They didn't overpromise, but they did deliver excellent results. I would definitely trust them again.

Questions & comments

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  • Can I help in a way that isn't money? I'm near Durham.

    • Sharing the link is the biggest thing. And if you know anything about groceries and school meals, advice is welcome too. I'll keep the page updated.

  • Your post was clear and honest. Don't lose heart. A few weeks ago I was in a hole too and it changed faster than I expected. Thinking of Durham.

    • Maxim Dmitry SavchenkoAddress verified

      Shared it with a few friends. My neighbor in Cairo donated after I showed her your page

      • best of luck, Teresa. Shared it with a few friends. I'll check back for the next update. God bless

        • Asad Yasir MirzaID verified

          Thinking of you and your family, Teresa. Rent stress is the worst. Hope this helps.

          • any update on how things are going in Durham?

            • A colleague of mine might know someone for this in North Carolina. I'll ask around and let you know!

              • I hope things turn around soon. Put this on a community board in Shubra this morning.

                • Sending love. It takes guts to ask. Well done. I told my book club about it and three of them are giving too. Blessings

                  • wishing you peace. Shared it with a few friends. My husband and I read this together. Blessings.

                    • So sorry you're going through this, Teresa. Everyone deserves a bit of help sometimes.

                      • Sending strength, Teresa. Shared it with a few friends. God bless!

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