52 Year Old Grandmother Needs Grant Money For Emotional And Debt Relief

by Mary R. Aubichon
(Calgary, Alberta, Canada)

I was a ward of the government in Saskatchewan from 3 to 16 years of age. Now I am a 52-year-old Grandmother.

I have in my care three grandchildren from my daughter, and my oldest (my son) is at home now and has been diagnosed with agoraphobia, and rheumatoid arthritis, and severe depression, also curvature of the spine.

I was raised in foster care since I was three years old. I have been on my own since I was 16 and did everything on my own. I ran from Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan to Calgary, Alberta, to escape family violence.

I have no family that I am close to and no one that I can reach out to for help. I too suffer from depression but I am now having a hard time fighting it with so much on my plate.

I lost my job in April 2009 when I got custody of my grandchildren. My daughter harassed me so much at work that they had to let me go.

I am now on public assistance and the family allowance, but it leaves me with nothing to pay bills and I have to use the food bank a lot to get me through the month.

I can't find any work at this time and don't have daycare for the youngest one. I used to work in reunifying families for Closer to Home Community Services, but my salary was per diem.

I have always helped my family and that has left me without savings. I would like some help to get back on my feet so I can help my family.


I want to go back to school. I worked in the Social Work field but all I have is certificate training, no degree or diploma, and for me to advance I need more education.

I have seven years in this field and would like to move up. I have always kept a positive attitude, and worked hard on improving myself and overcoming the abuse from the foster homes.

I had seven foster homes growing up and was abused in every way possible. I have been locked up, tied up, hung up in trees. I suffered emotional, physical, sexual, and spiritual abuse in the foster care system.

But nothing keeps me down. I have always stayed strong, but at this point I feel a bit overwhelmed. I myself need more counseling and my whole family needs help.

I have been diagnosed with PTSD but like I said nothing keeps me down. I am a survivor and a fighter, being in foster care has severely traumatized me, and my sister too. She now has traumatic schizophrenia.

I don't have a partner. I had one but I am not good in relationships because of too much baggage from the past, and the men just leave.

So I am alone and I really need help to get back on my feet. I would need $10,000 to $15,000 to help me at this time.

Thank you for your consideration. If you can't help, do you know of anyone else who can? Thank you, thank you. Mary.

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