Single Mom With Special Needs Children Seeks Government Grant Money

by Melissa
(Sonora, CA, USA)

I am a 35-year-old single mom with three special needs children. I live in Sonora California where services are limited for the disabled child.

I am unable to work because my children are in my care all the time. Their dad is very rarely involved in their life and does not understand their disabilities.

I do have the support of my parents who we live with, which gives me the ability to be there for my kids 24/7.

My 13-year-old daughter is bipolar, has anxiety disorder and ADHD. My 11-year-old son is autistic and ADHD. My 8-year-old son has severe ADHD in which so far we haven't found any medication or supplement to help his symptoms.

When my daughter was 8 and my middle son was 5 they were diagnosed. Our lives were seemingly out of control and my husband couldn't handle it so he left.

My parents provide me with a car and gas to get my kids to and from school, doctors' appointments, counseling and therapy sessions and other extra curricular activities.

They do have state medical insurance, but it doesn't pay for all the therapy, counseling and social skill classes they need.

Any time I try to get a job I end up having to miss lots of work, have to leave early or come in late because one of my kids is having a bad day or the school doesn't know what to do with them.

I have applied for my daughter and autistic son for SSI. Both have been denied a couple of times. I am in the process of presenting my autistic son's case again at this time.

I am seeking grant money to pay for things like social skills classes, summer reading programs, occupational therapies, speech therapies for my children so they have a better chance of living an independent life as an adult some day.

None of these services are covered by the state medical insurance they have. But all of these are necessary for them to continue to grow and overcome the obstacles they have to becoming mature independent people in the future.