Hello,

My name is Sabine. I am 24 years old, and I am writing this to ask for help on behalf of my grandmother, Harriet.

Harriet is an extraordinary woman. She and her late husband were immigrants from Poland and Slovenia who fled the aftermath of World War II to build a life in America. Through decades of hard work, they bought our family home. To my grandmother, this house isn’t just wood and brick—it is the living symbol of their entire life’s work, their sacrifices, and the American dream they built with their own hands. Since her husband passed away in 2015, her physical and cognitive health have declined, and her deepest wish is to spend her remaining years peacefully in the home she built with him.

In July of this year, my grandmother suffered a stroke. While she was in the hospital and rehabilitation recovering, an unexpected financial crisis unfolded: behind the scenes, property taxes had fallen behind due to her cognitive decline, and foreclosure proceedings were initiated without our knowledge while she was fighting for her life in a hospital bed.

Now, we are facing an imminent deadline: the house is scheduled for a foreclosure auction on November 30th. If the auction takes place, the house will be sold, my grandmother will be forced into assisted living against her wishes, and our family will be displaced.

I live with Harriet as her caregiver while navigating my own severe, chronic medical disabilities. I am doing everything humanly possible to save this home for her, but we need immediate legal intervention to stop the clock.

The Solution: We have consulted with an attorney to file a Chapter 13 bankruptcy. Under federal law, filing Chapter 13 creates an immediate Automatic Stay, which legally halts the foreclosure auction dead in its tracks. It will allow us to consolidate the property taxes into an affordable, court-supervised monthly payment plan so Harriet can stay in her home.

Why We Need Help Right Now: We have less than two weeks to secure the attorney retainer before the auction deadline. Our fixed household income is already stretched past the breaking point covering Harriet’s Medicare, prescription medications, groceries, and essential utilities:

• $1,300 — Bankruptcy Attorney Retainer: Required upfront by the law firm to prepare and file the Chapter 13 petition to stop the November 30th auction.
• $400 — Emergency Electric Payment: We are currently facing a utility shutoff notice on November 10th and need an immediate payment to keep the power on for Harriet's medical and safety needs.
• Buffer for Filing/Court Fees: Any additional funds will go directly toward bankruptcy filing fees and keeping Harriet's essential prescriptions and utilities stable while the repayment plan is finalized.

Our Immediate Goal: $2,000 – $2,500

Every single dollar raised will go directly to legal fees and keeping the lights on. If you are unable to donate, sharing this campaign with your network means the world to us.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping me fight for my grandmother, her dignity, and the home she dedicated her life to building.

With gratitude,

Sabine & Harriet