Urgent rent help needed in Biloxi

[Alyssia]

Good morning! My name is Ernest. I am struggling to make rent for July. I received an eviction letter and have not been able to make June or July. I just started back work the end of September and during the furlough process when I returned to work they are taking most if my check to pay back the ins. So, it has let us in a bind. We are not able to buy school supplies for our children just want to keep a roof over my baby’s heads. If you can give me any resources of whom we may seek assistance from it would be so greatly appreciated! I reached the 211 region but was not able to receive any help.

[Christina Garcia]

Subject: Urgent Request for Rental Assistance or Relocation Support – Family in Crisis
Dear Sir or Madam,
My name is Jonathan and I live in Biloxi MS. I am urgently seeking assistance for myself, my six minor children ages 4, 6, 10, 12, 14 and 16yrs old, my adult son Garvin (age 22), and my disabled mother, Lisa. We are facing imminent eviction and must vacate our home by June 23rd, unless I am able to come up with the remaining $3,200 in rent or secure stable alternative housing.
I am a single father with physical custody of my children. I am currently fighting for full legal custody through the court system, as well as trying to work with CPS and local agencies to hold their mother accountable for the abuse and trauma they endured while in her care.
In 2022, while I was asleep, my wife left our home in Utah, removing all of the children without my knowledge, warning, or any legal custody procedure. I awoke to an empty home, with no explanation beyond the fact that she wanted to start a new life in Mississippi. My children were abruptly uprooted from the only home they had ever known, where they had structure, church, extended family, and a stable school life — and brought into a situation that ultimately proved harmful and unstable.
My mother, my oldest son, and I eventually came to Mississippi in September 2024 to reunite with the children and ensure their well-being, because I had growing suspicions they were being mistreated — though they would not speak openly over the phone due to heavily monitored communication and fear of retaliation, which I later discovered was well-founded, as they had indeed suffered at her hands many times.
It was during that time we discovered the extent of the violence and neglect they had experienced in her care. I immediately took responsibility for the children and began the process of protecting them and stabilizing their lives. My children have since been interviewed by child services and also underwent forensic interviews through Canopy Children's Center in Gulfport. I am currently awaiting results and working with every agency necessary to make sure they receive the justice they deserve.
That being said, it has been a painfully slow and emotionally exhausting process — one that, sadly, is not always kind to single fathers, and full of procedural failures and miscommunication that have only worsened the stress we face.
What little I had in savings was used to keep their mother and the children housed during those unstable years — I provided substantial financial support from May 2022 through 2024, covering unpaid bills, rent, and essentials because I believed it was the right thing to do for the sake of my children. That support depleted any financial reserves I had. Now that they are in my care, I am doing my best to rebuild from zero and create stability in an unstable time.
We are currently living in a very small one-bedroom home in rural Biloxi, because it was all we could afford at the time — and when we rented this house, I did not yet have the children with me. It was never meant to house a large family, but we’ve made it work with love, patience, and faith.
Now, we face the very real possibility of losing even that, and the thought of my children being displaced again is unbearable. They are bright, loving, and respectful kids who have already endured far too much. They deserve peace, not more upheaval.
I am not currently employed, as I have been recently diagnosed with a heart condition, and I am not medically capable of maintaining full-time employment at this time. That said, I am actively exploring remote work and at-home opportunities to do what I can to contribute financially and maintain some level of independence.
This situation is only compounding their emotional trauma, and as their father, it is devastating to watch their safety slip away while I’m doing everything I can to fight for them on every front.
In addition to this housing crisis, I am currently managing:
A scheduled divorce court hearing on June 24th
A criminal court case, where I’ve been subpoenaed to testify on July 7th regarding my estranged spouse’s violations of a restraining order placed on her because of the children's testimonies
Transportation challenges, including one vehicle that cannot be registered due to unresolved title issues, and another in need of repair to the driveline.
My adult son Garvin is employed and contributes what he can. My disabled mother, Lisa, depends solely on Social Security. I am navigating all of this — legal battles, financial strain, housing instability — while trying to hold my children together emotionally and spiritually.
My faith in God remains unshaken always, and I try to pass that strength to my children every single day. I believe that when you need a hole dug, God hands you a shovel — and this letter is me using that shovel. I’m humbly asking for help to protect my children and keep a roof over their heads.
I am respectfully requesting any of the following:
Rental assistance (to avoid eviction or help secure new housing)
Move-in support or relocation aid
Referrals to private landlords, housing programs, or charitable support networks
I can provide:
Court documents
Eviction paperwork
Financial and employment verification
Anything else required
If there is a local caseworker in Biloxi, charity, or faith-based organization you recommend I speak to, please don’t hesitate to connect us.
Thank you for reading this and for any support or guidance you may be able to offer. I am doing everything in my power — I just need a hand to help carry this burden.
With sincerity and hope,