This winter has been one of the toughest Karina has ever faced. Living in Carroll County, she was doing everything she could to hold her household together while caring for his aging mother, whose health had declined rapidly over the past year while also taking care of a new baby. As their primary caregivers, Karina balanced a full‑time job, doctor appointments, and long nights making sure she was safe and comfortable.
But when a sudden cut to her work hours hit just as the temperatures were dropping, everything began to unravel.
“I remember standing in the kitchen, staring at the utility bill,” she shared. “It felt like the walls were closing in. I didn’t know how I was going to keep the heat on and still take care of my mom and baby.”
The cold crept into their home, and with it came a familiar fear: the fear of a shutoff notice, of letting her mother and baby shiver through the night, of not being able to protect them both in her childhood home. Karina had always been independent, always dependable, always the one who figured things out. But this time, she felt overwhelmed and alone.
One day, while waiting at his mother’s pharmacy, she overheard two customers talking about the Fuel Fund of Maryland. They mentioned how the organization had helped them with a recent utility bill. The name stuck with her.
That evening, once his mother and baby were asleep, Karina pulled out her phone and searched for the Fuel Fund website. She read through the information, looked at the stories of others who had been helped, and felt a spark of hope.
The next morning, she submitted his application.
Just a few days later, Karina received the message she desperately needed: she had been approved for assistance. The Fuel Fund of Maryland walked her through the next steps, and soon, the weight that had been pressing on her chest began to lift.
“When I got the call, I just sat down at the table and cried,” she said. “Knowing my mom and baby would be warm… that was everything. The Fuel Fund gave me, my mom and my baby hope when we were running out of options.”
Thanks to the support he received, Karina was able to get a fresh start with his utility bills, keep her household warm, and focus on caring for her mother and baby without the constant fear of losing heat.
Karina’s story is a powerful reminder that no one should have to face challenges alone and that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, but of hope.