Metro Atlanta Mom Turns to Egg Donation, Surrogacy to Support Family

Michelle Harris, a mother of five, is considering becoming an egg donor and surrogate to make ends meet after losing her job and her husband's job offer was rescinded.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 3:18pm

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Michelle Harris, a mother of five living in the Atlanta area, is exploring becoming an egg donor and surrogate in order to support her family after a series of unfortunate events. Harris lost her human resources job at Aldi in January, and her husband's job offer in Atlanta was rescinded right after they relocated from California. With no steady income, Harris is hoping to make up to $80,000 through egg donation and surrogacy to get her family out of financial hardship.

Why it matters

Harris' story highlights the difficult economic circumstances many families are facing, with job losses, rescinded offers, and the need to take extreme measures to make ends meet. Her decision to pursue egg donation and surrogacy, while risky, reflects the desperation some parents feel to provide for their children when traditional employment is unavailable.

The details

After losing her job at Aldi and her husband's job offer being rescinded, Harris says her family has never seen such hard times. With her husband taking on gig work as an Uber driver and at a local gym, the family has been struggling to make ends meet. Harris has decided to become an egg donor and surrogate, a process she says could earn her up to $80,000, which would be enough to dig her family out of their financial hole. Harris has already submitted a request to begin the egg donation and surrogacy process, despite the physical challenges at her age.

  • In January 2026, Harris lost her human resources position at Aldi.
  • After relocating from California to Atlanta, Harris' husband's job offer was rescinded.

The players

Michelle Harris

A mother of five living in the Atlanta area who is exploring becoming an egg donor and surrogate to support her family after losing her job and her husband's job offer being rescinded.

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What they’re saying

“Never. Never. And we've been together for 10 years,”

— Michelle Harris, Mother of five

“By any means necessary,”

— Michelle Harris, Mother of five

“Even though I may break down and be overwhelmed, I can still turn to my faith and know that this will be a testimony for me to tell someone else years down the line,”

— Michelle Harris, Mother of five

What’s next

Harris hopes to be actively donating eggs or serving as a surrogate by this summer in order to earn the income her family desperately needs.

The takeaway

Harris' story is a sobering example of the lengths some parents must go to in order to provide for their families when traditional employment is unavailable. Her decision to pursue egg donation and surrogacy, while risky, reflects the difficult choices many are making to make ends meet during these challenging economic times.