Robin and Aiden's Tiny Home
Donation protected
My name is Robin Koolen. I would like your help to finish my tiny house!
Bellingham has been my home for over twenty years. Since January, my son Aiden and I have had to move four times because of several life-changing experiences. I’m truly grateful for all the support my community has offered along the way. Our lovely friends have kindly rented us space in their home, but they have twins due this winter! Aiden and I will have to move again before the end of the year.
I suffer from fibromyalgia, an incurable neurological disorder that causes chronic pain and fatigue. Medications help me tolerate these symptoms so I can keep doing work I love. It’s important that I figure out now how I will manage in the future as my health declines. I don’t have any savings for retirement, because month-to-month, my income barely covers our expenses. Some months, it doesn’t.
The rental vacancy rate in Bellingham is around 0.9%, and Washington state has outlawed rent control policies. I’ve been really lucky to spend my career caring for young children. I love my work, but it doesn’t pay much. Finding a stable home for Aiden and me has been the biggest challenge I’ve faced as a low-income single mom. It feels like a hopeless cycle, and several of my dear friends have been stuck in it also. Bellingham is our home. It’s time to make a change.
A tiny house! The tiny house movement is one possible way for individuals and families to create stable, affordable homes while conserving space, energy, and water resources. A tiny house on wheels is the perfect idea for Aiden and me. But it shouldn’t end with Aiden and me!
I have a tiny house blueprint, a 28-foot trailer, and an $8000 loan for materials. We plan to build onsite at Cascades Montessori Middle School, to use this as a real world project for students to grow awareness of global and local community challenges, to understand more about sustainable energy and conserving resources, to apply math and physics skills, and to use tools.
I’m trying to raise another $8000 to afford expert help both with larger construction tasks and with teaching more in depth about green building, local housing regulations, and carpentry. I truly believe this is an amazing opportunity for these middle school students to see that they can use creativity and take action to make a good future for all of us.
If there’s any money left over, I would like to use it to improve and repeat this project for another low-income family.
Bellingham has been my home for over twenty years. Since January, my son Aiden and I have had to move four times because of several life-changing experiences. I’m truly grateful for all the support my community has offered along the way. Our lovely friends have kindly rented us space in their home, but they have twins due this winter! Aiden and I will have to move again before the end of the year.
I suffer from fibromyalgia, an incurable neurological disorder that causes chronic pain and fatigue. Medications help me tolerate these symptoms so I can keep doing work I love. It’s important that I figure out now how I will manage in the future as my health declines. I don’t have any savings for retirement, because month-to-month, my income barely covers our expenses. Some months, it doesn’t.
The rental vacancy rate in Bellingham is around 0.9%, and Washington state has outlawed rent control policies. I’ve been really lucky to spend my career caring for young children. I love my work, but it doesn’t pay much. Finding a stable home for Aiden and me has been the biggest challenge I’ve faced as a low-income single mom. It feels like a hopeless cycle, and several of my dear friends have been stuck in it also. Bellingham is our home. It’s time to make a change.
A tiny house! The tiny house movement is one possible way for individuals and families to create stable, affordable homes while conserving space, energy, and water resources. A tiny house on wheels is the perfect idea for Aiden and me. But it shouldn’t end with Aiden and me!
I have a tiny house blueprint, a 28-foot trailer, and an $8000 loan for materials. We plan to build onsite at Cascades Montessori Middle School, to use this as a real world project for students to grow awareness of global and local community challenges, to understand more about sustainable energy and conserving resources, to apply math and physics skills, and to use tools.
I’m trying to raise another $8000 to afford expert help both with larger construction tasks and with teaching more in depth about green building, local housing regulations, and carpentry. I truly believe this is an amazing opportunity for these middle school students to see that they can use creativity and take action to make a good future for all of us.
If there’s any money left over, I would like to use it to improve and repeat this project for another low-income family.
Organizer
Robin Koolen
Organizer
Bellingham, WA
