![Main fundraiser photo](https://images.gofundme.com/mCWP-M7ndda3lNV8rAFQhG4IIso=/720x405/https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/56543117_161993830199385_r.jpeg)
New Custom Accessible Van for Ernestina Saldana
Dear friends,
Some of you know our beloved friend Ernestina Saldaña as a shitkicking activist with an MS in Environmental Engineering and a Ph.D. in wastewater reuse, or maybe you know her as a warm and funny, effervescent mother and community-builder. Story from Voices of Monterey Bay If you don't know her yet, you will fall in love when you meet her.
![](https://d2g8igdw686xgo.cloudfront.net/56543117_161994092343280_r.jpeg)
However it is that you may know her, what you know that she is always in motion.
Unfortunately, this winter, Ernestina's specialized van with hand controls, a Captain's chair and a side ramp stopped working, severely limiting her ability to get around.
"We rode on a bus with her last night, first I'd heard about her van's untimely demise. Can't imagine when she was able to finally get home, given the bus irregularity."
- Michael Gasser, 2020
A new van would cost her $50k. We have started this campaign to try to raise half the money for the van. We figure that we should be able to round up a couple hundred people to chip in a hundred bucks each (or a little more from a few less of us, or a little less from a few more) to get near that goal.
"I have the strong belief that we can all make a difference. Even if it’s a small grain of sand that you put into the balance, that eventually will add up with the others."
- Ernestina Saldaña, 2018
This campaign may sound crazy, but it seems worth a try. Maybe it is the kind of crazy that will make us all a little less crazy if it works.
Please help out if you can.