Help Kambry keep her siblings together

Support an Older Sister’s Dream to Keep My Siblings Together

Hi everyone, my name is Kambry, and I never imagined I’d find myself here, but life has a way of leading us down unexpected paths. For as long as I can remember, I’ve cared for my three younger siblings. Now, due to some devastating circumstances involving our mother, the two youngest—(J, 17) and (S, 15)—will be legally under my guardianship. I’m starting this fundraiser to ask for your help with caring for them—and, if possible, my 18-year-old brother too.

On January 13th, I will officially be granted full guardianship of (J) and (S). By that time, I need to secure a safe, stable home for us—a 3-bedroom apartment (ideally 4). Unfortunately, my fiancé and I both work entry-level jobs, earning $15 an hour plus commission, with no savings. Child support hasn’t started yet, and I have no idea when or how much we’ll receive.

The Immediate Needs:

We must find a 3-4 bedroom apartment by the 13th to comply with DCFS standards.

(J) and (S) need a car so that they may get to school and activities easier, and a part-time job to start saving. We'll likely have to have them share a car for now.

(J) also needs to have her wisdom teeth removed, which has been delayed for years. She’s in pain and overdue for the procedure.

(J) needs an OB-GYN appointment to check for possible endometriosis, as she’s been struggling with chronic pain.

(J) and (S) both urgently need new clothes and beds. They haven't had new clothing in over two years (apart from just now at Christmas) and most of their belongings were taken to the dump on 12/26.

We must replace the phones for (J, 17) and (S, 15) to comply with DCFS demands by January 13th. (Our mother will not let them keep the ones they already have and expects them back before the 13th.)

Our Story

Our childhood was full of turmoil. Our parents had a toxic relationship filled with shouting and conflict. At a young age, my mom enrolled in school to become a nurse, leaving me as the primary caretaker for my younger siblings. I was responsible for cooking, cleaning, and ensuring the house was kept spotless. I didn’t get to be a kid—I learned to take care of everyone else instead.

While my mom was in school, we had no real contact with her. The weight of maintaining our home, feeding my siblings, and taking care of everything fell on me. I didn’t know how to cook anything other than potatoes and eggs for a while, but I tried my best every day and learned through trial and error.

Things only got harder when my parents divorced. My father took advantage of me in ways I dread to put into words. Eventually, we all had to testify against him in court, and he was sent to prison for sexual abuse and several other charges. We thought that would be the hardest thing we’d ever face—but it wasn’t. A mere year or so later, we had to testify in court against our mother as well.

After the trial for my father, my mother’s mental health took a sharp decline. When I was 18, she kicked me out for refusing to drop everything to go with her to her boyfriend’s house for the weekend, even though we’d previously discussed my plans for the afternoon. I ended up in my car for a month, then in a garage for another month, until I could save up enough to move into a shared room in an apartment.

Meanwhile, my brother (E, 18) faced his challenges. When I was no longer there to do the homemaking, the responsibility fell onto him. Kicked out of the house just before graduating high school, he crashed with friends, barely getting by. He planned on joining the Navy right out of high school to get away and live life on more or less his terms. I watched that kid give his all studying for the military ASVAB test. He scored a 91 on the test (for those who don’t know, that is a freakishly high score) and was then declined from joining because he has a heart murmur. All his hopes and dreams of being okay went right out the window in that singular moment. We’ve (me and my family) worked to help him get a car so he can find stable work, but we’ve struggled due to financial setbacks.

As for (J) and (S), they’ve been through unimaginable hardship. They stayed with Karissa for nearly a year after (E, 18) got kicked out. It is without a doubt the hardest year we have all had. With our mother’s mental health declining rapidly, they have been struggling with school a lot this year. Apart from how awful they were treated at home, they had to fend for themselves when it came to meals and spent months without good running water. Turning on any faucet in the home-- the barest amount of water would escape. There were even two house fires they struggled to put out due to the lack of water. Through it all, this and oh so much more, they’ve remained strong, but they’re struggling. (J) has missed over 80% of her school year because of chronic pain, which our mother ignored. She should have been hospitalized due to the issue but was not. (S) is a quiet soul who pushes it all deep down. He always wears a brave face, and he is always calm, but I know he’s hurting inside. His whole life has been one huge confusing mess. As the youngest, he has no memories of the almost normal times when we were all tots. Once the immediate concerns are addressed, I think it will be vital to get these two into therapy so that they can move on from the almost crippling anxiety this has left us all with. Despite everything, these kids are resilient, bright, and deserving of so much more than the life they've been handed.

What We Need to Do

We are now at a crucial point. I’m determined to provide (J), (S), and (E) the childhood and future they deserve. They’ve suffered enough, and I want to give them a safe home, where they can be kids again, surrounded by love and stability. I want them to have friends, to celebrate birthdays and holidays, and to have the chance to be happy.

But I can’t do it alone. I need your help to get us into a home, to provide for their immediate medical needs, and to give them the support they’ve never had. At some point, I will receive child support, but it will not be before the 13th when I need to have many of these issues resolved.

How You Can Help

We need about $5110 for the first month’s rent/deposit, and other immediate expenses like medical bills, and 2 working phones. This figure is based on the average median rent for a 4-bedroom apartment in Utah Valley, the average cost for wisdom teeth removal, and 2 iPhone SE's. These are the most VITAL things for me to take care of before the 13th. If you know of anyone with connections for twin bedframes and bedding, that is also a huge worry for me. Every dollar helps and brings us closer to building the life they deserve.

Please consider donating, sharing this page, and supporting us as we try to build a brighter future for my siblings. Your generosity will make an immeasurable difference in their lives. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your consideration!

Venmo Kambry-Johnson