We are Damian and Maria, and like many new families, we were thrilled to buy our very first car—a 2007 Honda Civic—this past September. We worked hard and saved every penny for the down payment, believing we were making a safe and reliable investment for our family. The dealership assured us the car was in excellent condition and, most importantly, 'safe for our children.'

Unfortunately, our dream quickly turned into a nightmare. Just weeks after buying the car, it started having serious problems. We brought it back to the dealership, who claimed to have repaired it, but when we picked it up, it was in even worse shape. Our worst fears came true when the car broke down on the highway with our young son in the back seat. To make matters worse, the dealership told us to drive the car into a lake and let insurance handle it—advice that left us feeling helpless and betrayed.

Without a reliable car, I haven’t been able to get to work and have had to rely on rides from others, which costs us even more. Our son, who is in Head Start and has autism and ADHD, hasn’t been able to attend school regularly. The lack of transportation has disrupted his routine and made it harder for him to get the support he needs. We are doing everything we can to keep our family moving forward, but we can’t do it alone.

We are humbly asking for your help to get a safe, reliable vehicle so I can return to work, our son can get back to school, and we can restore some stability to our lives. Your kindness and support would mean the world to us, and we will never forget the help you give our family.