Help Andy leave New Orleans

As many of you know, I'm gearing up to move out New Orleans for the first time since 2005 after hurricane Katrina. I love New Orleans, and it will always be my home, but gentrification has made it harder for native black New Orleanians to survive and prospects have only gotten more grim with time. That, plus living in a place soaked in a lifetime of trauma make it imperative for me to leave for my own survival.

My fiancée and I plan to travel in our van to see loved ones around the country. I was also hoping to get somewhere that medical costs for my chronic illnesses would be covered, as I have been without insurance since last year and haven't been able to get medical care. This plan is both exciting and terrifying.

Things were seemingly going smoothly but we recently got an unexpectedly high quote for van repairs. These repairs would require the majority of our savings and leave us in a much more precarious spot to get out of the city. This has added a tremendous amount of stress at a very pivotal moment in my life, and I'm not sure what else to do beyond asking for community support.

I am hoping to raise enough to at least partially cover the repairs required for is to get safely on the road. We were quoted $2500 for repairs, and expect more to possibly come. I have set our goal at $3000 to accommodate more charges.

 Thank you for reading, and love yall.

Update 8/1:

Hey everyone! About a week ago we got the bad news that we now need a transmission replacement. We're looking at an additional 2-3k for the transmission and cost of labor. As a result, I've doubled the goal. This has been really disheartening but I'm determined and committed to finally leaving New Orleans and getting the medical support and peace of mind I deserve.