My name is Arya, and I am a 25-year-old trans woman who has faced more challenges than I ever imagined possible. Over the past five months, I have been homeless, moving from place to place, and struggling to find safety and stability. I am a survivor of sexual, physical, and domestic abuse, and these experiences have left deep scars. My family has not been supportive—in fact, they have been judgmental and abusive—so I have had to rely on myself and the kindness of my brother and sister, who are both facing their own struggles. I recently moved to Toms River, hoping for a fresh start, but I don’t know many people here and have felt very isolated.

Living with agoraphobia, social anxiety, and major depressive disorder has made it even harder to reach out for help. I am doing my best to manage my mental health with medication, but every day is a challenge. Despite everything, I try to remain loving and caring, but I have often been taken advantage of because I trust too easily. I am reaching out now because I need help to get back on my feet.

The funds I raise will go directly toward securing stable housing and covering daily essentials like food. Having a safe place to stay and enough to eat would mean the world to me and give me the chance to begin healing. For anyone who blesses me with their generosity, I wish there was a way besides just words to express my gratitude. Whatever you so graciously give means the world to me and restores my faith in humanity, proving there are still good people in this world.