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We are raising $10,000 to help a family of six, including a three-year-old with Stage 3 Kidney Failure, cover essential costs for the next four months as they rebuild their lives after homelessness.
Your donation will go directly toward:
- Transportation: Metro fare and Ubers to and from Children's National Hospital
- Diapers: In two sizes for the youngest kids
- Utilities: Electricity and cell phone bills
- Shoes: As all four kids are growing fast
- Laundry Costs: A major expense without an in-unit washer/dryer
- Work Clothing: For both parents as they secure stable jobs
- Car Seats: Despite multiple attempts, we haven’t been able to secure free ones through the city
- Tablets: At least one for the four-year-old’s long hospital visits, but ideally two
- Laptop: To help the family with job applications, scheduling, and managing household logistics
- Family Outings: Transportation and activity costs so the kids can have some joy amidst all the hardship
How We Met
Last August, Omar met this family—mom, dad, and their four children under the age of five—sleeping outside Union Station after being turned away from the DHS Family Resource Center a week prior. With no support and nowhere to go, they were left in an impossible situation.
We immediately worked to get them into DC's family shelter system, and after months of uncertainty, they finally moved into a Rapid Rehousing unit in Southeast DC in early December. Thanks to the generosity of friends and community members, we gathered clothing, furniture, and household basics to help them settle in for this cold winter.
This was a huge step forward, but Rapid Rehousing doesn’t guarantee stability. Both parents are job searching, but the pressure is enormous:
✅ Find work immediately
✅ Prepare for the financial cliff when rental assistance ends
✅ Avoid falling back into homelessness
Adding to this challenge, their three-year-old son has Stage 3 Kidney Failure, a serious and potentially life-threatening condition that keeps him from attending school and requires frequent, long hospital visits. He is incredibly patient and brave through it all, and his parents are equally strong as they navigate his care.
Why Your Help Matters
This family is doing everything in their power to break free from the cycle of homelessness, but they need a bridge to stability. Beyond this fundraiser, we are committed to continue helping them navigate resources, including job searches, mental health and wellness services, camp and enrichment activities for the children, and other essential support to ensure they don’t face this journey alone.
With everything happening in the world, we are reminded daily that mutual aid is how we make a difference. If you’re able, please donate and share this fundraiser. Thank you.
— Setareh Yelle, Omar Syed, & Nicole Rapp