Hi, my name is Kennedi. I’m 21 years old and originally from Maryland. In March 2025, I made the difficult decision to leave my home because of a toxic family environment and a lack of support from both family and friends. For a while, I stayed with associates, but that didn’t last, and I eventually found myself without a place to go. I tried staying with my grandmother, hoping for some stability, but unfortunately, that situation didn’t work out either.

With nowhere else to turn, I took a bus to New York City with no money and only the clothes I could fit in my bookbag and tote bag. Since June 2025, I’ve been living in a shelter in the Bronx, doing my best to get back on my feet. I started working full time in October and have been saving as much as I can while covering basic needs like food, hygiene, and my phone bill. Despite my efforts, it’s been incredibly hard to find stable housing, and I have until February 8, 2026, to secure a place before I risk returning to the shelter system.

I’m reaching out for help because I need a safe place to stay—whether it’s a rented room, a studio, or a one-bedroom apartment. I just want somewhere I can lay my head, clean up, and make food. Donations will go toward housing, paying off debt, fixing my credit, and helping me afford clothing, hygiene items, and transit to and from work.

When I am more stable and secure, I have big dreams I want to pursue. I’d love to go back to school for fashion design because I have a passion for styling and clothes. I also love to read, write, and create poetry, and one of my goals is to publish my own poetry book. I dream of having my own podcast to talk about hardships like this and what’s happening in the world—I’ve already started sharing on Instagram and YouTube, but haven’t had the means to stay consistent. I also love photography and would love to pursue it creatively as a photographer or in creative direction, and I hope to explore modeling as well. In addition, I write and make music, and would love to share more of that in the future. These are some of the goals I hope to reach when I have stable footing.

I am so thankful and grateful for anything and everything. Your support would relieve so much stress and anxiety for me. Thank you and God bless you. Much love to everyone.