Alex Martin is a beautiful Peoria success story---a brilliant artist, inspired teacher, and community leader who has contributed to our city's public health & equity efforts and has been a personal beacon of joy, encouragement & warmth to so many of us.

Coming from generational poverty in the hills of West Virginia, with the support of our Peoria community over the past few years Alex has managed to turn her once-impossible dreams into a home, a family, and a faculty position. Her hope has always been to achieve enough economic stability that she could turn around and lift up her family, and that moment is finally here.

Alex's mother, Tina Martin, is a brave and charismatic woman, a career educator, and a single mother who has battled health issues and social disadvantages for many years. She has been a strong voice against injustice, and especially since the passing of her daughter Madison, she has been a devoted grandmother, helping her two precious granddaughters stay connected to the legacy and love of their mother and the Martin family.

After such a long journey of hardship and persistence, we are asking for your help to reunite the Martin family in Peoria. Tina has been approved for a loan and is currently house-hunting. We want Tina here in Peoria as part of our mutual safety nets--especially in these threatening times--with Alex's nieces able to come visit during the summers, to reconnect with their auntie Alex after years of separation. This dream has been a long time coming, and we are asking for financial help to cover the costs of moving and help with down-payment on the home.