I am writing this with humility and good faith to ask for financial support as my family works to secure a safe, reliable, and spacious vehicle.

My name is DaMarcus Nelson. My wife, Zari, and I are the proud parents of three little ones, ages 7, 5, and 3.

For the past six months, our 2015 Nissan Rogue has been dealing with serious mechanical issues, primarily related to the transmission and CVT valve body. This is an issue we have already repaired twice within the past two years. At first, the problem only happened during longer commutes, but as of yesterday, the valve body completely failed.

We are a single-car family, and our vehicle is essential for getting to work, school, church, appointments, and taking care of the everyday responsibilities of family life.

To make the situation clear, when we press the gas pedal, the car struggles to accelerate. After coming to a full stop, it has trouble getting moving again at red lights, intersections, in traffic, on inclines and at highway entrances. For a while, it was bad, but still somewhat manageable. It would move extremely slowly, sometimes under 5 miles per hour, and take several minutes to gain speed.

But as of yesterday, the situation became much worse. The vehicle entered into 'limp' mode and due to the failed valve body, the car has lost its ability to transfer power from the engine to the wheels. It will not pick up speed or exceed 5 miles per hour, making it no longer safe or realistic for us to drive.

What was once a serious issue we were trying to manage has now become an urgent safety and transportation concern.

To give a little background, we are currently living on one primary income. I work full-time and also take on freelance design work for small to medium-sized businesses. My wife is a stay-at-home mom who occasionally receives commissions for her art and photography work. We work hard, trust God, and do our best to steward and budget what we have. But in this season, we simply do not have the additional income needed to purchase a dependable used vehicle, and we are not in a position to finance another vehicle.

Our hope is to purchase a used, safe, and reliable family vehicle. We are looking for something spacious and dependable for our growing family, such as a Toyota Sienna, Toyota Sequoia, Toyota Highlander, or a similar family-friendly vehicle. We are not looking for anything extravagant or brand new. We are looking for a dependable used vehicle in good, drivable condition, ideally under 200,000 miles. We have already found several viable used options on sites like Autotrader and CarGurus.

Simply put, we are trying to secure transportation that allows us to get back on the road safely and consistently.

Honestly, it is challenging to write this as a husband, father, and man who wants to provide well for his household. My instinct is to keep this private, figure it out, work harder, take another project, and keep moving. And I am still doing that. But sometimes, even when you are working hard and doing your best, the need is still bigger than what you can cover alone.

I understand that everyone is dealing with something. Our family’s situation is by no means more important than anyone else’s. But we are at a point where we need to ask for help, and I believe that God works through community.

We appreciate any support, whether financially through this campaign, through prayer, or through sharing this link with someone who may be willing and able to help.

We are also open to opportunities, leads, or connections that may help us find and secure the right vehicle outside of this campaign. If you have a full-size vehicle that you are willing to donate or sell at a reasonable price, please do not hesitate to message me directly.

You can also visit my website to view my work or inquire about design services. Any freelance work, referrals, or project opportunities help bring additional income into our household and allow me to continue providing for my family in a practical way during this season.

I will keep everyone updated on our progress. If we reach a solution sooner than expected, or if a solution comes outside of this campaign, I will share that as well.

Thank you for your prayers, generosity, encouragement, and support. My family and I are truly grateful.

Respectfully,

DaMarcus Nelson