GoFundMe Story: “From $11 and a Dream to a Fresh Start — Help Us Get Our Bus by Sunday!”

Hi, I’m Melina, a mom of two amazing kids — and our sweet cat, who’s been through it all with us. We’re reaching out with hopeful hearts, a lot of courage, and a dream that’s kept us going through everything.

Not long ago, we escaped domestic violence and drove across the country to start a brand new life. We left everything behind — all we had was each other, our cat, a van, and $11 to our name.

The past year has been about surviving, healing, and rebuilding from the ground up. Our van became our safe place — a little home on wheels where we could finally breathe and start again. It’s been full of lessons, love, and a lot of faith… but now it’s time to take the next step.

Our van is just too small for us — especially since my oldest is 6'1” and can barely stretch out inside (and our cat’s tired of sharing his pillow ). We’ve found the perfect bus that would give us the space and safety we need to keep moving forward — but we have to raise $1,300 by Sunday to make it ours before it’s gone.

This isn’t just about a bus.

It’s about freedom, safety, and a fresh start for our little family — two kids, one mom, and one brave cat who made it across the country with us.

A little more breathing room.

A little more comfort.

And a lot more hope for the next chapter of our lives.

If you’ve ever had to start over — if you’ve ever chosen courage over comfort — you understand how big this is for us.

✨ Every $5, every share, every kind message truly helps us get closer.

✨ 100% of donations go straight toward securing the bus before the deadline.

✨ You can also give directly:

Cash App: $machetemelina

Venmo: @Mama-Mo-Venmo23

PayPal: Melina Mexas

We’re doing the work — walking around town with flyers, talking to people, and staying hopeful — but we can’t do this alone.

With your help, we can finally roll into the next chapter of our lives — one filled with safety, space, and the stability we’ve fought so hard for.

Thank you for reading our story, for sharing it, and for believing in a mom, her kids, and one very resilient cat who are doing everything they can to build something better.

With gratitude,

Melina, the kids & our cat

#VanLife #SurvivorStrong #HelpUsGetOurBus #SingleMomStrong #FreshStart #HopeInMotion #EveryDollarCounts