I'm a disabled artist. I was already coping with very low income and housing precarity, but on the 21st of August my car was struck and totaled at an intersection. I am very lucky that my injuries were relatively minor, but I needed that car to be able to sell my art at markets, which accounts for nearly all of my income. In fact, I had been incredibly excited about signing up to sell at a local farmers market next year!

And my original plan had been to live out of that car after my current housing situation expires in the fall. Thankfully a friend has offered me housing over the winter and transportation there, so that's a huge worry/expense off my plate, but I still rather need the security of knowing living out of my car is an option down the line?

So, I still need to be able to buy a used car by the start of next market season (early to mid spring). I'm trying to balance being realistic about available price range and realistic about my potential budget, and hoping for something in the 3k-8k price range.

This will be a lot easier for me to save up for if I can clear out my storage unit, but that requires spending ~$200 on a uhaul, plus another $150 or so to cover gas and lunch for the people who would be helping me.

I also applied before the crash for a consignment gallery holiday pop-up thing. Getting a paycheck in January for that would make life better, but to make that work with A: no car, and B: me being out of state over the entire window for picking up unsold work, I would need another $150 or so to cover someone's gas and lunch to take me and my art up there in October, and then to come back again without me to get my unsold work and take it to my dad's house.

Plus, even though I am on EBT now (finally), I'm concerned about my ability to cover my own living expenses over the fall and winter, with my ability to generate income so impaired and the lack of transportation creating new expenses in and of itself. So, whether I get anywhere close to reaching my donation goal or not, anything at all helps.

If you would prefer to purchase art rather than donate, please check out my shop: https://ko-fi.com/calendae_creations/shop/