Hello, my name is Carl. I’m starting this fundraiser because I’m trying to change my life and move out of a very difficult living situation so I can finally become independent.

Right now I live with my mother, and our household only has one vehicle that is under her name. Because of that, my ability to work often depends on when the car is available. Even when I’m scheduled to work, she sometimes takes the car for errands, which has caused me to be late to jobs multiple times.

Currently I work at Dollar Tree, but only on Sundays. I’ve tried to get more hours and other jobs, but transportation has been a constant obstacle.

Before Dollar Tree, I worked at TopGolf as a maintenance cleaner. The drive was about 30–35 minutes, and I was ready to commit to the job. Unfortunately, transportation problems started almost immediately. On my second day, my mother took the car right before my shift to run an errand, which made me late. Situations like that continued to happen, and because of the repeated lateness my hours were reduced. Eventually I had to leave the job because the commute wasn’t worth it for the few hours I was getting.

At one point my mother and I even had a plan to save money together so I could get my own car. I saved my portion, but the plan eventually fell apart before we could finish it. Since then I’ve been stuck relying on the same situation that keeps interfering with my ability to work consistently.

Another challenge is that the environment at home can be very unstable. My mother struggles with alcohol, and when she drinks, arguments often escalate into verbal conflict and sometimes physical confrontations. Living in that environment has made it very difficult to focus on work, studying, or building a future.

Despite all of this, I’m still trying to move forward. I’m currently studying and taking a pre-test for a potential job opportunity that could help me start a stable career. I’m working hard to complete the material and improve my situation.

The biggest obstacle right now is transportation and independence. Without my own car, it’s extremely difficult to apply for jobs outside my immediate area or reliably get to work.

That’s why I’m asking for help.

My goal is to raise enough money to purchase a reliable used car and cover the basic costs that come with it, such as registration and insurance. Having my own transportation would allow me to apply for more jobs, commute consistently, and begin the process of moving out and building a stable life.

Any support whether it’s a donation or simply sharing this fundraiser would mean a lot to me. I truly want to move forward, work hard, and create a better future for myself.

Thank you to anyone who takes the time to read my story.