Chanel grew up in a close-knit household. Her parents were married for 21 years, and she lived with her mother, father, and siblings in their family home. Her father worked in construction and was the primary source of income for the family.

Everything changed when her father suffered a sudden stroke. During that medical emergency, doctors discovered he had stage IV lung cancer that had already metastasized to his brain. The stroke left him paralyzed on the right side of his body and unable to return to work. As his health declined, the family’s financial stability quickly unraveled under the weight of medical bills and lost income.

At just 15 years old, Chanel became pregnant. She gave birth to her daughter, Emoni, at age 16. Despite his illness, her father remained deeply present and loving. He was the first person to take Chanel shopping for baby clothes—a memory she still holds close. During this time, Chanel’s mother carried the full weight of responsibility. She worked as a home health aide while also caring for Emoni, becoming the family’s sole source of income as her husband’s condition worsened.

On the night of October 9, 2024, the family spent time together as they often did. Chanel remembers eating Subway and sitting together in the living room. Because her father could no longer use his right arm, they shared a video game controller, playing as a team. When the game ended, Chanel hugged him, told him how much she loved him, and went upstairs to bed.

Hours later, she was jolted awake by her mother’s screams. Her father had been found convulsing on the couch. Chanel immediately woke her siblings and ran downstairs, administering CPR while waiting for help to arrive. When EMS arrived, her father was pronounced dead. Chanel was still a teenager.

His death set off a cascade of loss. With the family’s primary income gone, Chanel’s mother could no longer keep up with mounting medical bills, funeral expenses, utilities, and the mortgage. In October 2025, the family was evicted from their home. Forced to separate in order to survive, Chanel moved in with her boyfriend, Corey; her mother urgently found housing with a former boyfriend; and Chanel’s siblings went to live with their grandparents in Pontiac.

C , the father of Chanel’s youngest child, also comes from a life marked by hardship. His father is incarcerated, leaving his mother to raise C and his younger brother, on her own. Despite financial struggles, the three of them lived together and were close.

That stability ended, when C was 17 years old. While standing outside his home, he noticed a car skidding through the neighborhood. Before he could get inside, he was shot. His mother rushed him to the hospital, where he was listed in critical condition. His leg required surgical repair with a metal plate, leaving him with permanent foot drop. Standing or walking for more than 15 minutes causes severe pain and instability. He also suffered permanent damage to the ulnar nerve in his right arm, leaving his pinky and ring fingers nonfunctional.

C received limited physical therapy and was confined to a wheelchair. Doctors told him he might never walk again. Refusing to accept that outcome, C taught himself—without pain medication—how to stand and eventually walk again. Today, he lives with permanent pain and disability and has not seen a doctor since his injury due to lack of insurance.

After the shooting, tragically, C’s family home on caught on fire. With nowhere to go, the family moved between hotel rooms. Eventually, C stayed with his aunt in a foreclosed house in Detroit, relying on space heaters for warmth. On October 29, 2024—just weeks after Chanel’s father passed— he moved in with Chanel and her family. They soon began dating, and Chanel became pregnant with their youngest daughter, Chrystene.

On September 14, 2025, C was accepted into a housing program. Today, Chanel and C are raising two daughters. Chanel is breastfeeding their youngest and caring full-time for Emoni, who is preparing to start kindergarten and proudly practices her letters and numbers at home. Both children are up to date on all medical care and are deeply loved and well cared for.

Despite everything they have endured, Chanel and C are working relentlessly toward a better future. They are both enrolled in online GED programs and are on track to graduate in June. Their education program provides a laptop and mobile hotspot, allowing them to continue their education. Chanel dreams of becoming an OB-GYN, inspired by the physician who supported her during pregnancy. She loves children, is fascinated by medicine, and was especially captivated by learning about epidurals and medical equipment. C holds a certificate in cooking and dreams of becoming a chef.

They are eager to work but face overwhelming barriers, including lack of reliable transportation, limited childcare, and missing essential documents such as state IDs or driver’s licenses. C is willing to work while completing school but cannot find employment that accommodates his physical limitations. Chanel has prior work experience at Walmart in Roseville and at Yoyo’s Fun Center, but her ability to work is limited by childcare responsibilities.

Without a car, the family walks everywhere—despite dangerous temperatures, unsafe streets, and C’s mobility limitations. Chanel receives food assistance on the 19th of each month, but it consistently runs short. Any financial help they receive from family goes directly toward feeding their children or paying rent, which they have paid on time every month. They currently have one month remaining on a prepaid phone received as a Christmas gift; after that, they will have no reliable means of communication.

The Current Crisis

Chanel and the children were never officially added to the lease. Under the strict rules of the housing voucher program, anyone not listed on the lease is considered a guest and cannot stay more than 14 consecutive days or 21 total days in a year. Although the family has been in “violation” since they moved in, rent has been paid by C and accepted by the program every month since….

On Saturday, January 24, an arctic front hit Detroit, causing the sewage line in their apartment to burst and flood the bathroom with feces and contaminated water. Maintenance was unable to respond until the following Wednesday, leaving the family trapped in unsafe living conditions—especially dangerous for a newborn infant. Chanel reached out for help, and my family assisted them in securing an emergency Airbnb.

While they were displaced, the property owner inspected the apartment. After finding children’s clothing, they left a notice stating that C was in violation and that the family must leave immediately or C will face legal action and permanent eviction. 

I spent an entire day calling shelters, but every option was full. There was—and still is—nowhere for Chanel and her children to go. After pleading for time, they were given until February 7 to find housing. I have placed them on every waitlist possible, but organizations report waits of months—time they do not have.

We are actively working to obtain Chanel’s state ID. We are desperate.

If you have made it this far, please consider donating. All funds will go directly toward securing safe, stable housing. I will manage the funds until the family can be placed into an official program with social workers and financial advisors.

This feels like an impossible battle—but with your help, it doesn’t have to be.