My 80-year-old mom spent her Thanksgiving morning doing what she loves, helping others. She volunteered at Union Gospel Mission in Portland, serving meals, offering kindness, and giving her heart to people who have so little. She has so much compassion and dedication. But just hours after she finished giving back to the community she loves, she walked back to the parking garage and discovered that her car was gone.

 Everything she had with her in her purse, her wallet, several other belongings, and even our Thanksgiving meal (aside from the turkey) we were going to share as a family were all stored in the trunk, along with other things. She tucked her purse away in the trunk, as she was concerned about walking several blocks through Old Town with it, plus Union Gospel instructs volunteers not to bring purses in. Shortly after that, the people who stole her car used her cards at several nearby stores and charged more than $600, so she's working with her credit union to get the charges reversed.

My mom lives on a very limited income and has been through so much this past year, including surviving breast cancer. Her 1999 Honda Accord, which she kept in immaculate condition, was her only transportation. Losing it in this way has been emotionally devastating and financially overwhelming. We’ve filed a police report, searched everywhere we can, posted on the PDX stolen cars Facebook page, and are doing everything possible to find the car. But even if the police recover it, older Hondas are often damaged, stripped, or left in a condition that makes them unsafe to drive again.

I’m trying to raise funds to help my mom replace what was lost. She's worked hard all of her life and does not deserve this. She doesn’t have the resources to purchase another vehicle, and without a car, she can’t get to her medical appointments, her volunteer activities, or even basic errands. She deserves stability, safety, and a sense of security after everything she’s been through.

Your support will help with:

• Replacing her car with something safe and reliable

• Recovering essential items stolen from her purse

• Covering short-term transportation while we navigate this

• Possible towing or repair costs if her stolen car is found damaged

• Replacing personal belongings lost in the theft

My mom has spent years helping others, serving meals on holidays at UGM and showing kindness to people experiencing homelessness. She has always shown up for the community with compassion and generosity. Now, after everything she’s endured, I’m hoping the community might be willing to show up for her.

If you feel moved to help, we would be incredibly grateful. Even sharing this page makes a difference. Thank you for reading, thank you for caring, and thank you for supporting someone who has spent so much of her life supporting others.

With love,

Todd