Support for Cassandra

I'm Kyla and I work to help people with limited resources access local agencies and organizations to get their basic needs met... recently I was connected with *Cassandra. I speak with lots of people who are struggling, but my call with Cassandra was different. First, when her counselor told me about her needs, he said, "We are just going to start with blankets".

I heard more about her story when we got on the phone. I was struck by Cassandra's openness about her situation. She had just gotten her apartment after the safe house she had been in since escaping domestic violence - a place she agreed to take "as is" for discounted rent. She is currently caring for three young children there, two of whom have special needs, and she had left everything - her house, her car, her job, and many relationships - to get out.

That is the second thing that struck me about Cassandra: the fortitude and self-advocacy she embodied inside her ineffable despair. She said they had nothing, leaving nearly all their possessions behind. They could not get around with three children, including an infant with no car, stroller, or bus pass. She was skipping meals to get all the kids fed, and wrapping their only blanket around the two older children so they could be warm enough to sleep.

That day I understood the urgency for this family. Let's just start with blankets.

And we did. I reached out to a few families and friends and blankets began to pour in, including essentials like soap, bath towels, dishes, and toys. I was moved by the incredible generosity and support of others when they knew where to give.

Cassandra needs so many more things to bring her out of survival and to begin building a new life with her family. I am hoping a small fund can help.

Her big needs include:

-car

-working wall oven

-new/repaired flooring

-pipe repairs

Any size donation is welcome.

Let's help this incredible woman and her children have the safe, happy, thriving life that they deserve.

If you are local to the Bay Area and would like to donate new or gently used items, please contact Kyla Kelley.