My name is Bo, and I am a psychology major at Oregon State University. For the past two years, I have volunteered at the Corvallis Daytime Drop-In Center, working closely with people experiencing homelessness. This work has truly touched my heart and inspired me to better understand this marginalized community.

My research focuses on how attachment styles and the ability to understand others' thoughts and feelings—known as mentalizing capacity—are shaped by childhood trauma, such as emotional abuse and neglect. Having successfully completed a pilot study, I am now prepared to broaden this research to include more participants and acquire deeper understanding. At the heart of community resilience are human interactions and interpersonal relationships, which can either cause harm or foster healing. I want to explore how childhood experiences influence these dynamics among people facing homelessness.

$900 will compensate each person $6 in cash for their time sharing difficult experiences and social cognition. $117 covers printing so participants can choose paper or research assistants' laptops. By supporting this project, you are directly helping individuals who use homeless services and making it possible for their voices and experiences to be heard in important research. Your generosity directly impacts the participants with every dollar you donate.

I am deeply grateful for any support you can offer. Your donation will not only help advance our understanding of homelessness and trauma but also show compassion and respect to those who are often overlooked. Thank you for considering a contribution to this project and for helping to make a difference in the lives of others.