Friends, I am reaching out on behalf of my dear friend Whitley. I have known and loved Whitley since first moving to Williams back in 2005. We've seen and done a lot of life together. Whitley just lost her son, Leland, during a surgery to repair his heart. Leland is Whitley's second son, born to her last March. Leland was born with Down's Syndrome and many medical complications. They have been in and out of the hospital since his birth, along with her 5-year-old, Amadeus. Whitley has been Leland's paid caregiver since August (i.e., no steady income as she's the only parent) and is currently facing housing instability as the Ronald McDonald home was their home during the last few months.

Whitley is a pharmacy tech and has provided beautifully for her children, yet she has zero cushion to take a breath and care for herself and her son in the midst of this grief and loss. Once arrangements are made for Leland's service, she no longer has stable housing.

Whitley is a great mom, a kind, compassionate human who loved and believed in her son until the end, and deserves time and space to grieve and find a home. But without external financial support from those that know her and maybe some folks that know me, this won't be possible. In a world where kindness and compassion feel out of reach, would you consider giving to my dear friend?