I am creating this fundraiser for one of my dearest friends, Kai.

From Kai:

For most of my life, I've lived in survival mode.

I am a survivor of long-term human trafficking and exploitation. For years, I lived without control over my own safety, my own choices, or even where I slept. Getting out of that life didn’t mean everything suddenly became easy. It meant starting over from nothing, while still dealing with the physical and psychological damage from what I went through.

Because of my health, I'm now disabled and unable to work, and staying stable without steady income has been a constant struggle. I don’t have permanent housing right now, so having a vehicle is not just transportation for me, it is my shelter, my safety, and my independence.

Recently, I thought I finally had a chance to stabilize my situation

I was able to get a vehicle, but after only six weeks the frame broke, and the car became unsafe to drive. Losing that vehicle put me right backck where I started, trying to figure out how to stay safe day to day without a place of my own.

For someone in my position, a reliable vehicle means having a place I can sleep without worrying about who is around me. It means ing able to get to medical appointments, keep my belongings secure, and avoid unsafe situations that can be especially dangerous for someone with my past.

I’m not looking for luxury.

I’m trying to get back to the one thing that was helping me stay stable, a dependable vehicle that I can live in while I continue working toward a more permanent situation.

I have survived things most people will never experience, and I am still here doing everything I can to stay independent. Right now, getting another reliable vehicle would give me the chance to stay safe, keep moving forward, and not lose the progress I fought so hard to make.

From LaRinda:

Recently, Kai had obtained a car and was working on paying it off. Having her own space to sleep when no other option was available, especially during cold winter nights, offered some safety and stability.

Unfortunately, limited funds meant limited options and the car frame broke only a few months after purchasing. This was a devastation after the short lived relief of having her own space and independence. The funds from this campaign will be used to purchase a reliable vehicle that she can also sleep comfortably in as well as purchase insurance, other maintenance needs, gas, and pay off the vehicle that broke. Kai is always working to ensure community members’ needs are met and it's time the community helps meet her needs.

If the funds received exceed Kai's needs for stability, she has asked to donate to an organization advocating/serving trafficking survivors. Even with all the barriers to housing stability, Kai is always thinking about those the system has forgotten, ignored, and hurt. So, I am asking the community to help us fund, spread the word, and generally support this campaign.