Ryan Wedel Martinez

We are $3,500 away from closing on a safe, stable home for our family. The closing is expected to take place in mid-January, and this home represents safety, stability, and hope after months of housing insecurity, retaliation, and advocacy exhaustion. Even small contributions will help our family finally exhale. From Ryan (On Behalf of Jessica and Her Family) My name is Ryan, and I am writing this on behalf of my lifelong friend Jessica and her family. Jessica and I met in high school when I was a freshman and she was a junior. More than twenty-four years later, we remain deeply connected. Over the decades, we have grown together, apart, and back together again while navigating life’s many challenges. I can say without hesitation that Jessica is one of the strongest, most devoted parents I have ever known. She is not someone who asks for help easily. In fact, she avoids it whenever possible. Right now, however, the weight of everything happening at once has become too much to carry alone. Through it all, her focus has never wavered: protecting her children. She often asks her kids, “What is my job as a parent?” And even now, despite the eye rolls, they always answer, “To protect us.” That is exactly what she continues to do, even when the cost to herself is enormous. What Jessica and Her Family Are Facing: Jessica and her family are currently dealing with an overwhelming convergence of crises, including: • Imminent eviction and housing instability • Ongoing and exhausting IEP and IDEA battles with her son’s school • Constant medical, educational, and advocacy appointments • Raising a child on the autism spectrum with ADHD • The urgent need to secure safe, stable housing • Potential loss of income due to a possible job layoff • Jessica having to withdraw from her Social Work program at Chico State University due to ongoing safety concerns related to her child’s school environment Despite panic, exhaustion, and uncertainty, Jessica remains the emotional and logistical anchor of her family. She continues to show up, advocate fiercely, and put her children first, often at the expense of her own education, stability, and well-being. They are currently in escrow on a home, which represents safety, stability, and hope for their family. Unfortunately, they do not currently have the funds to cover the remaining costs. Immediate Financial Needs • $2,500 for closing costs • $450 for two required inspections • $550 for new home expenses Total needed: $3,500 I am currently on disability and a full-time student managing my own challenges, so I am not in a position to help financially. What I can do is help Jessica by sharing her story and asking others, those who are able, to step in where I cannot. Thank you for taking the time to read this, for sharing if you can, and for holding this family in your hearts. Blessed Be. Below is Jessica's story in her own words: Have you ever heard “MARRRVIN ZINDLER, EEEYE WITNESS NEWS” or “There’s SLIIIME in the ice machine”? Well, here is a story much like how those news segments started. Our family moved into a new rental in July when school was out for summer, and it was hot. We have a beautiful view of the lake and a secret garden area that became my refuge. What we didn’t know was that the house we were moving into would become our Nightmare on Elm Street — not in fun, but in fear. At first, we were so busy that we didn’t see the signs, but they were there. Slowly — and then very quickly — our home went from a place to relax and have fun to rats in the attic, 1950s electrical issues, mold above and below constantly circulating, and septic gas freely flowing through our living space. Word of the day: Habitability. The word used to describe a home’s health and safety for its occupants. Ours is not healthy or safe. Code enforcement agreed, but our landlords were uninterested in skilled labor or real repairs. Our only bathroom has a floor that is caving in, and our one way to bathe has been significantly affected. Instead of fixing the problems, we were blamed for them. When we reached out for help, retaliation followed. Our landlords now refuse to provide the relocation assistance required by law and are instead suing us and actively pursuing eviction rather than addressing the habitability issues. We began looking for another rental but realized we were exhausted by landlords with no accountability. We decided the only real solution was to buy a home — one that would finally provide safety and stability for our children. We are now in escrow. The inspections are almost within reach. The down payment is nearly there — but still just out of reach. The relocation assistance that should have been our saving grace will likely only come through court. This year, Christmas has to represent stability and safety. We are $3,500 away from success on this house, and we can cover the remainder of the costs with coming paychecks. We could truly benefit from the help of family, friends, and community to overcome this final hurdle and move into our new home with dignity. If you can help, bless you. If you can’t, bless you. Have a Merry Christmas, friends and family. We love you. — The Robinsons