Paulita Pena

Support for the Morales Elders: Keeping Our Family Safe, Warm, and in Their Home Our family is humbly reaching out for help something we never imagined doing, and something we do now with a very heavy heart. My momma, my sister, and I have always been fiercely protective of our elders: Auntie Norma, Auntie Fidela, Auntie Elena, and our Uncle Chewy. They’re the heartbeat of our family. They’re our responsibility. And we’ve carried that responsibility with pride, love, and determination. But today, the weight is heavier than what we can manage alone. Who They Are These four elders are extraordinarily resilient, funny, stubborn in the best way, and full of love. They are also special-needs adults who depend on each other and on us, and we do everything we can to help them live independently in the home they’ve had for decades. Uncle Chewy, a survivor of police brutality before Miranda rights even existed, has always been the rock of their household. He cooks, cleans, and helps care for his sisters, even while carrying his own trauma and disability. Auntie Fidela, who is high-functioning, does her best to help bathe her two older sisters, watch their medications, and manage small parts of their budget. Auntie Norma, age 59, walks with a walker and is developmentally about four or five years old. She loves her dolls, bright colors, and anything soft. She brings sweetness into every room she enters. She also LOVES singing and listening to music. Auntie Elena is currently in another fight with cancer. She is in a wheelchair, going through chemotherapy again, and developmentally about eight or nine years old. Through all this, she still laughs, still prays, and still shows up as a warrior. They have survived more hardship in one lifetime than most families face in three. Yet they continue living independently, taking care of each other, and staying rooted in their home a home filled with memories of all our elders who came before them. How We Got Here After the passing of two of their brothers Uncle Robert (October 2021) from COVID complications and a stroke, and Uncle Pancho (July 2023) from a massive heart attack; their Social Security disability was suspended because they received all of Uncle Robert’s pension and retirement benefits, which put them temporarily over income limits. Because of the sudden loss of their brothers, the cost of two funerals, a roof replacement, medical copays that Medicare and Medicaid do not cover, rising inflation, and ongoing federal budget cuts, their savings and pension funds have run out. Uncle Robert was a lifetime Teamster, and his pension and retirement benefits were split among the siblings. When both brothers passed away, the system put the surviving siblings’ benefits on hold. We have been fighting the government ever since to fix this. But with the shutdown, backlog, and delays in reopening, their income has been gone for months. We were forced to request a mortgage forbearance, and even with that, the bills kept coming: • past-due mortgage payments • utility bills • medical expenses • transportation costs for cancer treatment • the cost of seasoned firewood that heats their home Now, they are at the edge of losing the stability they’ve held onto for so long. What We Do as a Family We take care of them in every way we can: • mowing the lawn • cleaning gutters • grocery shopping when Uncle Chewy cannot drive due to illness or severe arthritis • paying small bills when we can • teaching them technology • navigating medical appointments • filing government paperwork • hauling and stacking firewood • guiding them through systems that honestly don’t understand families like ours My husband, my children, my sister, my brother-in-law, my niece and nephew, my mom, and my cousins Ricky and his wife we all pitch in. We do it with love. We do it without hesitation. But right now, love isn’t enough to cover the costs. What We Need We are trying to raise $5,000 to keep our Aunties and Uncle safe and stable while we wait for their disability income to be reinstated. The funds will go directly toward: • back mortgage payments • upcoming mortgage amounts • overdue utilities • medical-related needs • seasoned firewood to get them through the winter This will keep them in their home together, safe, warm, and cared for while we finish the fight with Social Security. Why We’re Asking It hurts to ask.
We were raised not to. But the reality is simple and unforgiving: without help, our elders will fall deeper into a financial crisis they did not create and cannot fix on their own. They deserve better.
They deserve dignity.
They deserve safety.
They deserve to remain in their home. If you are able to give anything, truly anything we will be grateful beyond words. If you cannot give, please share. Every act of support makes a difference. From our family to yours, thank you for seeing them, loving them, and helping us protect the people who once protected all of us. With gratitude, The Morales Family

Help Isaias Stay in School – Support a Future Storyteller “Your kindness today keeps a young artist’s dream alive.” Hi everyone, My name is Isaias Ardila, and I’m a freshman at Southern Oregon University, majoring in Theater Performance and Film with a minor in Business. I’ve always dreamed of becoming an actor and storyteller, someone who brings people together through shared emotion, truth, and creativity. Growing up in Salem-Keizer, my family taught me the values of resilience, kindness, and hard work. Acting became my way to express myself and to process the world it was my escape, my passion, and my purpose. Right now, I’m facing a difficult setback. I owe $2,500 for this term, and I can’t finish registering for my next classes until the balance is paid in full. I’ve been working, managing my expenses carefully, and applying for every scholarship, FAFSA opportunity, and student loan I can find. But even after doing all that, I’ve come up short. Recent federal budget cuts made by the U.S. Department of Education have reduced the amount of aid available to many college students like me. These cuts have made it harder for working-class and first-generation students to stay enrolled and focused on their goals. I’m anxious about what this might mean for my academic progress, but I’m not giving up. I believe in taking responsibility, finding solutions, and asking for help when it’s truly needed. Your support, in any amount, would help me pay off this balance, stay in school, and continue working toward my dream. Every dollar brings me closer to being able to keep studying, performing, and sharing stories that matter. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and for believing in students like me who are working hard to build a better future. With gratitude, Isaias Ardila Freshman – Southern Oregon University Theater Performance & Film | Minor in Business

Help Support Claressa Nisley and Her Family After the Loss of Her Mother, Liz My name is Paula Peña-Urenda, and I’m creating this fundraiser on behalf of my dear friend Claressa Nisley, with her full permission. Claressa and I have been best friends for nearly four decades. She works for the Oregon Department of Justice and is a SEIU 503 member. Now, Claressa and her family need our help. Claressa recently lost her beloved mother, Liz, who passed away after a three-week hospital stay following her final family trip to Disneyland in September 2025. Liz was a loving widow, mother, sister, grandmother, and great-grandmother who touched the lives of everyone who knew her. She worked for many years at Highway Trailer Sales and retired in 2018, one year after losing her husband to cancer. Liz loved her family deeply and continued to be an active and compassionate member of her community. She attended church both in person and online, gave generously of her time and resources, and supported local fundraisers such as the fire department breakfasts and monthly community dinners. Liz found great joy in family vacations to Disneyland, creating memories that her family will cherish forever. She made countless personal sacrifices for her loved ones. After her husband passed away eight years ago, Liz took in her youngest daughter and her three small children. When that daughter eventually moved out, Liz became the guardian of her grandson the oldest child of her youngest daughter. Later, when her oldest daughter and grandchild were in need, she opened her heart and home to them as well. Liz also cared for her own mother until her passing, continuing the legacy of love and service that defined her life. Liz’s heart was forever changed after losing her husband, but her strength and devotion to family only grew. She leaves behind two daughters, four grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. Now, her oldest daughter Claressa is moving back into the family home and taking on the role of legal guardian for her nephew, Liz’s grandson. Both daughters work hard and live paycheck to paycheck, and the family is now facing significant emotional and financial challenges as they adjust to life without Liz. Your donations will go toward: Funeral and memorial expenses Basic utilities Groceries Guardianship and household transition costs “We were raised by great parents who taught us to be independent, and it’s hard to ask for help from others. However, we could use your help. Whatever you can offer will be greatly appreciated by the family.” — Claressa Liz was the heart of her family, strong, selfless, and full of love. Helping Claressa and her family during this time is one way we can honor Liz’s legacy and give back to a family who has always given so much to others. Thank you for your kindness, generosity, and prayers.